Grants Priorities

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the Recommendation of the Budget Committee embodied in the following communication (February 22, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendations:

The Budget Committee on February 19, 1999, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, the adoption of the report (January 14, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, subject to inserting the words "on a pro-rated basis" after the word "allocated" in Recommendation No. (1) so that such recommendation shall read as follows:

"(1)for the 1999 fiscal year, because key Council policy directions through the Strategic Plan, Social Development Strategy and Official Plan are not yet available, any funds available for reallocation within the consolidated grants budget be allocated on a pro-rated basis to grants service areas on an equal priority basis; and"

Background:

The Budget Committee on February 19, 1999, had before it a communication (January 25, 1999) from the City Clerk, advising that the Municipal Grants Review Committee on January 25, 1999, recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the report (January 14, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, wherein it is recommended that:

(1)for the 1999 fiscal year, because key Council policy directions through the Strategic Plan, Social Development Strategy and Official Plan are not yet available, any funds available for reallocation within the consolidated grants budget be allocated to grants service areas on an equal priority basis; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

The Budget Committee reports, for the information of Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, having received the following communications pertaining to the Grant Priorities:

(a)(February 16, 1999) from Mr. Thomas Kilburn, President, Crescent Town Community Association;

(b)(February 16, 1999) from Mr. Nicholas Dick, Chair Board of Director, Warden Woods Community Centre;

(c)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Nargess Zahraci, Executive Director, Parkdale Community Information Centre;

(d)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Belinda Netley, Executive Director, Centennial Infant and Child Centre;

(e)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Michelle Cader, Acting Executive Director, Yorkdale Intercultural Association;

(f)(February 16, 1999) from Mr. Mitch Kopec, Chair, Loyola Arrupe Corporation;

(g)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Laura Kennedy, President, DCVS Services for Seniors;

(h)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Amina Rawji, On behalf of the Board, membership and community of the Immigrant Women's Health Centre;

(i)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Susan Neal, Executive Director, Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre;

(j)(February 15, 1999) from Ms. Anne MacNeill, Executive Director, East York Meals on Wheels;

(k)(February 15, 1999) from Ms. Nancy Schaefer, Executive Director, Youth Employment Services;

(l)(undated) from the Executive Director, Telecare Etobicoke;

(m)(February 15, 1999) from Ms. S. Wood, Executive Director, Touchstone Youth Centre;

(n)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Marilyn Capreol, President/Director/Volunteer, Circle of Director, Native Men's Residence;

(o)(February 17, 1999) from Pat Taylor, Chair, POINT Inc. (People and Organizations in North Toronto);

(p)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Sharon D. Zeiler, B.Sc., M.B.A., Executive Director, Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada;

(q)(February 16, 1999) from Randi Fine, Executive Director, Selfhelp Resource Centre of Greater Toronto;

(r)(February 16, 1999) from Mr. John O'Connor, Secretary, Volunteer Board of Directors, Sunshine Centres for Seniors;

(s)(February 17, 1999) from Ms. Maria Harlick, Director, The Canadian Red Cross Society;

(t)(February 16, 1999) from Elske Kuiper, President Board of Directors, St. Christopher House;

(u)(February 17, 1999) from Ms. Karen Engel, Executive Director, Yorktown Family Services;

(v)(February 16, 1999) from P. Jensen, Executive Director, West Hill Community Services;

(w)(February 16, 1999) from Ms. Darlene Clarke, Executive Director, Youth Clinical Services, Inc.;

(x)(February 18, 1999) from Terry Winston, Executive Director, National Council of Jewish Woman of Canada;

(y)(February 17, 1999) from the Program and Service Manager, Lakeshore Area Multi-Services Project Inc.;

(z)(February 17, 1999) from Ms. Elaine Prescod, Executive Director, Coalition of Visible Minority Women (Ontario) Inc.;

(aa)(February 17, 1999) name and company unknown;

(bb)(February 17, 1999) from Ms. Debra Dineen, President of the Board of Directors, Regent Park Community Health Centre;

