Minutes of the May 27, 2021
MANITOULIN-SUDBURY DSB BOARD MEETING
Present: Arthur Hayden, David Santi, Maureen Van Alstine, Bruce Killah, Richard Malette, Michael Levesque, Ted Lovelace, Richard Stephens, David Ham, Paul Schoppmann, Kevin Burke, and Ned Whynott
Regrets: Jill Beer
Staff: Fern Dominelli, Donna Stewart, Connie Morphet, Melody Ouellette, Paul Myre, Lori Clark
Chair, Bruce Killah, called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m.
There were no declarations of conflict of interest.
Resolution 21-47
Moved by: Ned Whynott
Seconded by: Richard Malette
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board move into closed session at 9:33 a.m.
Carried
Resolution 21-48
Moved by: Kevin Burke
Seconded by: Paul Schoppmann
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board adjourn this closed session at 10:11 a.m. and move to the regular Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Board meeting.
Carried
MANITOULIN-SUDBURY DSB BOARD MEETING
Present: Arthur Hayden, David Santi, Maureen Van Alstine, Bruce Killah, Richard Malette, Michael Levesque, Ted Lovelace and Richard Stephens, Kevin Burke, David Ham, and Paul Schoppmann
Regrets: Jill Beer
Staff: Fern Dominelli, Donna Stewart, Connie Morphet, Melody Ouellette, Paul Myre and Lori Clark
Media: Alicia McCutcheon, The Manitoulin Expositor
During its Closed Session, the Board discussed Property Issues.
Resolution No. 21-49
Moved by: Vern Gorham
Seconded by: Maureen Van Alstine
WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has discussed the order of magnitude costing provided by the Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture and Housing Services Corporation staff in camera; and
WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has considered the options provided by the CAO in conjunction with Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture and Housing Services Corporation staff.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB directs the CAO to continue moving forward with the design and tender portion of the work required for the new Seniors Community Housing Build in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the CAO be authorized to remove the required funds from the DSB Building Capital Fund Reserve to move forward with the design and tender portion of the work; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the CAO return to the Board for a decision once tenders are reviewed and analysed.
Carried
Resolution No. 21-50
Moved by: Art Hayden
Seconded by: David Santi
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Agenda be adopted.
Carried
No Conflicts declared
The 2020 Audited Financial Statement were presented by Josh Blasutti and Cynthia MacKenzie, accountants with Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP.
Resolution No. 21-51
Moved by: Mike Levesque
Seconded by: Richard Stephens
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB accept receipt of the for the year ended December 31, 2020, as prepared by the Freelandt, Caldwell, and Reilly Accountants.
Carried
Resolution No. 21-52
Moved by: Kevin Burke
Seconded by: Vern Gorham
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Minutes of the meeting be approved.
Carried
Donna Stewart, Associate CAO, walked the board through the CAO Quarterly Report. This report will be shared with member municipalities who are encouraged to add it to Council agenda packages.
Resolution No. 21-53
Moved by: David Santi
Seconded by: Ned Whynott
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the 2021 CAO First Quarter Activity Report be approved as presented.
Carried
Connie Morphet, Director of Finance & Administration, walked the Board through the 2021 First Quarter Unaudited Financial Report, which is forecasting a year-end surplus of $240,382.
Resolution No. 21-54
Moved by: Paul Schoppmann
Seconded by: Mike Levesque
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the 2021 First Quarter Unaudited Financial Report be approved as presented.
Carried
Connie Morphet, Director of Finance and Administration walked the Board through the 2021 Annual Report on Reserves.
Resolution No. 21-55
Moved by: Richard Stephens
Seconded by: David Ham
WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Board has reviewed the 2021 Annual Report on Reserves.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approves the 2021 Annual Report on Reserves and directs staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.
Carried
Resolution No. 21-56
Moved by: Ted Lovelace
Seconded by: Art Hayden
WHEREAS the Board has reviewed the Revised Audited Fourth Quarter Financial Report and the which recorded a surplus of $340,795; and
WHEREAS the Board by Resolution # 02-97 dated May 23, 2002 has approved a Working Funds Reserve to a maximum of 15% of the municipal share of annual operating budget, which based on the 2021 operating budget of $10,664,361 would be a maximum of $1,599,654; and
WHEREAS the DSSAB legislation allows 15% of gross estimated costs to determine the maximum working funds reserve in consideration of the fact that the Board expends gross funds prior to receiving any offsets from provincial grants, cost sharing and municipal levies. According to legislation and based on the 2021 operating budget of $40,252,248, the working reserve should not exceed 15% or $6,037,837; and
WHEREAS due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and the unknown future costs, staff are recommending that the Board follow the DSSAB legislation during the COVID19 pandemic by allowing the gross expenditure calculation to determine the upper limit of the working reserve.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board approves the ; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT during the COVID19 pandemic, the calculation of the DSB Reserve upper limit will follow the DSSAB legislation which allows for reserves at 15% of the gross operating budget; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT 2020 the Municipal Surplus in the amount of $340,795 be transferred to the DSB Building Capital Fund Reserve specifically dedicated to the new construction of Seniors Community Housing in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands.
Carried
7.5.1 Rent Freeze
Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services updated the Board on the rent freeze for 2021.
