We will no longer be supporting IE7 and below as a web browser effective June 1st 2020. Click here for more information.

Sign In
Skip Navigation LinksSimcoe County > Council June 21, 2019

Council June 21, 2019

 

Termination of Addiction Services Initiative

The County of Simcoe Ontario Works Department is one of thirteen Consolidated Service Managers and four First Nations sites that has been delivering the provincially funded Addiction Services Initiative (ASI). The County of Simcoe implemented the ASI program back in 2010, through a formal service agreement with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Simcoe County Branch, whereby contracted services have been in place in each of the five Ontario Works offices on a full-time basis.

Councillors received an update on the termination of the Addiction Services Initiative following the April 12 announcement by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services that they were ceasing the delivery of the ASI program. According to Ministry staff, the four First Nations sites will continue to deliver ASI until appropriate consultation has occurred. Formal notification was provided to the Executive Director of CMHA on April 18, that the current contract for the delivery of ASI between the County of Simcoe and CMHA will be terminated effective July 31, 2019. Staff will continue to work together to ensure that all clients in the ASI program are provided with appropriate transitional supports.

County of Simcoe Paramedic Services Deployment and Response Time Performance Plan Update – 2019

The provision of Paramedic Services mandates the strategic use of Paramedic response resources based on geography and historical call data to effectively match resources to workload. Paramedic Services regularly evaluates data compiled through review of internal reporting systems, response times and feedback from field Paramedics, Supervisors and the Georgian Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC). Through the on-going evaluation of this data, Paramedic Services has identified an increased pressure on resources to maintain current performance. Council approved a new deployment plan, developed by County staff, that outlines the direction of the CSPS. Based on a review of the previous deployment plan and with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness, CSPS made several changes for the 2019 Deployment Plan, including deployment changes and the introduction of additional resources.

2018 Simcoe County Living Wage

In October 2015, the County developed and implemented a community consultation, designed to foster solutions-based thinking around poverty reduction in Simcoe County. As part of the consultation, the Poverty Reduction Task Group, a sub-committee of the Simcoe County Children, Youth and Family Coalition, requested that calculation of a ‘Living Wage’ for the region be undertaken. Council received the 2018 Living Wage Recalculation for Simcoe County report that indicates the living wage in Simcoe County has increased to $18.01 per hour from $17.74 per hour, as established in the first Living Wage Calculation for Simcoe County conducted in 2017. At the May 28 Council meeting, it was recommended that the report be circulated to all Simcoe County member municipalities.

Simcoe County Collects App

County staff have been working with ReCollect developers who created the current Solid Waste Management website widget to create a customizable waste management mobile app. The mobile app, called Simcoe County Collects, provides a convenient way to receive information on a variety of subjects and services and is available through the App Store and Google Play as a free download. Councillors were updated on the functionality of Simcoe County Collects, which provides users with service alerts when collection impacts are anticipated, access to the Waste Wizard, reminders of waste collection days via text, messaging through the app itself, email, or phone calls, education on various waste related subjects and information on the closest waste management facility to the user, including GPS directions.

Potential logistical and financial impacts relating to the suggestion of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury becoming a Separated City

On April 23, 2019, Count Council passed a resolution directing that staff undertake high level conceptual analyses to more accurately depict what the logistical and financial impacts would be if the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury (BWG) became a Separated City. The County report, which was based on the original analysis by the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, was presented to Councillors. The report showed no net benefit in Bradford West Gwillimbury gaining separated city status and reaffirmed the value of County services and capital investments.