(cc)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Beverly Pageau, Executive Director, Silent Voice;

(dd)(February 18, 1999) from the Executive Director, West Scarborough Community Legal Services;

(ee)(February 18, 1999) from Mr. Graham Baldwin, President, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto;

(ff)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Mary Ann Chang, Executive Director, Alzheimer Society for Metropolitan Toronto;

(gg)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Susan Abell, Executive Director, Youthlink;

(hh)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Ruth Morris, Executive Director;

(ii)(January 18, 1999) from Ms. Josie Di Zio, Executive Director, Working Women Community Centre

(jj)(February 18, 1999) from Mr. Walter Maziar, Treasurer, Ukrainian Canadian Social Services (Toronto) Incorporated;

(kk)(February 16, 1999) from Mr. Robert Cook, Vice Chair, Board of Director, True Davidson meals on Wheels (East York) Inc.;

(ll)(February 15, 1999) from Nazhath Leedham, Executive Director;

(mm)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Janet Walker, Executive Director, Women's Habitat;

(nn)(February 18, 1999) from Tita Zierer, Treasurer, South Riverdale Child-Parent Centre;

(oo)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Heather Hillier, Executive Director, Horizons for Youth;

(pp)(February 18, 1999) from Ms. Judy Kile, President, Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre;

(qq)(February 18, 1999) from Haari Abou Korrat, Executive Director, Jamaican Canadian Association; and

(rr)(February 19, 1999) from Mr. Morris Jesion, Executive Director, Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens' Organizations;

The foregoing communications are on file in the Office of the City Clerk.

--------

(Communication dated January 25, 1999, addressed to the

Budget Committee from the City Clerk)

Recommendation:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee on January 25, 1999, recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the following report (January 14, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services recommending that for the 1999 fiscal year, because key Council policy directions through the Strategic Plan, Social Development Strategy and Official Plan are not yet available, any funds available for reallocation within the consolidated grants budget be allocated to grants service areas on an equal priority basis.

The Municipal Grants Review Committee reports for the information of the Budget Committee, having:

(1)received the joint report dated January 22, 1999, from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services; and

(2)referred the recommendations from Community Voices of Support to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for consideration during the overall budget process.

Background:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee had before it the following reports:

-(January 14, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services respecting Grants priorities; and

-(January 22, 1999) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services respecting 1999 funding levels for Municipal Grants Programs.

The following persons appeared before the Municipal Grants Review Committee in connection with the foregoing matter, and submitted recommendations on behalf of Community Voices of Support:

-Mr. Peter Clutterbuck, Co-Director, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto;

-Mr. Lee Zaslofsky, Citizens for Public Health; and

-Mr. Barry Rieder, Jane/Finch Community Ministry.

--------

(Report dated January 14, 1999, addressed to the

Municipal Grants Review Committee from the

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services)

Purpose:

This report provides a discussion of the challenges to establishing priorities between grants service areas and a proposed approach for 1999.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not Applicable.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)for the 1999 fiscal year, because key Council policy directions through the Strategic Plan, Social Development Strategy and Official Plan are not yet available, any funds available for reallocation within the consolidated grants budget be allocated to grants service areas on an equal priority basis; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

At its meeting on November 20, 1998, the Municipal Grants Review Committee received a report titled "1999 Funding Levels for Municipal Grant Programs". The report recommended that the Committee provide direction with respect to establishing priority service areas/functions or considering all grants service areas equally. The Committee then requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to provide a detailed report on all aspects of the grants programs with a view to establishing priority service areas for 1999...."

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The Council policy that staff would normally use to create a framework to determine priorities between grants service areas is not yet in place. Typically Council policy direction is articulated in a range of key documents including the Official Plan, Strategic Plan, Social Development Strategy, Environmental Plan, etc. In the absence of these key planning documents, there is little basis from which to build a discussion with respect to the relative importance of one grants service area over another.

