Community Services Statement of Operations - Quarter 2 Financial Update (2017) (in thousands of dollars)

Variance Analysis (in thousands of dollars)

Niagara Region Community Services works to support and advance the well-being of individuals, families and communities of Niagara through a spectrum of integrated programs and services delivered by four divisions: Seniors Services, Children's Services, Social Assistance and Employment Opportunities (SAEO), and Homelessness and Community Engagement. Community Services is forecasting a total surplus before indirect allocations of $308 or 0.11 per cent of the gross budget of $270,961 or 1.08 percent of the net budget $28,475.

Administrative

The favourable year-to-date variance of $256 and forecasted variance of $245 is primarily a result of less than anticipated gross postage and office expenditures within SAEO ($119 year-to-date; $188 forecasted), as well as the timing of consulting expenditures in SAEO and Homelessness and Community Engagement.

Community Assistance

The favourable year-to-date variance of $8,707 is primarily due the Ontario Works (OW) caseload and changing demands for allowances and benefits based on case mix (i.e. single vs. families, with singles eligible for less financial support) ($5,267); as well as the timing of children service provider ($2,652) and homelessness contract ($782) payments. The caseload and demands for allowances are anticipated to continue through to year-end, resulting in a favourable forecasted variance of $9,519. This favourable variance is offset by the unfavourable variance in Federal & Provincial Grants.

Federal & Provincial Grants

The unfavourable year-to-date variance of $8,766 is a result of reduced SAEO funding due to reduced funded expenditures incurred ($5,051); as well as the timing of Children's Services ($2,810) and Homelessness ($627) funding. The forecasted unfavourable variance of $9,894 is a primarily a result of reduced SAEO funding due to forecasted reduction in expenditures incurred. Funding announcements made by the Federal and Provincial Governments for additional funding for Children's and Seniors Services' will be received and expenditures incurred in the second half of the year.

By-Law Charges & Sales

The favourable year-to-date variance of $301 and forecasted variance of $627 is primarily driven by higher than estimated parent fee contributions for Children's Services.

Other Revenue

The favourable year-to-date variance of $174 and forecasted variance of $157 are a result of an increase to the long-term care home vendor rebates received from prescriptive purchasing and union billings for long-term care employees' time spent on union business.

Community Impacts & Achievements (in thousands of dollars)

Children's Services

• Continue to enable parents to attend work, school or training while providing child care fee subsidy without a waitlist.
• Hosted second book distribution event where over 100,000 books were distributed to local agencies to further support Niagara families with children in creating home libraries.
• Provincial and federal governments have announced an additional $6,800 in funding for child care expansion to increase access to affordable child care in Niagara.

Seniors Services

• Implementation of the Seniors Services Family Advisory Council which includes representatives from each of the 8 homes and has a role in the review of policies, programs and new initiatives (Home level Family Councils continue to be in place and provide valuable input on home level resident related issues).
• Continued work on the strategic redevelopment of three of the Region's Long Term Care Homes: Gilmore Lodge (Fort Erie), Upper Canada Lodge (Niagara-on-the-Lake) and Linhaven (St. Catharines) to better suit the needs of our Long Term Care residents and their families.
• On June 20th, the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (HNHB LHIN) issued a memorandum outlining funding increases for the long-term care home sector resulting in an additional $996 for 2017 and will be used to ensure residents continue to receive quality care, meals and services in a safe home-like environment.

Homelessness and Community Engagement

• Implemented Expression of Interest process to award contracts to 22 service providers for homelessness programming in the areas of shelter, supported transitional housing, prevention and outreach.
• Responded to Provincial expressions of interest for the 'Home for Good' and 'Innovation, Evidence & Capacity Building' funding proposals.
• Council approved the exploration of by-law development for rooming, boarding and lodging houses.

Social Assistance and Employment Opportunities

• Tracking less than the projected three per cent caseload increase; bending the curve on the OW caseload.
• Number of new job starts are on track to exceed 2017 targets; 900 new job starts captured from January to June (2017 target - 1,350) with 701 unique employers in Niagara (2017 target - 650).