STAFF REPORT

November 15, 1999

To: Community Services Committee

From: Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

Subject: Community Partners Program: Administration and Funding Transfer

Purpose:

This report provides information on the provincial Community Partners Program (CPP) which allocates $ 862,307.00 in annual funding to ten community-based Housing Help services in Toronto. The province will transfer administration and funding for the CPP to Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs), effective January 2000.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

CPP contributes $ 862,307.00 annually to agencies in the City of Toronto. The province will forward $517,384.00 (60% of the total annual budget) directly to funded agencies for the first seven months of operation in 2000. The City of Toronto will receive $ 344,923.00 in a single payment by April 2000 (40% of the total annual budget) and will be expected to disperse these funds.

Funds for CPP grants have been included in the Shelter, Housing and Support Division's operating budget for 2000. The cost implications for CPP grant administration will be dealt with through the regular City budget process, and $35,000 will be requested from the province to compensate for additional staffing demands. There is no net increase in the grants budget.

Finance staff have been consulted and concur with the impact statements of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) The City of Toronto assume responsibility for administration and funding for the provincial Community Partners Program (CPP), which has an annualised grants budget of $ 862,307.00, on the condition that the province provide 100% funding;

(2) The Commissioner of Community Services be authorized to enter into an agreement with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for the Community Partners Program in 2000, which sets out the City's responsibility for administration for the full year and for CPP funding of $ 344,923.00 for the last five months of the year;

(3) The Commissioner of Community Services be authorised to disperse CPP grants under the terms of this agreement, to the agencies named in this report for their final payment in 2000 which totals $ 344,923.00;

(4) City Council request provincial funding of $ 35,000 for administration costs, based on ½ FTE, to support the City's new responsibility for the Community Partners Program;

(5) This report be forwarded to the Policy and Finance Committee for consideration and to the Budget Advisory Committee secretary for budget process pending file, in accordance with the Financial Control Protocols, adopted by Council at its meeting of July 27, 28, 29 and 30, 1999; and

(6) The appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Background:

The Province of Ontario announced its intention to transfer funding and administrative responsibility for the Community Partners Program (CPP) to Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs), in March 1999. This initiative was one of several actions recommended by the Provincial Task Force on Homelessness, and supports the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force recommendation concerning the municipality's role as manager of housing and homeless services.

The provincial Community Partners Program is a $ 2.2 million grant fund, allocated across the province to fund 29 agencies, the majority of which operate Housing Help Centres. Clients are low-income tenants, and many have special needs as a result of homelessness, institutional discharge, recent arrival to Canada or other individual challenges. Some of the standard services offered at Housing Help Centres are: free housing vacancy information; individual counselling on housing issues; liaison and client advocacy with income supports and other services; mediation for landlords and tenants; follow-up and tracking Housing Help clients.

The Ministry reports that CPP funds ten agencies for a total of $ 862,307.00 within the City of Toronto. Five grants are to Housing Help Centres and five for speciality services for chronically homeless individuals (see Appendix 1 for details.) CPP staffing at the Ministry is estimated to be .8 FTE for every ten projects, not including managerial supervision.

Comments:

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing will assign all contracts between the Ministry and the funded agencies to CMSMs, and will require that all funding commitments be maintained until the end of 2000. CPP transfer to CMSMs will take place in two steps:

1) Funding decisions for 2000 are being made by the province, and 60% of the annual funding will flow from the Ministry to the selected agencies before January 2000. CMSMs assume administrative responsibility in January, and provincial staff are available for assistance and consultation during the transition period.

2) By July a direct funding relationship begins between the CMSMs and CPP agencies: CMSMs will receive the remaining 40% of the annual budget for the purpose of continued funding for agencies which submit satisfactory interim reports.

Funding and administration of CPP for the City of Toronto would be suitably located within the Shelter, Housing and Support Division, which has responsibility for the City of Toronto Homeless Initiative Fund (CT-HIF.) The objectives of CT-HIF and CPP funding programs are compatible. As well, there exist current funding relationships under CT-HIF (for other project activities) with seven of the ten Community Partners agencies.

The addition of the Community Partners Program to the Division's responsibilities may enable program refinements to address current funding gaps and inequalities, particularly within the Housing Help sector. Shelter, Housing and Support staff are currently engaged within this sector and I estimate that .5 FTE ($ 35,000) will be required to support CPP. Staffing requirements are being dealt with in the regular City budget process. To compensate for the projected additional expense to the City, $ 35,000.00 from the province for administration will be requested.

Conclusions:

The Province of Ontario will transfer funding and administrative responsibility for the Community Partners Program (CPP), from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to Consolidated Municipal Service Managers. The City of Toronto's responsibility for funding agencies receiving CPP grants is contingent upon provincial funding, which in 2000 will be

$ 344,923.00 (40% of the annual CPP budget for Toronto agencies.)

Community Partners Program funds ten agencies in the City of Toronto for a total of $ 862,307.00. These agencies provide generic and specialized Housing Help services. In assuming funding and administrative responsibility for the Community Partners Program, the City will be in an improved position to manage program funding within the Housing Help sector specifically and the City of Toronto Homeless Initiatives Fund more generally.

Contact:

Joanne Campbell, General Manager

Shelter Housing and Support

Phone: 392-7885

Fax: 392-0548

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

Appendix 1

Community Partners Program Agencies and Grant Amounts

January to December 2000

(City of Toronto locations)