Toronto mayor Rob Ford, right, sits with Nick Kouvalis while they were campaigning in September during an interview at the offices of The Globe and Mail.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Rob Ford's powerful chief of staff is leaving the top job in the mayor's office, The Globe and Mail has learned.
Nick Kouvalis is planning to depart in three or four weeks for a new post within the administration leading the city's efforts to contract out garbage services, according to Councillor Doug Ford, the Mayor's brother.
"He's going to be leaving as the chief of staff, but he will still be part of the team," Mr. Ford said late Friday. "We're going to get the subway done, we're going to finish that deal and then he [Mr. Kouvalis]is going after the garbage."
"Nick's tough. He was a union guy for nine years. He knows how they play ... he'll be part of the negotiation team. It's going to be good, it's going to be exciting."
Mr. Kouvalis, a Conservative strategist from Windsor, Ont., was the architect of Mr. Ford's election victory. He was appointed chief of staff shortly afterwards.
"It's been fun working with these guys [Rob and Doug Ford]on the campaign," Mr. Kouvalis said Friday. "I was never really supposed to be the chief of staff ... I wanted to try it and they needed someone to get them started."
In the two months since Mr. Ford took office, Mr. Kouvalis has developed a reputation as the mayor's brain and his muscle. He has steered several of Mr. Ford's key campaign promises through council, including eliminating the vehicle-registration tax, cutting councillors' office budgets and asking the province to ban strikes at the Toronto Transit Commission.
But he has also been a controversial presence. He admitted after the election to asking a staff member to pose as a regular caller trying to rattle John Tory on his radio show. At the time last summer, the former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader was considering entering the mayor's race, which would have hurt Mr. Ford's chances.
Mr. Kouvalis's wife and three children still live in Windsor. Councillor Ford said Mr. Kouvalis's new role will allow him to split his time between Toronto and Windsor.
Kelly Grant