2020 Allocation of Program Support Costs

Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board Allocation of Program Support Costs for 2020

October 9, 2019

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 i.e. AMO, OMSSA, NOSDA

The total of these costs is $362,321

Program 2020 %  allocation 2020 allocation
Ontario Works 25% $90,580
Children’s Services 25% $90,580
Paramedic Services 25% $90,580
Social Housing 25% $90,580
Total 100% $362,321


#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 $145,583

Program FT and Regular PT staff as of Aug 1, 2019 2020 % allocation 2020 allocation
 Ontario Works 13 7.47% $10,877
Children’s Services 2 1.15% $1,673
Paramedic Services 146 83.91% $122,156
Social Housing 13 7.47% $10,877
Total 174 100.00% $145,583


# 3 Finance Department

Allocation:
  • These costs are allocated based on program expenditures as a percentage of gross 2018 audited costs (50%)
  • Number of service delivery locations as a percentage of all 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 Supervisor and Finance Assistants and Administrative Assistant

The total of these costs is $755,726
 

#3 A Share of Prior Year Audit Expenditures

The total of these costs is $377,863

Program Program expenditure
(prior year audit)
A
Percentage of Gross expenditure
B
Finance Department Cost
Gross Share of costs
D
(Column B x C)
Allocation 50% Finance Department Cost
E
(50% of Column D)
Integrated Social Services $8,664,399 22.28% $755,726 $168,354 $84,177
Children’s Services $9,269,921 21.01% $755,726 $158,746 $79,373
Paramedic Services $17,674,291 45.44% $755,726 $343,422 $171,711
Social Housing $4,385,075 11.27% $755,726 $85,204 $42,602
Total $39,993,686 100% $0 $755,726 $377,863

#3 B  Share of Service Locations/Service Providers

The total of these costs is $226,718

Program Number of service delivery locations or service providers
A
Total Service delivery locations or providers
B
Finance Department Cost 
D
Gross Share of costs 

(Column A/B x C)
Allocation 30% Finance Department Cost
E
(30% of Column D)
Integrated Social Services 4 9.76% $755,726 $73,729 $22,119
Children’s Services 10 24.39% $755,726 $184,324 $55,297
Paramedic Services 12 29.27% $755,726 $221,188 $66,356
Social Housing 15 36.59% $755,726 $276,485 $82,946
Total 41 100%   $755,726 $226,718

#3 C Share of Staff 

The total of these costs is $151,145

Program Staff 
A
% of total staff 
B
Finance Department Cost 
C
Gross Share of costs

(Column B x C)
Allocation 20% Finance Department Cost
E
(20% of Column D)
Integrated Social Services 13 7.47% $755,726 $56,462 $11,292
Children’s 
Services
2 1.15% $755,726 $8,687 $1,737
Paramedic 
Services
146 83.91% $755,726 $634,115 $126,823
Social Housing 13 7.47% $755,726 $56,462 $11,292
Total 174 100%   $755,726 $151,145


Finance Department Summary

Program #3 A #3 B #3 C Total
Integrated Social Services $84,177 $22,119 $11,292 $117,588
Children’s Services $79,373 $55,297 $1,737 $136,407
Paramedic Services $171,711 $66,356 $126,823 $364,890
Social Housing $42,602 $82,946 $11,292 $136,840
Total $377,863 $226,718 $151,145 $755,726


#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

The total of these costs is $191,889

210 Mead Blvd 2020 Location Costs 2020 FT and PT Staff 2020 % allocation 2020 allocation
Ontario Works $110,370 7 78% $85,843
Children’s Services $110,370 1 11% $12,263
Paramedic Services $110,370 0 0% $0
Social Housing $110,370 1 11% $12,263
Sub-Total $110,370 9 100% $110,370

 

347 Second Ave 2020 Location Costs 2020 FT and PT Staff 2020 % allocation 2020 allocation
Ontario Works $81,520 0 0% $0
Children’s Services $81,520 0 0% $0
Paramedic Services $81,520 7 88% $71,330
Social Housing $81,520 1 13% $10,190
Sub-Total $81,520 8 100% $81,520
Total $191,889 17 0% $191,889


#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 $458,566

Program Number of Computers 
June 30, 2019
2020 % allocation 2020 allocation
Ontario Works 28 33.33% $152,855
Children’s Services 3 3.57% $16,377
Paramedic Services 38 45.24% $207,447
Social Housing 15 17.86% $81,887
Total 84 100% $458,566


#6 Integrated Delivery Costs

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

Cost components:

  • Salary, benefits, travel of six Integrated Program Assistants
  • Accommodation costs for four satellite offices
    • Chapleau – 12 Birch Street
    • Little Current – 9050 Highway 6
    • Noëlville – 8 David Street
    • Warren – 39 Lafontaine Street

All office locations, lease, utilities, heat, improvements, municipal water.

The total of these costs is $454,035

Program 2020 % allocation 2020 allocation
Ontario Works 40% $181,614
Children’s Services 30% $136,210
Social Housing 30% $136,210
Total 100% $454,035