Item - 2013.BU50.1

This report provides information on shelter system occupancy and use. It also provides the findings of a quality assurance review of shelter access and client satisfaction. The report provides an overview of the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) division's short and longer term actions and strategies to improve access to the shelter system.

The Audit Committee on February 15, 2013, considered a report (January 25, 2013) Report from the Auditor General (Audit Committee Item AU10.11).

City Council at its meeting of January 15 and 16, 2013 during its deliberations of the Operating Budget of the Auditor General, “reduced the Auditor General’s 2013 Operating Budget by 0.5 full time equivalent in the amount of $0.046 million and increased the Ombudsman’s 2013 operating budget by 0.5 full time equivalent in the amount of $0.046 million.”

Council further requested that “the Auditor General report to the Budget Committee on the staffing needs to fulfill the work plan requirement.”  The report responds to this specific request.

This report provides information relating to the 2014 budget for the Auditor General’s Office and a budget for approval by the Audit Committee.

An analysis of the budget request is as follows:

The budget request of the Auditor General for 2014 has increased by $461,500 from the 2013 level.  The increase in the Auditor General’s budget from 2013 to 2014 is 11.04 per cent.  This increase is due to the following:

The increase in the Auditor General's budget from 2013 to 2014 excluding the filling of the two previously gapped positions would be $165,900.  This represents a four per cent increase over the 2013 approved budget.

The majority of the Auditor General’s 2014 budget request consists of salaries and benefits.  The percentage of salaries and benefits to the total budget is just under 97 per cent.

This report provides an overview of the Toronto Public Health (TPH) 2014 Capital Budget and 2015-2023 Capital Plan and Forecast.

TPH is submitting a 2014-2023 Capital Budget and Plan request of $32.255 million, including a 2014 Capital Budget of $4.060 million and future year commitments of $3.641 million and a 2015 – 2023 Capital Plan and Forecast of $24.554 million. The Debt Affordability Target provided by the City for TPH is $3.393 million in 2014, $3.396 million in 2015, $3.392 million in 2016, $3.388 million in 2017, $3.363 million in 2018 and, $14.473 million for 2019 to 2023 for a total of $31.405 million. TPH will receive 100 percent provincial funding for one IT project for $0.667 million in 2014 and $0.183 million in 2015 for a total of $0.850 million.

The 10-Year Capital Budget and Plan request will provide funding for eleven Information and Technology (IT) projects that support improvement of service delivery with the development and enhancement of systems while complying with provincial mandatory reporting requirements. There is no additional operating impact associated with these eleven IT projects.

This report outlines the Toronto Public Health (TPH) 2014 Operating Budget Request for consideration by the Board of Health.

The Toronto Public Health (TPH) 2014 Operating Budget Request totals $246,003.8 thousand gross / $51,170.8 thousand net. This request is $2,316.1 thousand gross and $750.9 thousand net above the 2013 Operating Budget. The net increase of $750.9 thousand over the 2013 Approved Operating Budget is comprised primarily of base budget increases for the negotiated collective agreements and inflationary increases for Toronto Urban Health Fund and the Sexual Health Clinic contracts of $708.3 thousand net; a reduction option of $410.6 thousand net; and, new & enhanced services of $453.2 thousand net.

This report seeks approval to amend the 2013 Approved Operating Budget for Toronto Public Health (TPH) as a result of 2013 funding confirmation received from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) for the 100% provincially funded Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO) and the 75% provincially funded Children In Need Of Treatment (CINOT) Expansion Dental Programs.

This report and the accompanying Attachment A, entitled "Toronto’s 2011 Performance Measurement and Benchmarking Report", provide approximately 230 service/activity level indicators and performance measurement results in 33 service areas. Up to eleven years of Toronto’s historical data are included to examine short- and long-term internal trends, and 2011 results are compared externally to 15 other municipalities through the Ontario Municipal CAOs Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI).

This 2011 report differs from previous years through the addition of:

-           Five more service areas:

-           City Clerk's Office

-           Court Services

-           Fleet Services

-           Payroll Services

-           Purchasing Services

It should be noted that the annual data collection process for the information published in this report is a result of a joint effort with other OMBI municipalities.  The 2012 data and results will not be available until mid-2013. However, in some instances, Toronto's 2012 results were available and have been included in this report.

More timely information is reported on a quarterly basis to the Executive Committee through the Management Information Dashboard that provides current information for Toronto with respect to economic, social and divisional indicators. The most recent report for 2012 Quarter 4 is available at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-56578.pdf.

Toronto’s 2011 Performance Measurement and Benchmarking Report is centred on results that can be quantified. It is equally important to consider achievements from 2012 and initiatives planned for 2013 that can further improve Toronto’s services. These have been included at the end of each service section in Attachment A and highlights are also provided related to continuous improvement initiatives (on pages 11 to 15 of the attached) under the headings of customer service, efficiency, effectiveness and quality of life. These initiatives are illustrative of staff efforts to build and foster a climate and culture of continuous improvement in our services.

Toronto is unique among Ontario municipalities because of its size and its role as the centre of business, culture, entertainment, sporting and provincial and international governance activities in the Greater Toronto Area. Therefore, the most accurate comparison for Toronto is to examine its own year-over-year results and longer-term historical trends. Results from the report show:

-           Toronto's 2011 service or activity level indicators increased or were maintained for 78 percent of the indicators in relation to 2010.

-           Toronto's 2011 performance measurement results in the areas of customer service/quality, community impact and efficiency showed 72 percent of the measures had either improved or stable results relative to 2010.

Notwithstanding Toronto’s unique place in Ontario, there is also value in comparing Toronto’s 2011 results to those of other Ontario municipalities for additional perspective. The report also includes comparative results of the cities of Winnipeg, MB and Calgary, AB in a number of the service areas.

Toronto’s 2011 results have been ranked by quartile in relation to these other municipalities. Results show:

-           Toronto’s service/activity indicators are at or higher than the OMBI median for 59 percent of the indicators. Toronto's much higher population density is a key factor in areas with lower activity levels or resources devoted to the service.

-           Toronto’s performance measurement results in the areas of customer service, community impact and efficiency are at or higher than the OMBI median for 50 percent of the measures.

Factors that influence why Toronto's results are higher or lower in relation to other municipalities include its high population density, its more developed urban form and older infrastructure. These influencing factors are discussed in the report.

There were few changes in Toronto’s quartile ranking for each of the indicators and measures between Toronto’s 2010 and 2011 Benchmarking Reports. Changes in Toronto’s quartile ranking for individual measures are more likely to occur over longer time periods, especially from 2012 and beyond with enhanced efficiencies identified through the City's Service Efficiency Studies.

It has been recognized that Toronto should expand its benchmarking work beyond Ontario to a broader world context. Staff are working with the Global City Indicators Facility (GCIF), based at the University of Toronto, to develop a standardized set of city indicators that measure and monitor city performance and quality of life globally. Toronto staff have made a significant contribution to date, including the sharing of our experiences in benchmarking work done through OMBI and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Quality of Life Indicators. Toronto has been recognized by staff of the World Bank and the GCIF as one of the world leaders in these areas.

This report is in response to a motion approved at the December 4, 2013 meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee requesting staff to report to Budget Committee on the financial implications of implementing the designation of new Community Centres where programs are free (formerly Priority Centres) and the Swim to Survive program for consideration in the 2014 Operating Budget.