OTHER CITY PROGRAMS:
City Manager’s Office – net reduction of 14.5 positions resulting in cost savings of $2.667 million gross and $1.263 million net.
- A reduction of 0 permanent positions in Strategic Communications (3 positions) and
Human Resources (10 positions) will result in savings of $1.263 million gross and net. The work-load has been restructured through efficiencies and implemented within the existing complement.
- A reduction of 0 temporary capital positions for a savings of $0.279 million gross and $0 net. 1.0 position for Business Intelligence was assessed to no longer be required and 1.0 position for e-Learning will be reassigned to Information and Technology at their request.
- These position decreases are partially offset by an addition of 0 temporary operating position at a cost of $0.076 million required for health and safety related matters, the addition of 4.0 temporary capital positions for the delivery of Human Resources’ E-Performance technology project at a cost of $0.375 million gross and $0 net, as well as the addition of 0.5 permanent operating position in Strategic Recruitment to support HR Assessment Centre with no request for additional funding.
For more details, visit the City Manager’s Office budget page
Legal Services
- New/Enhanced Service Priorities ($0.687 million gross & $0 net) to Increase Legal Insurance Claims Support. In order to be more cost efficient, the Civil Litigation service is increasing its complement of 2 permanent Solicitor positions for claims work fully funded by the Insurance Reserve. The purpose is to reduce the outsourcing as it is more economical than relying on a private law firm to do the work. This is the final phase of a 3-year plan to continue increasing internal resources to handle insurance claims related work (Operating Budget: 9).
For more details, visit the Legal Services budget page
AGENCIES
Toronto Public Health – net reduction of 11.4 positions (15.4 reduction and 4.0 increase) with no net impact.
- Gapping remains a significant problem at Public Health. The 2016 Operating Budget Request is seeking to reduce gapping from 5.8% to 4.8%. Although the Board of Health is moving in the right direction to reduce gapping in the Division. Nonetheless, a 4.8% gapping level would still leave too many positions vacant.
- A reduction of 11.4 temporary positions that are capital funded and are no longer required due to the completion of capital projects in 2015 (Operating Budget: 7).
- A reduction of 4 permanent positions offset by an increase of 4 temporary positions primarily due to the following: 3 temporary positions for the Pan Am / ParaPan Am Games that are no longer required, and; a net reduction of 4 permanent positions and an increase of 7 temporary positions resulting from a change in the funding model for the new integrated Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSP) program that is 100% Provincially funded, and three 100% Provincial funded programs (Smoke-Free Ontario, the Universal Influenza Immunization Program, e-Counselling AIDS and Sex Health Info Line) resulting in no net impact.
- The 2016 Complement for Union jobs is: Permanent 1,567.03; Temporary 1,613,68.
- Did you know? Every municipal $1 invested in public health yields $4 in public health services for Torontonians.
- To improve the health of Toronto’s communities and to support the Poverty Reduction Strategy, Toronto Public Health recommended a number of new/enhanced initiatives. For a detailed list of which new and enhanced services the Mayor has supported and which ones he is abandoning, see our discussion here.
Notes from Social Planning Toronto on Public Health Budget
- Toronto’s dental program for low income seniors has high demand and a long waiting list
- The expansion of the student nutrition program (funds to cover rising cost of food, improve the existing program, and expand the program to 47 new schools) is not included in the budget at this time.
- There are two stories on provincial funding for public health programs – 1) TPH provides some programs that are 100% funded by the provincial government. Trouble is that the Province has frozen this funding which, over time, results in service cuts because TPH can’t maintain the same level of service year after year without inflationary increases. 2) Most of TPH programs are cost shared with the Province, where the provincial government covers 75% of the cost and the City covers 25%. The provincial government reviewed its funding formula for these programs and determined that the City of Toronto and some other local health bodies had not been funded fairly. This has resulted in increased provincial funding for Toronto for these programs. As long as the City kicks in its 25%, the Province provides the remaining 75%.
- The Toronto Urban Health Fund which provides funding to non-profit organizations to provide HIV prevention, drug prevention and youth resiliency programs has a 5-year investment plan. Under the plan, the City budget should include new money to expand the program and to provide an inflationary increase for existing programs but the current budget doesn’t include these increases.
For more details, visit the Toronto Public Health budget page
Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) was established in 2001 as an arm’s length corporation under the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA). The City is obliged as a Service Manager, under the Housing Services Act (HSA) to provide TCHC, its local housing corporation, with sufficient funding to deliver its program and maintain its housing in a state of repair.
- Mayor’s Task Force on TCH release its final report on January 26, 2016. Local 79 has concerns about some of the recommendations and will actively engage the City and City Councillors as implementation of the report moves forward.
- The Task Force’s Interim Report had a number of recommendations, which the Mayor accepted. Implementing those recommendations would have cost $13.7 million, but the Mayor is only supporting funding for about half that amount in the 2016 budget.
For more details, visit the Toronto Community Housing Corporation budget page