Subject: Service Manager Reporting to Province (January 01, 2007 to December 31, 2007)
Legislation/Regulation Release 08-01
Operational
As required under the Canada-Ontario Social Housing Agreement (SHA), the ministry must provide Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) with an audited annual report for the period January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007. Failure to report to CMHC by the end of June 2008 could impose a substantial financial risk to the province.
This notification requests Service Managers to complete a Service Manager Annual Information Return (SMAIR) for all programs covered by the SHA and administered by service managers during the period January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007. The completed return must reach the Housing Finance Branch (HFB) no later than Monday March 17, 2008.
As Service Mangers are not required to provide audited information, sufficient processing time for quality control and audit verification is required to allow the Housing Finance Branch to produce the required report on time for subsequent submission to CMHC. The Ministry has exercised their option contained in the RFP issued last year to retain Deloitte & Touche as the audit firm to prepare the financial statement for the 2007 calendar year. Deloitte & Touche will commence the required audit activities in early April.
Once all SMAIR data has been received and compiled, Deloitte & Touche will choose and visit a representative sample of Service Managers to verify the information reported on the SMAIR. The audit firm will provide the Ministry with an audit opinion as to whether the information presents the data fairly and program delivery complies in all material respects with the terms and conditions contained in the Social Housing Agreement.
Reporting of statistical information is required on page 4 of the SMAIR for all programs under Service Manager administration. Total units under administration are to be reported in section I. Section II statistical reporting is to include the total number of households in the sample, number of targeted households and average annual gross household income by client type. The sample chosen should be large enough to be statistically sound. Ideally, CMHC would like to receive 100 per cent statistical sampling and reporting on targeted households. Service Managers should strive to obtain 100 per cent reporting from their housing providers.
For 2007, the CMHC reporting forms will be the same as the previous year’s forms. There may be changes to the Housing Allowance Rent Supplement (HARS) reporting forms depending on the outcome of consultations with CMHC.
An electronic copy of the SMAIR and related guide will be sent via e-mail to all Service Managers in January 2008.
Should you have any questions please contact Terry Pearce by telephone 416-585-7349, by facsimile 416-585-6462 or by e-mail terry.pearce@ontario.ca or SMAIR@ontario.ca .
Rosalind Lerman
Director
Housing Finance Branch
January 21, 2008