Finance Committee Report BH.04.MAR1016.R05

March 10, 2016

Report to: Finance Committee, Board of Health

Submitted by: Dr. Nicola Mercer, Medical Officer of Health & CEO

Subject: ONE-TIME GRANTS 2016

Recommendations

(a) That the Finance Committee makes recommendation to the Board of Health to receive this report for information. 

Background

In February 2016, as part of the annual Program Based Grants submission to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) for the Cost-Shared Mandatory and Related, and 100% MOHLTC  funded programs, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) submitted a number of One-Time Grant requests in addition to the regular program funding requests.

One-Time Costs

Certain one-time costs are admissible expenditures and will be considered for approval as one-time grants. Approval of one-time requests is dependent upon the availability of ministry funding. If the ministry does not approve a one-time request, boards of health will be responsible for 100% of the costs associated with the request. One-time funding requests approved by the ministry may be cost-shared, or 100% provincially funded.1

One-Time Funding Requests will be evaluated based on the following general criteria: 

  • Consistent with current ministry and/or government priorities;
  • Impact on service delivery and programming by the board of health;
  • Whether proposed expenditures should be accommodated as part of the board of health’s ongoing operating budget;
  • Impact on ongoing annual operating expenses of the board of health;
  • Ability of board of health to spend the funds within the budget year;
  • Availability of ministry funds;
  • Consistent with previous ministry approvals;
  • Cannot be funded through other government funding streams.
  • Specific to information and information technology: the project cannot be two or more initiatives bundled together (i.e. purchase of two unrelated software packages). 1

Capital funding

A new Community Health Capital Programs Policy was approved by the Ministry in 2016. The Ministry will consider one-time funding requests (100% provincially funded) for minor capital infrastructure projects/accommodation costs (i.e. renovations, leasehold improvements, architectural and planning costs, equipment, furniture, relocation costs, etc.) through the PBG request process.1

The list of One-Time Funding Requests and value of requests applied for in 2016 is:

One-Time Funding Requests to be Cost-Shared

Positive Space Training

$15,000

Website

200,000

Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace

15,000

Dental Clinic Equipment

34,230

ERP Consultant

75,000

Oral Health Practice Management Software

25,000

Total

$364,230

One-Time Funding Requests to be 100% MOHLTC Funded

Immunization of School Pupils Act Regulatory Amendments Implementation

$60,681

PHI Practicum

10,000

Additional Parking Spaces

250,000

Health Protection Tablets

74,800

New Shelburne Location Renovations*

400,000

Total

$795,481

*The one-time funding request for New Shelburne Location Renovations is being submitted as a pre-emptive proposal in order to give the Board of Health time to fully consider future space needs in Shelburne; it is unlikely that there will be an opportunity to apply for a one-time grant later in the year in the event the Board of Health moves forward with securing a new location. The amount applied for is an estimate of the absolute maximum cost of renovations, the actual cost of which would depend on the location chosen, if the plan were to move forward. If the Board of Health determines that a new location in Shelburne is not required, this request will be withdrawn. 

Approval of One-Time Grant Requests

WDGPH will receive notification regarding approval of one-time grant applications with the 2016 Provincial Funding Announcement, expected in late summer or early fall of 2016. 

References

1 2016 Program-Based Grants User Guide. Population and Public Health Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, January 2016.

Prepared by: Shanna O’Dwyer,
Manager, Finance

Reviewed by: Dr. Nicola Mercer,
Medical Officer of Health & CEO

Approved by: Dr. Nicola Mercer,
Medical Officer of Health & CEO