Bill 160 2014

An Act to amend the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013 with respect to reports concerning alternative service delivery of public services

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  (1)  Subsection 10 (1) of the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013 is amended by adding the following clause:

   (c)  provide an independent report to the Assembly each year identifying areas of public sector service delivery in which alternative service delivery may result in the same quality or a better quality of service at a lower cost.

   (2)  Section 10 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Exceptions, public sector service delivery areas

   (1.1)  The Financial Accountability Officer shall not, in connection with its mandate under clause (1) (c), report on the following areas of public sector service delivery:

    1.  Police services delivered by the Ontario Provincial Police or a municipal police force.

    2.  Services delivered by a member of a College of a health profession set out in Schedule 1 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 within the scope of practice of his or her profession.

    3.  Instructional services delivered by a member of the Ontario College of Teachers in a school within the meaning of the Education Act.

    4.  Any other services prescribed by the regulations.

Same

   (1.2)  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make a regulation prescribing services for the purposes of paragraph 4 of subsection (1.1).

   (3)  Section 10 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Report re alternative service delivery

   (4)  Reports required under clause (1) (c) shall be included with the Financial Accountability Officer's annual report required under section14.

Same

   (5)  In making a report under clause (1) (c), the Financial Accountability Officer shall assess potential cost savings and potential service disruptions resulting from alternative service delivery.

Consultation with private sector

   (6)  The Financial Accountability Officer shall make the assessments described in subsection (5) in consultation with the private sector.

Definition

   (7)  In this section,

"alternative service delivery" is the delivery of public services by persons or entities other than the Government or a public sector organization, as those terms are defined in section 1 of the Ministry of Government Services Act.

Commencement

   2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Financial Accountability Act, 2014.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013, to require the Financial Accountability Officer to report to the Assembly regarding areas of public service delivery in which alternative service delivery may result in the same quality or a better quality of service at a lower cost. Certain public sector service areas shall not be reported on. In making the report, the Officer is required to consult with the private sector to assess the potential cost savings and potential service disruptions resulting from alternative service delivery. Alternative service delivery is defined as the delivery of public services by persons or entities other than the Government or a public sector organization.