Finance & Corporate Services
Finance
In addition to collecting property taxes, which are administered by the City, the Finance Department is also responsible for collecting taxes for other authorities, including School Taxes, B.C. Assessment, Municipal Finance Authority, TransLink (transit) and Metro Vancouver.
Financial functions also include accounts payable, purchasing goods and services, controlling inventory, payroll, provision of property tax information, treasury services, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting and administrative services.
Related Topics: About Finance & Taxes
Accounts Payable
The Accounts Payable Section is responsible for making payments on behalf of the City. Accounts Payable include all amounts due and owing by the City, except payroll expenses. All City accounts shall be paid by the negotiated due date, after the proper invoice has been submitted and receipt of acceptable materials or services has been verified.
Administration
This section provides a wide variety of administrative assistance including clerical, specialized and technical support functions to the Director, Managers and staff of the Finance Department, scheduling meetings, workshop and travel arrangements, coordination of reports to Council/Committees, coordination of special projects, maintenance of the department's records management system in accordance with established rules, regulations and policies and responding to inquiries from the staff and public.
Financial Planning and Analysis
The Financial Planning and Analysis section is responsible for the preparation of the five-year financial plan. This plan consolidates the City's Operating, Utility and Capital budgets. The section's focus is to monitor the budgets and administer processes to meet the needs of the community, City Council and other City divisions.
Financial Reporting
The Financial Reporting section is responsible for preparation of quarterly reports, year-end reports, financial statements and annual reports. This section also provides analysis and support to co-ordinate corporate-wide initiatives such as business planning and other strategic initiatives.
Related Topics: Annual Reports
Financial Systems
The Financial Systems Section focuses on increasing operational efficiencies and improving internal financial controls. The Section streamlines the way staff uses the organization's automated financial systems by finding solutions to business process issues. Financial Systems contributes change management and project management expertise to process improvement initiatives and system implementations.
Payroll
The Payroll Section is responsible for the accurate and timely preparation of employee pay in accordance with Federal and Provincial legislation, WCB and various collective agreements and City of Richmond policies. The section is also responsible for the remittance and reporting of statutory deductions, preparation of T4's and Record of Employment, as well as remittance and reporting of other non-statutory deductions including pension and union dues.
Purchasing
The Purchasing Section purchases and secures materials, supplies, equipment and services required by the City including contracts for all non-inventory items, construction contracts and consulting services.
Related Topics: Tenders, Quotations and Proposals
Stores
The Stores section purchases and maintains all inventory requirements and associated products for Public Works operations including automotive and garage related supplies. The City's central stores is located at 5599 Lynas Lane.
Tangible Capital Assets
The Tangible Capital Assets section is responsible for the preparation and the administration of the annual capital budget and the capital budget amendment process. This section maintains the asset sub ledger with a net book value of over $2.5 billion and prepares the quarterly capital project report for Council.
Taxes
The Tax section is responsible for administering the collection of City revenues, including property taxes, flat rate and metered utility (water, sewer, garbage/recycling) charges; grants-in-lieu of taxes; local improvement charges; and the payment of taxes collected for other taxing authorities. This section also prepares and conducts the annual tax sale auction to recover unpaid taxes and provides information to the public regarding property assessments, property taxes, utility charges, account balances and property tax deferment.
Related Topics: Homeowner Property Information
Treasury and Financial Services
The Treasury Services Section effectively manages highly cyclical cash flows ensuring adequate funds are available to fulfil the strategic plans and initiatives undertaken by the City. Additionally, all sources and inflows of revenues are identified and allocated to key capital projects.
The role of Treasury Services is to ensure that the City enjoys a competitive rate of return on investments. This rate of return is compared on a regular basis to other municipal and industry benchmarks. The Treasury Services Section works in collaboration with other service Sections within the Finance and Corporate Services Division to ensure the fiscal responsibility and stewardship of the City's assets.
Contacts and Related Topics
Contacts: Finance
Business Services
The Business Services Department is responsible for performing five key functions that are outlined below.
The following units serve the needs of Richmond residents and businesses:- Customer Service: is the first multi-channel point of contact for many City services and acts as a resource and referral centre. It takes in applications and issues permits, answers inquiries and manages building permit records.
- Economic Development: facilitates the attraction, expansion and retention of businesses in Richmond, serves as a liaison between businesses and City departments or other government agencies and resources, and develops programs and policies to support the local economy.
