Effective January 1, 2016 the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010 (the "BPSAA") will be amended to include new sections around the publication of business plans and compliance attestations by designated broader public sector organizations. The amendments will allow the Management Board of Cabinet to issue directives requiring designated broader public sector organizations to prepare and publish business plans and other specified business or financial documents.

Directives for Designated Broader Public Sector Organizations

Under the BPSAA, designated broader public sector organizations include:

  • hospitals;
  • community care access centres; and
  • publicly funded organizations receiving 10 million dollars or more in funding from the Government of
    Ontario in the previous fiscal year.

The directives may specify the form, content, timing and methods of publication of business plans and other documents.  Every designated broader public sector organization to which the directives apply will have to comply with the directives.

Guidelines for Publicly Funded Organizations

The Management Board of Cabinet is also authorized to make guidelines with respect to the preparation and publication of business plans or financial documents by publicly funded organizations.

Under the BPSAA, publicly funded organizations include every authority, board, commission, committee, corporation, council, foundation or organization that received public funds from the Government of Ontario in the previous fiscal year. Long-term care homes are not considered publicly funded organizations under the BPSAA and are therefore not subject to the guidelines.

Attestations by Hospitals and LHINs

In addition to other attestation requirements, effective January 1, 2016, the BPSAA will also require hospitals and Local Health Integration Networks to deliver attestations of their compliance with directives issued by the Management Board of Cabinet on the preparation and publication of business plans and other business or financial documents.

No directives or guidelines have been issued at this time. We will continue to monitor any further developments and will keep you apprised of the contents of new directives and guidelines as they become available.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.