In October 2020, the board was provided an Issue Report regarding Bill 204 – Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act, explaining how the rent freeze for 2021 was going to be implemented.
In October 2020 a resolution and a letter was sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting funding to offset revenue losses resulting from this provincial policy change as it will result in a higher levy in 2021 to member municipalities.
On April 23, 2021, the Minister responded that his government recognizes the critical role of municipal partners and community housing providers in providing safe, stable and affordable housing to vulnerable members of our communities. As well, he indicates that they are aware of the pressures the broader housing and homelessness sector is facing, and the great steps the community housing sector is taking to protect its residents and communities in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The actual financial impact of the rent freeze is difficult to predict, as the rent-geared-to-income calculations are based on the tenant’s income with annual reviews occurring throughout all of 2021.
7.5.2 Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI)
Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services updated the Board on the approval of our 2020-2021 Investment Plan.
On May 7, staff received a letter advising that our 2021-22 Investment Plan has been approved for the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative. The Ministry also confirmed approval of the plan in accordance with a total planning allocation of $766,183 for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
Beginning this fiscal year, Service Managers will be required to submit Risk Management and Capacity Assessments for CHPI. There is no specific format for these assessments however we are awaiting their templates to complete this work. We will be submitting these assessments as part of our Mid-Year Report, which is due November 1, 2021.
7.5.3 Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) and Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI)
Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services updated the Board on the 2021-2022 COCHI and OPHI allocations.
On May 6, 2021, the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB staff received confirmation from the Honourable Jim Adams, Director, Housing Programs Branch of our 2021-2022 allocations.
Under the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) program we will receive $203,673.
Programs receiving funds under the COCHI Program must agree to adhere to the Program Guidelines which state that the project must remain affordable for a 10-year period following regeneration activities, which includes a minimum of 5 years to remain operating as Social Housing under the Housing Services Act, 2011.
Under the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative we will receive $656,700 – which is the total of the 3 funding years which was requested to pool to the final funding year for the new Seniors Community Housing in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands .
7.6 Canadian Mental Health and Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB
Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services walked the Board through the DSB 12 Month Update Report for January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
Community Mobilization uses an integrated team approach based on collaboration across agency mandates to respond rapidly to emerging crisis situations, develop solutions within a circle of care, identify needs and gaps, and build on an engaged and caring community.
The purpose of the program is to:
There are 2 Community Mobilization Tables in the District: the LaCloche area and the Sudbury East area. The report in your packages provides you details about these 2 tables since their inception.
The Espanola and Area Situation Table (EAST) launched in October 2018 and consists of 22 partner agencies. Since the launch, 13 referrals have been brought forward, 12 met the threshold for Acutely Elevated Risk (AER).
Sudbury East Mobilization Table (SEMT) launched its table in October 2019 and consists of sixteen partner agencies. Since inception there have been a total of 2 referrals 1 met the AER criteria. In 2020, one referral was brought forward and met the threshold for AER. The average number of risk factors per discussion was 10 (Mental Health and Basic Needs being the two lead factors) and the average number of agencies involved in the responses was 9.
Both Situation Tables follow an ad-hoc process. When a referral is brought forward, all partner agencies are notified and receive the meeting details. Agencies are required to respond indicating their attendance within 24 hours of receipt of the meeting notification. Most of the referrals are made by either police, health, or social services.
In the fall of 2019, the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB staff entered into another partnership with CMHA to provide Case Management services (for one day a week) to the Sudbury East area, specific to the Ontario Works caseload.
Since inception (January 2020), the Sudbury East Case Management program has received 5 referrals. Collection and analysis of statistical information has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre-COVID, the Sudbury East Case Manager travelled twice a week to the area to provide case management services. This schedule was interrupted by agency adjustments as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the COVID-19 global pandemic has presented many challenges, the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB staff and CMHA staff remain committed in ensuring that our clients are well supported despite the struggles.
7.7 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services, walked the Board through the AMO Briefing Note.
The provincial government, in partnership with municipal governments and District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSABs), is taking steps to implement a new vision for Social Assistance Recovery and Renewal.
This will involve a significant functional realignment of the provincial and municipal delivery roles.
AMO is supportive of the proposed transformation with the right conditions in place and committed to working to co-design the new social assistance program.
Changes to social assistance will be phased in between 2022 and 2024. Legislative and regulatory changes are required to enable the implementation primarily by designating a new service delivery role for the Province and municipal service managers.
Considering the new realignment of roles and responsibilities, a new funding formula for Ontario Works program administration will be developed. Under the legislative amendments, changes to the current 50-50 program administration cost-sharing are not proposed.
The new vision for service delivery should result in better service for residents and communities, with an aim of making them more prosperous and healthier.
Municipal governments are well positioned to provide integrated human services to people while the Ontario government is the appropriate primary funder for provincial income support programs.
AMO will continue to work with the government to consider additional measures to reduce poverty and help people afford their housing.
Resolution 21-57
Moved by: Maureen Van Alstine
Seconded by: Ned Whynott
BE IT RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 11:08 a.m. until the next regular meeting to be held on June 24, 2021.
Carried
Original signed by Bruce Killah - Chair
Original signed by Fern Dominelli - CAO (Secretary-Treasurer of the Corporation)
