Province ‘cutting red tape in local communities’
By Chad Ingram
The
provincial government plans to cut or reduce many reporting
requirements – nearly 100 of them – for municipalities across various
sectors of municipal governance, a move the province says will allow
local governments to focus on what really matters, which are the
frontline services residents use every day.
provincial government plans to cut or reduce many reporting
requirements – nearly 100 of them – for municipalities across various
sectors of municipal governance, a move the province says will allow
local governments to focus on what really matters, which are the
frontline services residents use every day.
During
the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa last
week, the government indicated that 94 reporting requirements have been
targeted for elimination, and that there are plans to simplify or
consolidate reporting requirements in 27 other areas. These include
removing or reducing reporting requirements for everything from
long-term care homes to cemeteries and crematoriums to “simplifying” an
annual survey of public libraries. There are also plans to consolidate
two reports under the Community Homeless Prevention Initiative, and to
eliminate “auditor’s reporting requirement for government partners in
the training, colleges and universities sector, except for organizations
deemed to be high risk,” reads a release from the provincial
government.
the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa last
week, the government indicated that 94 reporting requirements have been
targeted for elimination, and that there are plans to simplify or
consolidate reporting requirements in 27 other areas. These include
removing or reducing reporting requirements for everything from
long-term care homes to cemeteries and crematoriums to “simplifying” an
annual survey of public libraries. There are also plans to consolidate
two reports under the Community Homeless Prevention Initiative, and to
eliminate “auditor’s reporting requirement for government partners in
the training, colleges and universities sector, except for organizations
deemed to be high risk,” reads a release from the provincial
government.
Algonquin
Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt told the Times until it becomes clear
exactly what reporting requirements are being affected, it’s difficult
to assess whether the changes will be beneficial.
Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt told the Times until it becomes clear
exactly what reporting requirements are being affected, it’s difficult
to assess whether the changes will be beneficial.
“I’ve
always referred to our governance requirements as a ‘thick soup of
process’ so eliminating or reducing reporting requirements might be a
good thing, but until we know exactly what these 94 reports are, it’s
difficult to know if they’ll be helpful or harmful,” Moffatt wrote in an
email. “There are circumstances where reporting feeds into civic
accountability at all levels, and there are also circumstances where it
just seems like pushing paper. Simplifying or streamlining could be a
great thing, but if it negatively affects the safety of, and
responsibility for, the greater good – particularly our most vulnerable,
it will be problematic. If one less report somehow leads to a senior in
long-term care or the future of an at-risk species being compromised
then we should all be concerned.”
always referred to our governance requirements as a ‘thick soup of
process’ so eliminating or reducing reporting requirements might be a
good thing, but until we know exactly what these 94 reports are, it’s
difficult to know if they’ll be helpful or harmful,” Moffatt wrote in an
email. “There are circumstances where reporting feeds into civic
accountability at all levels, and there are also circumstances where it
just seems like pushing paper. Simplifying or streamlining could be a
great thing, but if it negatively affects the safety of, and
responsibility for, the greater good – particularly our most vulnerable,
it will be problematic. If one less report somehow leads to a senior in
long-term care or the future of an at-risk species being compromised
then we should all be concerned.”
Moffatt said there was at least one change announced at last week’s conference that would be helpful for municipalities.
“Solicitor
General Sylvia Jones announced during the Minister’s Forum that she
will revoke the fire reporting requirements that Ontario fire chiefs
don’t support, so there’s one elimination that’s helpful,” she wrote.
“There are more questions than answers at the moment.”
General Sylvia Jones announced during the Minister’s Forum that she
will revoke the fire reporting requirements that Ontario fire chiefs
don’t support, so there’s one elimination that’s helpful,” she wrote.
“There are more questions than answers at the moment.”
County
Warden Liz Danielsen said that while reducing some reporting
requirements may be helpful, it could also be risky when it comes to
areas such as the environment.
Warden Liz Danielsen said that while reducing some reporting
requirements may be helpful, it could also be risky when it comes to
areas such as the environment.
“The
details of cutting red tape continue to be developed, and although we
heard that dozens of reporting requirements have been dropped, or
reduced in a variety of areas, we have not yet felt the impacts of those
changes,” Danielsen told the Times in an email. “There is little doubt
that municipal staff have been overburdened with reporting, often having
to duplicate information for different departments and any reduction
will reduce our workload, leaving room for local projects and work to be
completed. However, there is considerable risk in reduced reporting in
areas like the environment or on the extent of decision making that
stays at the local level. Details of the changes will trickle down over
the next few months.”
details of cutting red tape continue to be developed, and although we
heard that dozens of reporting requirements have been dropped, or
reduced in a variety of areas, we have not yet felt the impacts of those
changes,” Danielsen told the Times in an email. “There is little doubt
that municipal staff have been overburdened with reporting, often having
to duplicate information for different departments and any reduction
will reduce our workload, leaving room for local projects and work to be
completed. However, there is considerable risk in reduced reporting in
areas like the environment or on the extent of decision making that
stays at the local level. Details of the changes will trickle down over
the next few months.”
“Municipalities
know how to make every dollar count because they know where it’s needed
most,” Ford told delegates at the AMO conference. “The province
inherited a massive debt and broken systems for health care, education,
and social services from the previous government. The solution shouldn’t
be imposing one-size-fits-all solutions from Queen’s Park. Rather, we
should focus on giving our municipal partners more flexibility with
their budgets to protect core services.”
