Item - 2020.EC12.3

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to sub-delegate to any person or class of persons employed by the City of Toronto, the General Manager's delegated authority to exercise the Service Manager's powers and duties with respect to the collection, use, disclosure, and safeguarding of privacy of personal information and for a person's access to their personal information for the purpose of determining eligibility for rent-geared-to-income, housing allowance benefits, or alternate forms of assistance authorized under the Housing Services Act, 2011 and eligibility for housing benefits under any other housing program administered by the General Manager for, or on behalf of, the City.

The Human Services Integration (HSI) project is a cross-divisional partnership that integrates and streamlines the delivery of the City's key income-based assistance services: rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance, child care fee subsidies, and Ontario Works benefits. Program integration creates administrative efficiencies and improves service delivery for clients by consolidating multiple services into a single point of access and supporting a holistic view of client needs.

The first phase of the project was the establishment of an integrated Application and Support Centre (ASC) within the HSI Office, which will process applications and provide supports to clients across the City's three income-based programs. Full implementation of this system will require the collection of personal information required for various benefit applications.

City Council has delegated the City's power and authority as the designated Service Manager under the Housing Services Act, 2011 (the HSA) to the General Manager of the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) division, including the authority to collect personal information for the purposes of determining RGI eligibility.

Legal Services has advised that the HSA allows City Council to delegate its powers and duties as Service Manager to City staff in more than one division. However, a delegation cannot be made without City Council's explicit approval.

To further the City's objective of increasing service integration and simplifying the service experience for clients, this report recommends that City Council authorize the General Manager, SSHA, to delegate authority to City staff in other divisions to collect personal information for the purposes of determining eligibility for RGI, housing allowance benefits, or alternate forms of assistance administered by SSHA as the Service Manager.