FORT FRANCES—The Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board passed its 2008 budget last week, which included a 2.75 percent decrease in the levy to municipalities from the previous year.
Mildred Beck, assistant manager of finance, explained the decrease is, in part, due to the commencement of the provincial upload of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) costs from 2008-2010, which resulted in a decrease of 12.5 percent for the local DSSAB.
Since 1998, municipalities have had the financial responsibility of paying 20 percent of ODSP and Ontario Drug Benefit costs, as well as 50 percent of the ODSP administration costs, with the province paying the rest.
Once fully implemented in 2011, the uploading of ODSP costs and ODB will reduce costs to municipalities by $935 million.
DSSAB’s levy decrease also is partly attributed to achieving a 50/50 cost share level with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for land ambulance services.
This resulted in a 7.14 percent decrease in the budget.
Responsibility for land ambulance services was transferred to municipalities in 1998, with the provincial government agreeing to fund 50 percent of the costs.
But municipalities long asserted the funding did not cover all costs.
In addition, implementation of the Ontario Child Benefit from the province, which resulted in net reductions to the Ontario Works General Allowance, ODSP, and National Child Benefit Supplement, aided in the levy decrease.
“The Ontario Works General Allowance went down, which is unusual,” DSSAB CAO Donna Dittaro said, noting it was pared by 2.75 percent.
“It’s significant because it shows that the caseload must have gone down through the years,” she added.
But Beck stressed although the overall municipal share is looking at a decrease, they did realize some program cost increases.
For instance, DSSAB administration was increased due to the addition of lease charges and associated expenses for the addition of the three ambulance bases and its office relocation to 450 Scott St.
This resulted in a minimal increase to the current municipal share for DSSAB administration.
Also, ODSP was revised to more accurately reflect the actual program costs from the last two years, while still adjusting for Phase 1 of the provincial upload.
And “Best Start” will have a capital expenditure for its new site in Rainy River in 2008.
Finally, social housing was increased primarily due to the cessation of utilizing federal funding surpluses to offset the municipal share of the costs.
These dollars have been reallocated to a reserve fund for future social housing costs.
“They’ve always used that to offset the municipal share and this time it’s going to be reallocated to a reserve fund for capital needs,” Dittaro explained, adding it’s good because the buildings will need repair work done.
The budget was adopted by majority vote.
Also at last Wednesday’s meeting, DSSAB discussed the possibility of changing the cost apportionment formula for district municipalities. Smaller townships, like Chapple, feel they are paying too much.
The apportionment schedule is what decides how municipalities are billed by DSSAB.
It was decided each municipal representative on DSSAB would go back to their council to see if they would even consider looking at other formulas for cost apportionment—or do they want to leave it as is.
“We should first see how many municipalities would even be willing to look at altering the current cost apportionment formula before we go any further,” noted DSSAB chair Michael Lewis.
Municipal reps were asked to return with an answer to DSSAB’s next meeting on April 10.
Fort Frances town council rejected changing the formula at its meeting Monday night.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
