Rural Community Development Branch - Service Standards

Our Mandate

• Helping to transform communities by being a catalyst and connector.
• Supporting communities through economic development programs.

Our Services

Community Economic Development Unit:

• Develops tools, resources and researches best practices to support the local economic development efforts of rural communities
• Administers the Ontario Business Retention and Expansion program (BR+E), the First Impressions Community Exchange program (FICE), Community Immigrant Retention in Rural Ontario (CIRRO), community economic analysis tools and downtown revitalization resources and the REDDI website (www.reddi.gov.on.ca).

Finance and Corporate Initiatives Unit:

• Coordinate and support the development of contracting, claims, administration and reporting for RCDB transfer payment and funding programs.
• Provide Risk Management analysis for RCDB programs.
• Leads corporate initiatives such as performance measurement and business continuity planning.

Infrastructure Programs Unit:

• Works horizontally with federal and provincial governments and within OMAFRA to design, develop, implement and case manage infrastructure-related programs.
• Provides project management administration for infrastructure transfer payment programs including: Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF), Canada Strategic Investment Fund (CSIF), Building Canada Fund (BCF), Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program (OSWAP), Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF), Rural Connections Broadband Program and Building Broadband in Rural and Northern Ontario.

Regional Economic Development Staff:

• Provide coaching and connections for economic development strategies and relationships that meet local needs.
• Assist with training and analysis to help develop and execute economic development plans.
• Provide consulting and solution development to rural municipalities, organizations, and businesses to help them access products, tools and funding programs.

Rural Programs Unit:

• Works horizontally with other ministries and within OMAFRA to design, develop, implement and project manage economic development related programs, including Rural Economic Development (RED), Ontario Market Investment Fund (OMIF), Ethanol, Biosecurity Program, Rural Summer Jobs Service and the Food Safety and Traceability Initiative (FSTI).
  

Our Service Principles

When we provide a service to you, we are guided by three key principles which will help us to meet or exceed your expectations.

• We are accountable to you and to the people of Ontario. Programs and services will be delivered according to stated objectives in a consistent manner. We respect your right to privacy and will treat information with confidentiality.
• We are responsive to your needs. We will provide accurate, high quality advice, guidance and information in a timely manner. Information will be clear, up-to-date and easily accessible. We will be transparent in our program guidelines and decision making processes
• We will be professional in our interactions with you. Our programs will be delivered by knowledgeable and competent staff. You will be treated with respect and courtesy.
  

Our Service Standards

Subject to operational exigencies, in the usual course of business

General

1. We will follow OPS Common Service Standards.

Funding Programs

2. Applications will be reviewed and processed for decision within 45 days of receiving all required information, 90% of the time for the following programs.

• Rural Summer Jobs Service
• Food Safety and Traceability Initiative
• Rural Economic Development Program
• Ontario Market Investment Fund
• Biosecurity Program

2010-2011 Results

3. Funding decisions regarding an application will be accompanied by written response regarding the decision.

4. Payments will be processed within either 30 or 45 days of receiving claims and all necessary information, 80% of the time for the following programs.

    

   Rural Economic Development Program	30 days
   Ontario Market Investment Fund	30 days
   Food Safety and Traceability Initiative	30 days
   Building Canada Fund	30 days
   Infrastructure Stimulus Fund	30 days
   Biosecurity Program	30 days
   Ontario Small Water Assistance Program	30 days
   Canada Strategic Investment Fund	30 days
   Broadband Programs	30 days

    

   Rural Summer Jobs Service	45 days
   Canada Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund	45 days
   Ethanol	45 days

   2010-2011 Results

   5. Payments will be identified by program and claim number when sent to clients; rationale for any adjustments to payment will also be provided.

   
   Communication, Training and Advice

   6. Program information and training materials will be relevant, timely, and available in a variety of formats.

   7. Information about program objectives and decision criteria will be clearly communicated to clients.

   8. We will provide prompt, consistent, and accurate follow up to client inquiries, by phone, mail and email within 2 business days, 90% of the time.

   9. We will strive to provide high quality guidance, advice and information to clients.

   10. Training programs will strive to meet clients needs by providing relevant knowledge and skills.

   11. We will take all reasonable steps to provide information and training in facilities that are accessible to everyone.

   2010-2011 Results

   Feedback/Complaints

   • We want to provide the best service that we can and your feedback helps us to improve. If you have comments, questions or concerns about our service we encourage you to let us know. Please contact us by calling the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or use the Feedback Form or send an e-mail to ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca

    

   2010-2011 Results

   Funding Programs

   Application processing results reported are for the time period April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011. The average performance across all four programs was 90%. The higher than anticipated volume of Food Safety and Traceability Initataive applications experienced in 2010-11 created a challenge for application processing capacity. A new grants management system is being implemented in 2011 that will improve overall application processing timelines for programs with large numbers of applications.

   The Biosecurity program is being added to the application service standard for the fiscal year 2011-12.

   
   
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   Claim processing results reflect performance from April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011. Claims were processed 86% and 88% of the time for claims targeted to be processed in 30 and 45 days respectively.

   The Biogas and Canada-Ontario Infrastructure programs both ended during the fiscal year 2010-11 and will be removed from this service standard. The Biosecurity program is being added to the claims processing service standard for the fiscal year 2011-12.

   
   

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   Communication, Training and Advice

   Client satisfaction with communications, training and advice reflects performance from April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011. Overall satisfaction with these services was 91%.

   
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