1Regional Councillor Report

Submitted by: Colleen Jordan, Regional Councillor Wards 3 & 4

Date: February, 8, 2010

Health and Social Services - February 4, 2010

Budgets

The Health Department budget was presented to the Committee. In light of the recommen­dations from the Privacy Commissioner, one new position is proposed beginning May 2010. The new Information and Privacy Officer position will implement an information and privacy practices improvement program and provide the Commission and Medical Officer of Health with information and advice.

The Emergency Medical Services budget proposes one new database technician position plus seven new ambulances and two emergency response vehicles, as well as construction of a storage facility at EMS Headquarters and a new North Oshawa Paramedic Response Station.

The Social Services Budget responds to an expected increase in social services caseload over 2010. The Ontario Works caseload growth and resulting workload has resulted in a total of 13 new staff being proposed. The savings of $437,000 from the cost share being uploaded is not enough to offset the increased caseload. By 2018, the OW costs are planned to be borne 100% by the Province.

Children’s Services Division reports that as of December 2009, 698 children in Ajax were on the wait list for a child care subsidy (Durham total 2,646). A total of 561 Ajax children received subsidy out of a total of 2,514 in Durham. There are concerns as the Province has identified that there will be funding decreases to Best Start in 2010 as a result of the cancellation of the Federal-Provincial funding agreements. It is anticipated that Best Start funding agreements will be reduced by $2,396,000 in 2010. This is mitigated in part by special funding from the Province in the amount of $649,000 to help sustain fee subsidy places through to the end of 2009-2010 school year. In addition; the use of $1.568 million Best Start funding which was set aside in a reserve by the Region, is helping to offset the anticipated loss of funding for 2010. The Region will be developing a plan to reduce service levels in future years to respond to the loss of funding.

Early Learning Program Implementation Durham

In October 2009, the Premier announced that Ontario would be moving forward in implementing a full day learning program for four to five year olds. In the first year of the plan starting September 2010, 35,000 children will benefit from this program. Certified teachers will work with registered early childhood educators during the regular school day. Parents will be able to enroll their children in an extended day program from 7:30 until 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 until 6:00 p.m. Registered early childhood educators will help children learn during the extended day program. The goal is to expand the program with full implementation by 2015-2016. The cost for the Province in 2010 is expected to be $200 million.

In Durham, the Durham Best Start Network developed “Guiding Principles” to help assist in the selection process to choose the 24 schools which will offer this program in September 2010. Based on the Ministry of Education criteria which included availability of space, socioeconomic data, ability to implement as well as school readiness scores, the following schools in Ajax were approved for 2010 implementation:

Early Learning Program Sites

St. Bernadette Catholic School

Bolton C. Falby Public School

Duffins Bay Public School

Additional Full Day Learning (not Early Learning Program Sites)

St. James Catholic School

Ontario Works

In a review of Ontario Works applications about 60% were either not eligible for Employment Insurance or had exhausted their E.I. benefits. Statistics Canada reported in February 2009 that only 40% of those unemployed in the Oshawa CMA qualified for EI in comparison with 52% in the Windsor CMA. Residents in Oshawa require 595 hours to qualify compared to 420 hours in Windsor. The EI program is based on an assumption that it is easier to find work in certain locations whereas an article in TD Economics states that in an economic downturn it is no easier to find a job in a region with a lower prevailing unemployment rate than one with a higher rate. In the previous recession social services caseload grew 21 months after the official end of the recession.

Fairview Lodge Long Term Care Facility

The Province has granted approval to redevelop Fairview Lodge, Whitby to meet the modern design standards. Approval has been given for 198 beds.