Delegation of Signing Authority to the

General Manager of Children's Services

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (May 7, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to designate the General Manager of Children's Services as the Child Care Administrator as required by the Child Care Service Management Guidelines of the Ministry of Community and Social Services and to delegate signing authority to the General Manager of Children's Services to execute service contract agreements for child care services on behalf of the City of Toronto.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Council's approval of the 1999 Children's Services budget provides the financial ceilings within which service contracts for the provision of fee subsidies, wage subsidies, and funding for special needs resourcing and family resource centres are signed. There are no financial implications beyond the limits of the approved 1999 Children's Services budget.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the General Manager of Children's Services be appointed as "Child Care Administrator" for the purpose of child care system management under the terms of the Child Care Service Management Guidelines of the Ministry of Community and Social Services; and

(2)authority be given to the General Manager of the Children's Services Division to execute service contracts for child care services on behalf of the City of Toronto; and

(3)the appropriate City officials take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

A March 5, 1999, report, entitled "Transfer of Provincial Responsibilities to Social Services and Children's Services", granted authority to the Children's Services Division of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department to assume system management responsibility for child care programs being transferred from the Ministry of Community and Social Services effective July1,1999. Council's April 13, 1999, approval of this report provided authority for Children's Services to enter into service contracts for transferring programs including wage subsidy, special needs resourcing, family resource centres and approved corporations providing child care services. Since September 15, 1981, designated officials within the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department have had the delegated authority to enter into fee subsidy contracts with community childcare operators.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

With the advent of the new City's by-law governing signing authorities, the Department has been advised that it is necessary to specifically designate the General Manager of Children's Services as a signing officer specific to childcare service contracts. Following the transfer of the additional child care responsibilities from the Province on July 1, 1999, it will be necessary for the General Manager of Children's Services to sign a total of approximately 800 child care service contracts on an annual basis. The total annual value per service contract ranges from approximately $300.00 to $6,700,000.00. (The average contract value is $310,000.00.) The service contracts will be in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has published Child Care Service Management Guidelines to assist and support the City as the designated child care system manager to carry out its enhanced responsibilities following the transfer of additional child care programs July 1, 1999. These Guidelines require the appointment of a "Child Care Administrator". The Department recommends that the General Manager of Children's Services be appointed "Child Care Administrator" as required by the Ministry's Child Care Service Management Guidelines.

Conclusions:

This report recommends designating the General Manager of Children's Services as the "Child Care Administrator" as required by the Child Care Service Management Guidelines of the Ministry of Community and Social Services. This report also recommends designating the General Manager of Children's Services as a signing officer for all child care service contracts. The recommendations of this report have been reviewed with the Treasurer and have her concurrence.

Contact Name:

Marna Ramsden-Urbanski

General Manager, Children's Services Division

Tel: 392-8128/Fax: 392-4576

E-mail: ramsden@csis.csis.csd.metrotor.on.ca