Mayor Rob Ford lost control of city council, then lost control of his future. Now he has even lost control of the paragraph at the end of the city’s press releases.

Councillor Josh Matlow complained in a November letter to the city manager that the distinctly Ford-like paragraph is “inappropriately ideological” and insufficiently “factual.” Matlow asked for a new paragraph that is “reflective of our city as a whole and our residents’ common values.”

He got his wish. The communications department is changing the paragraph to “highlight current factual information and to more properly reflect the city's key priorities — such as the city's role as Host City for the 2015 Pan Am Games, for example,” spokesperson Wynna Brown said Wednesday.

The paragraph resides at the bottom of all government bulletins, from “City of Toronto issues Extreme Cold Weather Alert and advises homeless people to seek shelter” to “Residential sprinklers and smoke alarms avert tragedy.”

In January 2011, a month after Ford took office, the city replaced the paragraph it used under left-leaning David Miller with a paragraph that better conveys Ford’s own politics.

The 90-word Miller-era paragraph referred to Toronto as “the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America.” It also mentioned “liveability.” And it noted that “Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services.”

The 71-word Ford-era paragraph avoids any reference to greenness, creativity, and the accomplishments of bureaucrats. In the place of all that is this: “Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city.”

“Transportation City” was the name of the Ford transit plan council rejected. “Customer service excellence,” “transparent and accountable government,” and “reducing the size and cost of government” were among Ford’s campaign themes. Many councillors do not want to shrink the government.

Matlow (Ward 22, St. Paul’s), a centrist who pleads regularly for less partisanship at city hall and who has become highly critical of Ford, said the paragraph should be “evergreen no matter who the mayor of the day might be.” He said he so dislikes the current version that he refuses to post city releases on his website.

“It — it disturbs me,” he said with a laugh. “Just one of those things. And I spoke with a couple people in communications, and I said, ‘What would be helpful to get this changed?’ To no surprise, I think they felt as frustrated with it as I am . . . and it became clear that a prompt would be helpful. So that’s why I sent the letter to them, and I think they were very happy to receive it.”

Ford’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

THE FULL FORD-ERA PARAGRAPH: Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.