- Business Advisory Services: systematically undertakes internal reviews to audit, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, financial controls, and governance processes.
- Business Improvement: assists internal departments in reviewing their business operations and processes, and helps to identify and implement opportunities to improve operational performance.
- Risk Management: supports the organization’s identification, analysis, evaluation and treatment of risks associated to the City’s assets, programs and operations. Manages the City’s insurance program and provides risk and insurance related advisory services.
Contacts:
Business Services
Customer Service Manager
Customer Service Centre
Economic Development
Business Advisory Services
Business Improvement
Risk Management
Information Technology
Summary & Highlights
The Information Technology Department (IT) provides Business Analysis, Project Management and IT Technical Services.
The IT Department is the centralized resource at the City of Richmond for providing computers, internet, telecom and mailroom functions and processing of City billings and large volume printing. The Department actively supports the network infrastructure, hardware, peripherals and software for:
- 100 servers & a variety of appliances
- 1600 user profiles
- 30 site locations
- 1100 PC’s
- 11 Enterprise Applications
- 55 desktop applications
- a few customer service applications
- 2000 telephones
- 390 wireless communication devices
In addition to managing and securing all of the City’s critical data and financial records, IT also hosts and maintains the:
- City Website
- City Intranet
- GIS System
- Program Registration System
Services Provided
- IT Office Systems and Operations
- Information and Communications Technology Infrastructure
- GIS, Web, and Database Services
- Enterprise Application Development
- IT Administration
Contacts:
IT Office Systems and Operations
Responsible for developing the City’s office systems collaboration strategies and provides service and support for IT Office Systems via three integrated teams:
IT Help Desk
The IT Help Desk is the first point of contact for City Staff computer and telecom issues. The Help Desk records and solves client requests for service. Requests that cannot be solved by the Help Desk are forwarded to the appropriate IT support team.
Desktop Services
Provides hardware and software installation and support for desktop workstations, printers and handheld devices.
IT Operations
Responsible for large volume printing, mail processing, mail sorting and distribution, and backup media handling.
Information and Communications Technology Infrastructure
Provides the infrastructure for the City’s communications and applications systems. The section is divided into three teams:
Infrastructure
Responsible for the City’s Network connecting City Hall, the Public Works Yard, and over 25 other City sites. Maintains the servers for the City’s applications.
Technical Applications
Design and maintenance of the City’s document management, email, backup systems and network security.
Telecom
Provides and maintains telephone services including lines switches and handsets, cell phones, and blackberries. The team also manages voice-mail and many other specialised voice-processing systems.
GIS, Web, and Database Services
Provides service and support for:
Geographic Information System
Implementation, support and maintenance of GIS system. The GIS is a central database of spatial (location defined) data accessible in an interactive map format.
Web Services
Provides maintenance and management of the City website as well as the City’s Intranet site for City Staff.
Database Services
Provides installation, configuration, monitoring, and maintenance support for the City’s 36 Oracle and 14 SQL Server database instances. Provide technical installation and support for the PeopleSoft Financials and Human Capital Management systems.
Enterprise Application Development
This section provides technical and business analysis services and support for computer applications systems in human resource, payroll, time and labour, point of sale, accounting, property, permit, licensing, tax, utility, operations management, community and facility registration and parking ticket management. The section also provides software development for voters and council referrals and support for payment and property information available via Interactive Voice Response, or Internet.
IT Administration
Provides administration services to the Information Technology Division and manages the following:
Project Management Office
Develops and promotes an organization Project Management process using PMI Methodologies.
Security Assessment
Plans, leads and executes risk assessments to determine the security impact on the City’s data and infrastructure using ISO17799 standards.
Asset Management
Provides a corporate wide Information Technology Asset Management strategy
Contacts:
Real Estate Services
In addition, the Real Estate Services Department is responsible for the overall Land Strategy of the City including asset management, policy, acquisitions, dispositions and day to day management of strategic lands, leases and other agreements held by the City.
Contacts:
Related Topics:
Vancouver Airport Authority Liaison
Vancouver Airport Authority is a community-based, not for profit organization, that manages Vancouver International Airport (YVR) based in Richmond, BC. The Airport Authority has no shareholders and reinvests all earnings into airport development and service improvements.
The City of Richmond Nominee to the Vancouver Airport Authority Board is Dan Nomura.
- Visit the Vancouver International Airport YVR website for more Airport information.