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At the City of Guelph, budgeted positions are typically referred to as full-time equivalents (FTEs), which is the amount representing permanent full time, and Transit and Paramedic part-timers who work 20 or more hours in each week.
Hours are budgeted based on service needs. Full-time hours can vary from 1,820 to 2,184 hours per year. FTEs are not the same thing as headcount or the number of positions and jobs in the City.
| Strategic Plan Priority | 2021 approved | 2021 base in-year changes | 2022 opening FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powering our future | 53.80 | n/a | 53.80 |
| Sustaining our future | 331.30 | 5.00 | 336.30 |
| Navigating our future | 263.70 | 1.70 | 265.40 |
| Working together for our future | 207.60 | 4.00 | 211.30 |
| Building our future | 975.00 | 7.30 | 982.30 |
| Total | 1,831.40 | 18.00 | 1,849.40 |
The City needs to be responsive to changing business needs and that means, in some cases, decisions are made in-year, outside of the budget process. The CAO has the authority to authorize new FTEs in-year provided this comes in at a net-zero budget impact. Further, Council also can make in-year decisions to create or eliminate positions in response to the matter at hand.
2021 in-year adjustments have resulted in an overall net increase of 18.0 FTEs. This is mainly due to the Capital Program Resourcing Strategy presented to Council in June approving the conversion of 16 temporary roles being converted to permanent positions. The remaining two positions were created through the conversion of temporary funding within the approval of the Executive Team related to Communications and Paramedic services.
| Strategic Plan Priority | 2022 opening FTEs | 2022 approvals | 2023 approvals | 2023 approved FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powering our future | 53.80 | 2.00 | n/a | 55.80 |
| Sustaining our future | 336.30 | 9.00 | 8.00 | 353.30 |
| Navigating our future | 265.40 | 17.40 | 17.30 | 300.10 |
| Working together for our future | 211.60 | 8.50 | 7.70 | 227.80 |
| Building our future | 982.30 | 13.60 | 15.50 | 1011.40 |
| Total | 1,849.40 | 50.50 | 48.50 | 1,948.40 |
2022 and 2023 approved include 50.5 and 48.5 FTEs respectively to maintain service delivery, respond to a growing community and implement Council-approved programs. Included are two FTEs in 2022 for council pre-approved positions, which will enhance service delivery for equity, diversity and inclusion, and indigenous relations.
- Capital Program Resourcing Strategy positions will ensure capital projects are planned, executed and completed appropriately. The 2022/23 budget includes 10 positions in 2022 and seven positions in 2023. These positions will provide additional direct project management capacity as well as internal support functions for accounts payable, communications, and project design functions.
- Maintaining service delivery to a growing City across many services including Engineering Technical Services, Facilities maintenance, Recreation services, Information Technology (IT) and Communications—2.4 FTEs in 2022 and three FTEs in 2023.
- Maintaining winter control standards in a growing road network with 1.5 FTEs in 2023 to operate a new tandem salter/sander included in the 2022 transportation capital budget.
- Responding to Planning Act legislative changes reducing develop application timelines and the Part III court services program download—2.5 FTEs in 2022 and two FTEs 2023.
- Implementing the Council-approved Guelph Trails Master Plan and Urban Forest Management Plan—two FTEs in each of 2022 and 2023.
- Enhancing digital investment and corporate customer service with people resources to implement corporate customer service strategy and digital capital projects—2 FTE in 2022 and 3 FTEs in 2023.
- Implementing road safety improvements approved by Council for red-light camera and automated speed enforcement programs—one FTE in 2022 and 4.2 FTEs in 2023.
- Investing in Transit services through proposed expansion of a mobility service bus in the 2022 capital budget as well as technology improvements—two FTEs in 2023.
- Maintaining enhanced separated cycling network as approved in the 2021 capital budget—0.5 FTE in 2022.
- Investing in Solid Waste Resources through the proposed addition of a new packer collection truck in the 2022 capital budget and multi-residential diversion resources—one FTE in each of 2022 and 2023.
- A 0.5 FTE pending the Council decision regarding Property-assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in connection with Our Energy Guelph.
- Approved investments by Guelph Police Service and Guelph Public Library Board 4.7 FTEs in 2022 and seven FTEs in 2023.
- Transit Route Review Program includes 17.4 FTEs in 2022 and 13.3 FTEs in 2023.
- Paramedic Master Plan implementation includes 4.0 FTEs in 2022 and 2 FTEs in 2023.
