City’s updated Accommodation Strategy Proposal demonstrates savings of over $21M

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BRANTFORD, ON – Today, the City’s Accommodation Task Force considered a staff report detailing recommendations that will see savings of over $21M in the City’s 10-year capital plan, plus an estimated $1.12 million in annual operating budget savings.

With a focus on improving efficiencies and service delivery, the recommended changes to the City’s Corporate Facilities Accommodation Strategy were developed as a result of a comprehensive review of the City’s existing administrative offices and buildings, and new business models that have come into effect since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the heart of the report is a proposal that the new City Hall at 70 Dalhousie Street, be re-imagined as a Centralized Office for city administrative staff, and that a permanent work from home model be implemented to reduce the need for physical administrative workspace, resulting in space availability for up to four additional departments to reside at the new City Hall. The successful implementation of a Centralized Office and Work from Home Model will allow the City to divest of at least two existing facilities in the downtown, thereby eliminating the need to invest substantial capital in these facilities.

Not only does the new strategy present cost savings, but over a three-year time span of operation (from 2021 until 2024), staff estimate that the City could achieve up to 52% of the Corporate Energy Management Plan’s Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction target by reducing the City’s facility footprint alone.

Key Benefits of new work model:

  • For employees: work life balance, flexibility, decreased illness, less commuting, and possible tax benefits if working significant hours from home.
  • For employers: decreased space needs, greater growth flexibility, decreased operating and capital expenses (less real estate), decreased sick time and improved productivity, attracting and retaining talent.
  • For residents/citizens: reduces operating costs and taxes, reduces Green House Gas (GHG) emissions (less real estate and commuting) for improved environmental impact; improved accessibility to services (phone and virtual).

The new workplace model requires $1,717,425 for successful implementation, including changes to the floor plan, various technology upgrades and change management. The overall additional funding required to complete the project and implement the new workplace model is $3,394,259. Additional funding needed is recommended to be offset by the reallocation of $3,294,866 from previously approved Facilities Capital Projects (Accommodations) that are no longer required and the remaining $99,393 required to begin implementation of the revised plan this year be funded from the Facilities Reserve. 

Additionally, an estimated $12.91 million in further savings to the Overall Accommodation and Yard Plan were also found when City staff re-evaluated all major Accommodation and Yard projects across the corporation planned within the 10-year Capital Forecast, including all major office, operational and yard projects, to ensure the most economic and efficient approach for the coming years.

Approval of an additional $99,393 in 2020 is required, however, the proposed new workplace model presents opportunities to optimize the City’s Administrative facility stock by reducing physical space needs and providing short and long-term capital and operating cost savings through cost avoidance, including $21.57 million savings in capital needs over the next 10 years and $1.12 million in annual operating savings. An estimated $12.91 million in further savings to the Overall Accommodation and Yard Plan were also found when staff re-evaluated all major Accommodation and Yard projects across the corporation planned within the 10-year Capital Forecast, including all major office, operational and yard projects, to ensure the most economic and efficient approach for the coming years.

The Accommodation Task Force voted in favour of the Report that will next be considered by Council at their City Council meeting on October 27th, 2020. 

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Media Contact:

Maria Visocchi Director, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | Office: 519.759.4150 Ext. 5754 | mvisocchi@brantford.ca

 


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