Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Create Efficiencies in the Administration of Transfer Payment
and Grant Programs
Transfer Payment and Grant Programs
Transfer payment and grant programs in OPS ministries have tended to develop in relative
isolation and are thus primed to deliver centralized efficiencies. By their nature, transfer
payments and grant systems support a wide variety of agencies, programs and stakeholders.
To list just a few examples, they support granting agencies such as the Ontario Arts Council,
Ontario Media Development Corporation and Ontario Trillium Foundation, as well as highly
specialized programs such as support for tourism development; operating funding for public
libraries, museums and heritage organizations; project funding for arts and culture
organizations; and support for small businesses.
Perhaps because these programs are so specialized, there has been little development of a
formal “community of practice” through horizontal integration of administrative services. As a
result, the government has failed to reap potential efficiencies in program administration that
could also improve customer service. Currently, many organizations are funded by multiple
ministries, but the government has no easy way to assess the universe of funded
organizations as a whole. Likewise, recipient organizations have expressed frustration at
having to deal with multiple requirements.
To address these issues, the <strong>Commission</strong> makes several recommendations that would
centralize operations common to transfer payment and grant programs and, it is hoped,
improve client experience, value-for-money outcomes and program efficiency.
Recommendation 16-18: The Ontario Public Service should develop an integrated transfer
payment operation centre and an enterprise grant management system.
A joint project by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and Ministry of Citizenship and
Immigration resulted in the development of the Enterprise Grants Management System
(EGMS). Further efficiency and value-for-money gains would be achieved by expanding this
platform to the OPS. The expansion would create efficiencies in program administration as
well as lower per unit ministry maintenance costs.
Recommendation 16-19: Consolidate back-office operations for grant programs or transfer
payments with identical recipients.
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