- Cultural Heritage Action Plan includes 1 FTE in 2022.
| Strategic Plan Priority | 2023 approved FTEs | 2024 proposals | 2025 proposals | 2025 summary FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powering our future | 55.80 | n/a | 1.00 | 56.80 |
| Sustaining our future | 353.30 | 5.00 | 4.00 | 362.30 |
| Navigating our future | 300.10 | 17.00 | 22.30 | 339.40 |
| Working together for our future | 227.80 | 9.30 | 7.00 | 244.10 |
| Building our future | 1011.40 | 10.50 | 37.60 | 1,059.50 |
| Total | 1,948.40 | 41.80 | 71.90 | 2,062.10 |
2024 and 2025 proposals
The 2024 and 2025 FTE proposals maintain service delivery, respond to a growing community and implement Council-approved programs and include 113.70 FTEs categorized into the following groups:
- Capital Program Resourcing Strategy positions will ensure capital projects are planned, executed and completed appropriately. The 2024/25 forecast includes 11 positions in 2024 and six positions in 2025. These positions will provide additional direct project management capacity as well as internal support functions for procurement, information technology, communications, and project design functions.
- Maintaining service delivery to a growing City across many services including Operations and Fleet, City Clerk’s Office, IT, Human Resources, Wastewater and Water Services—three FTEs in 2024 and four FTEs in 2025.
- Responding to Planning Act legislative changes reducing develop application timelines—one FTE in 2024 and 2025.
- Opening of the South End Community Centre—19.6 FTEs in 2025. FTE requirements for the opening of Baker District facilities (library, parking and open space) are not yet included.
- Enhancing digital IT resources to support web and in-field technology—one FTE in 2024 and two FTEs in 2025.
- Expansion of the Continuous Improvement Office project delivery capacity with addition of a certified Black Belt position in 2025.
- Economic Development coordinator in 2025 to focus economic development resources on workforce development and innovation in our economy.
- Red-light camera and automated speed enforcement implementation—2.3 FTEs in 2024.
- Investing in Transit services one FTE in 2024 for electronic fare coordinator and two FTEs in 2025 for intelligent transportation specialist and for a customer service supervisor.
- Transit Route Review Program includes 16 FTEs in 2024 and 20.3 FTEs in 2025
- Maintaining enhanced separated cycling network—0.5 FTE in 2024
- Improvement in Bylaw response times and public communications through changes in dispatch delivery services through the addition of four administrative positions in 2025.
- Proposed investments by Guelph Police Service of six FTEs in each of 2024 and 2025.
- Paramedics Master Plan implementation includes 4 FTEs in 2025
- Cultural Heritage Action Plan includes 1 FTE in 2025
2023 confirmed budget
Employers in the private and public sectors are changing how they think about hiring. Budget discussions at the City have historically focused on the number of permanent full-time employees (FTEs). That’s because, historically, the cost of labour associated with a permanent role was much higher than the cost of hiring temporary staff. Today, with changes to the Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS) pension plan for part-time, contract, and casual staff, along with other labour market changes, there is little difference between the cost of a permanent role and a temporary one.
In today’s post-pandemic competitive labour market, there is no shortage of permanent full-time jobs, making it very difficult to hire contract staff. As a result, staff recommend shifting the governance level focus to the overall cost of labour rather than the number or nature of specific employee roles, as FTEs only make up a portion of the City’s workforce, Figure 1.
Figure 1: 2022 budgeted FTEs to headcount
2023 approved and confirmed compensation budget – gross ($ thousands)
| Strategic Plan pillar | 2023 approved budget | 2023 confirmed budget | Budget change $ | Per cent budget change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powering our future | 8,520 | 8,644 | 124 | 1.46% |
| Sustaining our future | 42,098 | 42,788 | 690 | 1.64% |
| Navigating our future | 31,148 | 31,235 | 87 | 0.28% |
| Working together for our future | 28,650 | 30,550 | 1,900 | 6.63% |
| Building our future | 139,853 | 141,513 | 1,660 | 1.19% |
| Total | 250,268 | 254,730 | 4,462 | 1.78% |
| Compensation per cent of total City budget | 49.44% | 50.03% | 0.58% |
It is important to recognize that that the above compensation budget is presented as a gross expense. With the exception of legislated impacts of Bill 109, these changes have a net zero impact on the total operating budget and are offset through other funding sources.
Funding sources for 2023 compensation budget change ($ thousands)
| Funding source | 2023 compensation budget change | Budget change $ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant funded | Realignment of expenses to grant | 349 | 0.14% |
| Grant funded | Investment in Paramedic resources | 660 | 0.26% |
| User fees, rates and charges | In-year council approval | 537 | 0.21% |
| Contingency reserves | Legislated change: Bill 109, OMERS | 1,406 | 0.56% |
| Contingency reserves | In-year council approval | 125 | 0.05% |
| Taxation | Legislated change: Bill 109 | 274 | 0.11% |
| Budget realignment | Improved service delivery | 1,110 | 0.44% |
| n/a> | Total funding for 2023 compensation change | 4,462 | 1.78% |