Finance along with departmental staff have been monitoring and assessing the potential financial impacts to the City since the onset of the pandemic. It was quickly evident that a variety of operating expenditures and revenues would be impacted. While it is still too early to quantify with any degree of certainty all of the potential financial impacts, some of the more significant projected variances are outlined below. Most of the estimated financial impacts are estimated as at the end of April 2020, while several others, due to their nature or commitment already made, are identified for the time period that they relate to. A table summarizing the estimated financial impacts can be found in the Financial Matters section of the report.

Discussion:

Transit Services

Collection of bus fares was discontinued in March with the introduction of rear door passenger entrance to provide added protection to our Transit drivers. Reduced ridership in the first half of the month coupled with no fare box revenue for the latter part of March, resulted in an impact of approximately $715,000. The variance also includes estimates for gas tax revenue lost as a result of decreased ridership. The revenue loss for April is estimated at an additional $1.435M, bringing the total reduced revenues through the end of April to approximately $2.15M.

Offsetting the reduced revenues for Transit Windsor, are reduced labour costs (after April 12, 2020), decreased fuel consumption, parts & materials, and overtime savings totalling approximately $1.0M. This savings amount reduced however by $0.5M which is the estimated one time cost of the Bus Rebate Program, resulting in a total net expenditure savings of $0.5M.

Therefore, the overall projected negative variance for Transit Windsor to the end of April is $1.65M ($2.15M in reduced revenues offset by a net amount of $0.5M in cost savings).

Recreation & Culture

The City has experienced revenue losses totalling approximately $1M since the start of the pandemic as a result of closing facilities such as pools, arenas, and community centres, along with all their associated programming. Some facilities like arena’s may have less revenue shortfall going forward since the timeframe coincides with the end of the season and reduced activity in the rinks. Additionally, the annual cultural grant funding was both, accelerated and increased, by $20,000 to assist the arts community during this difficult period. Facilities such as pools and community centres will continue to experience revenue losses of approximately $680,000 per month until the crisis is over.

Employment & Social Services and Housing & Children’s Services

Both Social Services departments have been under increased pressure to provide enhanced services to residents in financial need and the homeless population caused