As well, Council has established a number of task forces to address specific issue areas or target populations such as seniors, access and equity, community safety, children and youth, and homelessness. It is anticipated that the work of the task forces will result in a range of recommendations related to municipal grants programs and may impact on any discussion of the relative priorities between the various grants service areas.

Levelling Up:

Levelling up applies to those programs which were not provided in all of the former local municipalities. Service levelling can result in program deletion, dilution and needs based levelling up. Each service area review report provided the Municipal Grants Review Committee with an overview of how the needs based levelling up requirements were established and a number of budget scenarios including an incremental approach. Service area review reports also identified the impacts of providing programs on a City-wide basis with no increase in funding levels. Requiring programs with a limited geographic mandate to provide services on a City-wide basis will result in a smaller proportion of eligible communities receiving service, and communities in the former City of Toronto may have a reduced level of service.

Priorities:

Priorities between service areas contained within the consolidated grants budget have not been set. In the absence of priorities the approach to the budget options has been to accommodate the proposed increases to all grants service areas on an equal priority basis. Each of the service area review reports, submitted to the Municipal Grants Review Committee in September and October, 1998, provided a review of priorities to be used within in each grants service area.

Proposed Approach for 1999:

In light of the difficulties in establishing priorities between service areas, it is recommended that any funds within the consolidated grants budget made available for redistribution to the nine grants service areas be allocated on a equal priority basis. Finance staff are reviewing the 1998consolidated grants budget to determine the precise amount of funding that may be available for redistribution within the consolidated grants budget.

Once this information is available, each grants service area will be informed of the amount of additional funding which may become available (assuming Budget Committee and Council approve a flatline consolidated grants budget). Each service area will then be required to report back to the Municipal Grants Review Committee on a program plan based on the available funding levels. The program plan will need to identify how the grants program will achieve City-wide service with the funding available and what efforts will be made to minimize the impact on communities which will receive less service as a result of service levelling.

Conclusion:

This report summarizes the issues associated with attempts to establish priorities between grants service areas. In the absence of the key Council policy documents referred to above, it is recommended that grants programs be treated on an equal priority basis with respect to the 1999consolidated grants budget.

Contact Name:

Chris Brillinger

Tel: 392-8608

--------

(Joint Report dated January 22, 1999, addressed to the

Municipal Grants Review Committee from the

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services)

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Background:

During December, the Budget Committee advised the Municipal Grants Review Committee that the 1999 grants budget envelope will be maintained at the 1998 level and that the Budget Committee is interested in seeing equity as a priority over new programs, while maintaining the service level for existing programs.

The Municipal Grants Review Committee has recommended that:

(1)available, unexpended grants funds in the 1998 consolidated budget initially be used to address one-time financial adjustments required in the AIDS Prevention grants program up to $526.4 thousand, one-time financial adjustments required in the Arts and Culture grants program up to $350.0 thousand and to cover off the unsourced $75.0 thousand Caribana grant; and thereafter

(2)any funds available on an ongoing basis be reallocated within the consolidated grants budget to grants service areas.

Comments:

Staff from Budget, Accounting and the Municipal Grants Working Group have reviewed the 1998consolidated grants budget against all grants funding releases to date. In the upcoming week, meetings have been scheduled with each grant service area, to determine where liabilities need to be established for 1998 and assign administration responsibility for outstanding line item/miscellaneous grants. Once this review is completed, an amount for reallocation will be determined. Preliminary estimates at this point in time indicate a minimum of $800.0 thousand should be available for reallocation. Should the Municipal Grants Review Committee approve the report titled "Grants Priorities" at its January 25, 1999, meeting, the funding available for reallocation will be allocated on an equal priority basis.

Conclusions:

A complete financial review is underway to determine the appropriate grants funding available for reallocation amongst the grant service areas for the 1999 requested budget. To date, preliminary estimates are that a minimum of $800.0 thousand will be available for reallocation.

Contact Names:

Susan Bury,

Budget Division, Finance

Tel: 392-8351/Fax: 392-3649

Chris Brillinger,

Community Resources, Social Development and Administration

Tel: 392-8608/Fax 392-8492