Wait! What’s this?! It’s not everyday that there’s the start of a new committee, or perhaps we should call this a committee reboot, because it’s taking something that already existed, but getting a new twist. In this case, it’s the old Wellington County Social Services Committee, but with the City of Guelph now bringing the regular paramedic updates and new members. So what’s on the agenda for this first meeting of the rebooted committee?
NOTE: This meeting takes place at 1 pm in the Guthrie Room at the Wellington County Administration Building on Woolwich Street.
Land Ambulance Overview Presentation – Since this is the first meeting of the new committee, it makes sense to get a lay of the land, and from the City of Guelph side that means talking about issues around the Guelph Wellington Paramedic Service.
Social Services Overview Presentations – From the Wellington County side, staff will review how it handles Housing, Children’s Early Years Division (aka: childcare), and Ontario Works (aka: unemployment).
65 Delhi St. Transitional Housing Construction Project: Status Report 4 – Work continues on this future transitional housing project in Guelph with this monthly update listing all the work that’s been completed since the last meeting, and all the work that’s coming up over the next few weeks. The project seems to be on track for completion sometime later this year.
Financial Statements as of March 31, 2024 – There’s no report with this financial statement, so we will have to wait for the meeting to hear any notes that the financial staff have about the latest numbers. It does appear that the financials for the social services departments are on course for the end of the first quarter of the year.
Reduction in Reaching Home Funding – Last fall, Wellington County was granted funds from a federal program called Reaching Home, and while the first two years brings over $1.64 million each year, the last two years sees those funds cut way back to just over $325,000 each year. The County intends to try and find ways to compensate for those lost funds, which go to important positions at area agencies including a Housing First Worker at Wyndham House, and two Street Outreach Workers at Stepping Stone. Staff are also advising that the County and the City of Guelph combine their effort to advocate through the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO), Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA).
Memo from the City of Guelph: 2025 Budget Guideline – As you may have heard, Guelph Mayor (and committee member) Cam Guthrie used his Strong Mayor Powers to bring a budget increase less than four per cent in 2025, and that extends to local boards and shared services too, including social services. According to a letter sent to Chair Dave Anderson, this means that the social services budget increase next year can’t be more than $1,475,601. There’s no County report included in this agenda item.
100 Per Cent Municipally Funded Discretionary Benefits: 2023 Annual Report – The County’s Ontario Works division oversees the delivery of discretionary benefits that are 100 per cent funded through the municipality for low-income individuals that are not eligible for assistance through O.W. or the Ontario Disability Support Programme (ODSP). In 2023, there were 1,318 requests, and 85 per cent were form retirement home residents. There was a 4.6 pr cent increase in health-related expenditures, especially funeral costs and incontinence supplies, and there was were $9,810 worth of goods from farmers and producers given out through the Market Bucks voucher program.
Guelph Politico 