Media Release - County Council January 24th, 2024

For immediate release
Jan. 24, 2024

Here are the highlights from the Lanark County Council meeting held Jan. 24, 2024.

Reduced Funding for Child Care Administration: Council received a report from Director of Social Services Emily Hollington outlining a provincial funding reduction in child care administration. Lanark County is a service manager for child care.

At the community services committee meeting earlier this month, Hollington explained the funding was initially reduced in two phases: from 100 per cent provincial coverage to a 50/50 municipal/provincial cost share in 2021, and then a drop from 10 per cent to 5 per cent for the administration funding threshold in 2022. As part of pandemic recovery, the province restored the funding that year and provided a “one-time transitional grant” that offset the reduction for each year up to and including 2023.

The ministry has announced a change to the child care funding formula will be implemented later this year and plans to fully implement the administrative funding reduction starting this month. “This change was unexpected and accounts for a cumulative impact of $85.5 million to Ontario’s Service Managers.”

The $337,000 reduction for Lanark County was announced after the 2024 county budget was passed and will have to come from the county levy/reserves. Hollington said some additional funding has been provided by the province to support the new Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program implementation (CWELCC), but “does not align with the scope and complexity of the program,” which comes with increased administrative responsibilities. “While the federal-provincial CWELCC agreement allows for a 10 per cent administration funding threshold, Lanark County is receiving only 2.3 per cent of its allocation.” The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has indicated it will advocate on this issue on behalf of all service managers. For more information, contact Emily Hollington, Director of Social Services, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 2101.

Update Received for Employment Services Transformation: Council received an update on the employment services transformation that launched this month within the Ontario Works program.

Ontario Works Supervisor Kaitlyn Murray provided the update at the community services committee meeting earlier this month and explained the provincial program aims to be more efficient, streamlined and focused on outcomes. “It integrates employment support services originally provided by Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) into a transformed Employment Ontario to create one system.”

Murray said administration funding is now tied to performance outcome targets set by the province, including:
• 100 per cent of OW adults and ODSP non-disabled adults with participation requirements to have an action plan
• 30 per cent of OW adults and ODSP non-disable adults with participation requirements to be referred to Employment Ontario
• 16 per cent of OW cases to exit to employment
• 20 per cent that exit OW do not return to the program within one year

A new common assessment tool helps to prioritize clients who are ready for referral to Employment Ontario and to determine barriers to employment. It includes a mental health and addictions screener administered by staff. Murray said staff training has been increased “in preparation for the sensitive and complex situations staff are faced with.”

Murray noted the province reduced administration funding by 22 per cent as of Jan. 1, which is reflected in the 2024 county budget. The caseload continues to increase, however, with more than 800 benefit units (households) currently – an average of 90 per caseworker.

Employment Ontario will now provide clients with all employment-related supports for job search and retention, including financial supports, while Ontario Works provides supports to clients to help them stabilize their lives and overcome barriers to employment. “Although the ministry has expanded the participation benefits available to clients, the funding has been reduced,” Murray added. For more information, contact Katie Mitchell, Ontario Works Supervisor, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 2110.

Council Backing Smiths Falls Advocacy: Lanark County Council passed a motion directing the community services committee chair and warden to attend a delegation at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference this week to support advocacy by the Town of Smiths Falls regarding the impact of low Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) rates on individuals and the community.

Councillor Sean Pankow (Smiths Falls Mayor) explained 14 per cent of its population is in receipt of ODSP. The rates have been frozen, meaning many have long lived in poverty that is being exacerbated by rising costs for housing. He said this translates into an increased burden on municipalities and service agencies. “Increased needs impact wait times for service, emergency rooms, housing needs and policing,” he said. “We’re asking you to lend support for advocacy, not just for Smiths Falls but for Lanark County and all of Ontario. Without change, things are going to get a lot worse,” he said, highlighting increased homelessness.

The discussion will return to council to consider seeking a delegation at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference this summer. For more information, contact Jasmin Ralph, Clerk, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502.

Council Supports Tax Credit Increases for Volunteer Firefighters: Council has supported a resolution distributed by the Municipality of Wawa requesting the federal government to amend the Income Tax Act to increase the amount of tax credits for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.

The original resolution notes there are 90,000 volunteer firefighters and about 8,000 search and rescue volunteers in Canada who respond to thousand of incidents each year. Volunteer firefighters account for 71 per cent of Canada’s total firefighting essential first responders. Many receive some form of pay on
call or receive funding to cover expenses, but do not draw a living wage from firefighters. “Without volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, thousands of communities in Canada would have no fire and emergency response coverage.”

The federal tax code allows the volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of service were completed in a calendar year, which works out to $450 per year. “These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required,” the motion states.

The resolution is being widely circulated. For more information, contact Jasmin Ralph, Clerk, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502.

Support for Change to “Catch and Release Justice”: Council has supported a resolution by the Township of Cramahe to send a letter to the federal and provincial governments requesting meaningful improvements to the current state of "catch and release” justice in the Ontario legal system.

The motion notes police services across Ontario are “exhausting precious time and resources having to manage the repeated arrests of the same offenders which, in turn, is impacting their morale, and ultimately law-abiding citizens who are paying the often significant financial and emotional toll of this broken system.”

The resolution is being widely circulated to Ontario municipalities for consideration. For more information, contact Jasmin Ralph, Clerk, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502.

Seeking Review of Social and Economic Prosperity: Council has passed a motion asking the province to undertake, with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), a comprehensive social and economic prosperity review to promote the stability and sustainability of municipal finances across Ontario.

This follows a policy update issued by AMO that asks for the provincial government to work with municipalities on such a review, including revenues, costs and financial risks and an analysis of Ontario’s infrastructure investment and service delivery needs.

The motion, introduced by Councillor Rob Rainer (Tay Valley Reeve), notes the current provincial-municipal fiscal arrangements are undermining Ontario's economic prosperity and quality of life. “Nearly a third of municipal spending in Ontario is for services in areas of provincial responsibility, and expenditures are outpacing provincial contributions by nearly $4 billion a year.”

It adds municipal revenues, such as property taxes, do not increase with inflation, and municipal infrastructure needs will increase as the population and housing grows. “Municipalities are being asked to take on complex health and social challenges, like homelessness, supporting asylum seekers and addressing the mental health and addictions crises…while inflation, rising interest rates and provincial policy decisions are sharply constraining municipal fiscal capacity.”

The motion further notes “property taxpayers – including people on fixed incomes and small businesses – can't afford to subsidize income redistribution programs for those most in need” and more provincial
investment is needed. For more information, contact Jasmin Ralph, Clerk, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502.

Upcoming Meetings: County Council, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m.; Community Services, Feb. 14 (following County Council); Corporate Services, Feb. 14 (following Community Services). County Council, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m.; Public Works, Feb. 28 (following County Council); Economic Development, Feb. 28 (following Public Works). Watch for details about public access to meetings on agendas and through online notifications. For more information, contact 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502. Like "LanarkCounty1" on Facebook and follow "@LanarkCounty1" on X!