2024 Allocation of Program Support Costs

Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board Allocation of Program Support Costs for 2024

Wednesday October 4, 2024

The Program Support budget includes the costs of those services which are provided across all four programs. These are the shared supports which allow the four Board programs to operate. If a cost can be solely allocated to a particular program, then that cost will show up as a line item within that particular program budget. An example of a Program Support cost is Human Resource management which serves all programs.

The Board provides programming mandated by five separate Ministries. In three of the four programs there is grant based funding of administrative costs . We continue to fight for ongoing administrative funding in Social Housing. The province often refers to these as cost shared activities but in all cases they are unilaterally capped by the province and seldom reflect the stated costs sharing formula. It is essential that the program support costs are appropriately assigned to each program in order to reasonably request and receive these administrative grants. The Board needs to know the true cost of running each program so that it can lobby for appropriate and justifiable administrative funding.

The Program Support budget is composed of several components. Each component is divided up among the programs in a manner which attempts to accurately reflect the estimated cost of that component for each program’s delivery. In the private sector, there are similar attributions or allocations of costs in corporations with many business activities which receive central or corporate supports. There is no formula which is deemed to provide an absolutely accurate analysis without incurring significant new costs to refine the allocation process.

This report is meant to be reviewed each year and refined over time so that the Program Support cost allocation is more precise and remains relevant. The financial amounts are based on prior year’s audits available at budget time, but staffing is based on that in place at the time of budget creation. This report is an important component of the annual budget process.
 
#1 Corporate Costs

Allocation: These core administrative costs are divided equally among all four programs.

Cost components:

  • The salary, benefits and travel of the CAO
  • 50% of the salary, benefits and travel of the Executive Assistant
  • Audit costs, board costs, association memberships 

The total of these costs is $429,008

Program 2024% allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works 25% $107,252
Children's Services 25% $107,252
Paramedic Services 25% $107,252
Community Housing 25% $107,252
Total 100% $429,008

#2 Human Resources Support

Allocation: Human Resources are provided through an external contract and internal support from the Executive Assistant (50%). Costs are distributed based on the number of fulltime and regularly scheduled Part Time staff

Cost components:

  • The contract cost and travel of the Human Resources Support received from Gallagher Benefits Services
  • 50% of the salary, benefits and travel of the Executive Assistant
  • Human Resources related legal costs
  • Advertising for staffing 

The total of these costs is $171,689

Program FT and Regular PT staff as of July 1, 2023 2024 % allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works 12 6.63% $11,383
Children's Services 3 1.66% $2,846
Paramedic Services 152 83.98% $144,181
Community Housing 14 7.73% $13,280
Total 181 100.00% $171,689

# 3 Finance Department

Allocation:

  • These costs are allocated based on program expenditures as a percentage of gross 2022 audited costs (50%)
  • Number of service delivery locations as a percentage of all (30%) locations (30%)
  • Program staff as a percentage of total staff (20%)

Cost components:

  • Salaries, benefits and travel of Director of Finance, Infrastructure and Asset Management Supervisor, Finance

The total of these costs is $928,791

Program

Program expenditure (prior year audit)

A

Percentage of gross expenditure

B

Finance department cost

C

Gross share of costs 

D

(Column B x C)

Allocation 50% finance department cost

E

(50% of column D)

Ontario Works    

$10,279,346   22.28%  $928,791 $206,913

$103,456

Children's Services

$11,302,248 21.01% $928,791 $195,107 $97,553

Paramedic Services

$19,684,771 45.44% $928,791 $422,063 $211,031

Community Housing

$4,832,773 11.27% $928,791 $104,709 $52,354
Total $46,099,138 100% $0 $928,791 $464,395

#3 B Share of Service Locations/Service Providers

The total of these costs is $278,637

Program

Number of service delivery locations or service providers 

A

Total service delivery locations or providers

B

Finance department cost

C

Gross share of costs 

D

(Column A/B x C)

Allocation 30% finance department cost 

E

(30% of column D)

Ontario Works 2 5% $928,791 $46,440 $13,932
Children's Services 10 25% $928,791 $232,198 $69,659
Paramedic Services 12 30% $928,791 $278,637 $83,591
Community Housing 16 40% $928,791 $371,516 $111,455
Total 40 100%   $928,791 $278,637

#3 C Share of Staff 

The total of these costs is $185,758

Program

Staff

A

% of total staff

B

Finance department cost

C

Gross share of costs

D

(Column B x C)

Allocation 20% finance department cost

E

(20% of column D)

Ontario Works 12 6.63% $928,791 $61,577 $12,315
Children's Services 3 1.66% $928,791 $15,394 $3,079
Paramedic Services 152 83.98% $928,791 $779,979 $155,996
Community Housing 14 7.73% $928,791 $71,840 $14,368
Total 181 100% $0 $928,791 $185,758

 

Finance Department Summary #3A #3B #3C Total
Ontario Works $103,456 $13,932 $12,315 $129,704
Children's Services $97,553 $69,659 $3,079 $170,292
Paramedic Services $211,031 $83,591 $155,996 $450,618
Community Housing $52,354 $111,455 $14,368 $178,177
Total $464,395 $278,637 $185,758 $928,791

#4 Accommodations costs:

Allocation: Accommodation costs are allocated to each program based on the number of program staff in that location. All Paramedic Services base costs are reflected directly in the Paramedic Services budget. All other office costs are divided by number of staff.

Cost components:

  • All office locations, lease, utilities, heat, improvements, municipal water, telephone, photocopiers, postage, insurance

The total of these costs is $235,555

210 Mead Blvd 2024 location costs 2024 FT and PT staff 2024% allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works $136,935 7 64% $87,141
Children's Services $136,935 2 18% $24,897
Paramedic Services $136,935 0 0% $0
Community Housing $136,935 2 18% $24,897
Sub-Total $136,935 11 100% $136,935

 

347 Second Ave 2024 location costs 2024 FT and PT staff 2024% allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works $98,619 0 0% $0
Children's Services $98,619
 
0 0% $0
Paramedic Services $98,619
 
12 0% $98,619
Community Housing $98,619
 
0 100% $0
Sub-Total

$98,619

12 100%

$98,619

Total $235,555 23 0% $235,555

#5 Information Technology/ Communications 

Allocation: Based on number of computers supported 

Cost components:

  • Salary, benefits, travel of two staff
  • Hardware, software (program specific software shows up in the individual programs whereas system wide software is captured here)

The total of these costs is $554,488

Program

Number of computers 

June 30, 2023

2024 % allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works 21 22.11% $122,571
Children's Services 5 5.26% $29,184
Paramedic Services 54 56.84% $315,183
Community Housing 15 15.79% $87,551
Total 95 100% $544,488

#6 Integrated Delivery Costs

Allocation: The cost of providing integrated reception and related client
services are divided among Ontario Works, Children’s Services, and
Community Housing.

Cost components:

  • Salary, benefits, travel of six Integrated Program Assistants
  • Accommodation costs for three satellite offices
    • Chapleau - 12 Birch Street
    • Little Current - 7 Water Street
    • Noëlville - 11 Lahaie Street

All office locations, lease, utilities, heat, improvements, municipal water, telephone, internet, photocopiers, office supplies and postage.

The total of these costs is $431, 535

Program 2024% allocation 2024 allocation
Ontario Works 40% $172,610
Children's Services 30% $129,463
Community Housing 30% $129,462
Total 100% $431,535