Vancouver City Council

COUNCIL MEETING FOLLOWING
STANDING COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
MEETING

JUNE 12, 2003

DECISIONS

For information, please contact Tina Hildebrandt, Meeting Coordinator, at 604-873-7268 or E-mail tina_hildebrandt@city.vancouver.bc.ca.

At its meeting immediately following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting on Thursday, June 12, 2003, Vancouver City Council approved the following:

1. Juno Beach Centre - Memorial Donation

A. THAT Council approve a grant in the amount of $2,500 to the Juno Beach Centre Association as a contribution toward the costs of construction of the memorial centre and creation of the exhibition/education programs within. Funds to be provided from the Contingency Reserve.

B. THAT Council approve the following statement to be inscribed on the brick recognizing the City's contribution:

The People of the City of Vancouver Remember and are Grateful.

2. A.S.T.C. Science World - Annual Review and 2003 Operating Grant Request

THAT Council approve an Operating Grant of $84,071 to the A.S.T.C. Science World Society; source of funds to be the 2003 `Other' Grants budget.

3. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society - Annual Review and 2003 Operating Grant Request

THAT Council approve a further $8,007 for a total 2003 operating grant of $465,543 to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society, noting that on April 24, 2003, Council has already approved disbursement of $457,536 based upon their 2002 grant level; source of funds to be the 2003 `Other' Grants budget.

4. Parking Operations & Enforcement Branch - Service Level Updates and Parking Meter Rate Changes

A. THAT Council approve the expansion of the Parking Operations and Enforcement Branch to deal with the increased demand for parking enforcement and coin collection activity due to the expansion of regulated and metered areas, technology change, and additional service demands since 1999, at an approximate annual cost (including adequate coverage for a 363-day/year operation) of $366,000 in 2003, and $512,000 annually thereafter, funded from increased parking enforcement and parking meter revenues, as follows:

i. 2.0 FTE 2 Parking Enforcement Officers
iv. 1.0 FTE 1 Network Support Specialist I

FURTHER THAT Council approve $50,000 for non-salary recurring operating costs ($30,000 in 2003) to support the staff funded from increased parking enforcement and parking meter revenues.

B. THAT Council postpone consideration of formalizing (making Regular) the following (temporary existing) positions to the end of July, 2003, in order to allow affected parties to review & resolve alternate & outstanding issues:

ii. 2.0 FTE 2 Superintendent I
iii. 1.0 FTE 1 Systems Analyst IA
v. 4.0 FTE 8 Regular Part-Time Coin Collectors.

5. Funding for Purchasing Equipment for Community Events in the Downtown Eastside

THAT Council approve a grant of $60,000 to the Portland Hotel Society for the purchase of equipment including marquee tents, heaters, cooking equipment, a PA system and portable skateboarding ramps for use in community events, with priority in the Downtown Eastside, Chinatown, Gastown, Strathcona and Victory Square; funding to be provided from the Downtown Eastside Revitalization Capital Funds approved in the 2000-2002 Capital Plan.

6. 2003 Celebration Grant Recommendations, Spring Deadline - May 13, 2003

Council took no action on this matter.

BY-LAWS

1. A By-law to amend Procedure By-law No. 8554 regarding notices of motion.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Impacts of Provincial cuts on Municipalities

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

WHEREAS the current and proposed future cuts by the Provincial Ministries and Boards of Attorney General, Children and Family Development, Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, Education, Health Services, Human Resources, Public Safety and Solicitor General, Skills Development and Labour, Regional Health Authorities, and Housing to social services are directly impacting citizens in British Columbia's municipalities;

WHEREAS these cuts are directly impacting those most vulnerable citizens in every community, eg. women, seniors, people with disabilities, youth and aboriginal people;

WHEREAS the impacts of these cuts are leading to increased homelessness, poverty, health problems, crime and street disorder in municipalities;

WHEREAS service agencies are also experiencing cuts and are unable to respond to increased needs,

WHEREAS this increases the problem for municipalities with no additional resources from the province;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM urge the Province to defer any future cuts to social services until there is a clear, public evaluation of the full cumulative impacts of the current cuts on citizens in British Columbia municipalities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the municipalities work with Provincial Ministries to address these impacts on citizens.

2. Health and Health Care Services

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

WHEREAS health and health care services are an important and critical part of our social and economic well being as Canadians; and

WHEREAS an adequately funded health care system is best delivered as a public not-for profit system; and

WHEREAS the Romanow Commission report revealed that the health outcomes of the Canadian system are amongst the best in the world and the majority of Canadians who use the system are satisfied with the quality and standards they receive; and

WHEREAS a poll (Mcintyre and Mustel) published February 3, 2003 shows that almost 70% of British Columbians endorse the Romanow Report; and

WHEREAS federal government transfer payments to the provinces have decreased significantly since the early 1990's causing public health care funding to drop from levels of 50% to 15% in contributions, falling gravely short of necessary monies to adequately fund the system as recommended by Romanow's Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada 2003; and

WHEREAS new federal dollars to the provinces for health care funding need to be accounted for on a not-for-profit basis; and

WHEREAS the provincial government has and continues today to implement further cuts to healthcare resulting in a de-listing of outpatient services, hospital and long-term care facility bed closures, contracting out of support staff and tighter, stringent eligibility requirements for and access to services such as homecare and pharmacare; and

WHEREAS the results of these cuts have resulted in further strain on existing services such as emergency departments to accommodate the back-log of patients and the increasing demands for physical and mental health services; and

WHEREAS municipalities, being the level of government closest to the people, have been hearing from and listening to ongoing issues from local residents and health professionals concerned about the continuing gaps in accessibility, delivery and provision of adequate health care services; and

WHEREAS municipalities are being called upon increasingly under these pressures; budget constraints or cost savings, to fill the gaps through other means such as funding non-profit health care services or purchasing hospitals threatened with closure.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver inform the Governments of Canada and British Columbia of its general support for the recommendations of the Romanow Report, as the framework for transforming medicare into a truly national, more comprehensive, sustainable, responsive and accountable public health care system;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver, in recognizing the importance of the 2003 First Minister's Accord on Health Care Renewal, urge the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to continue to cooperate and devote sufficient committed resources to renew and sustain the Canadian health care system;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver, while acknowledging the need for managing resources efficiently, express its strong concern to the Provincial Government and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority regarding the short and long-term implications of changes being made to the health system, including closures of hospital and continuing care beds, increased restriction of coverage for home care and pharmacare programs, and the trend toward the privatization of support services and resulting staff layoffs;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver urge the Provincial Government and its respective Health Authorities to adopt a policy of meaningful consultation with municipalities on proposed changes to health care services, ensuring that the full impact on local residents and municipal governments are carefully considered prior to implementing significant changes;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver request the Lower Mainland Municipal Association adopt a resolution similar to the one outlined herein and advance it forward for endorsement by the Union of BC Municipalities;

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver call upon the Union of BC Municipalities to raise concerns about the downloading of healthcare responsibilities by the BC Government to Municipal Governments, including housing and other supports for the frail, elderly and for those with mental illness or mental and physical disabilities, including the impact of palliative care bed closures and the right to die with dignity.

3. Leave of Absence - Councillor Stevenson

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

THAT Councillor Stevenson be granted Leave of Absence for the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting of June 12, 2003, for Civic Business.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

4. Leave of Absence - Councillor Louis

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

THAT Councillor Louis be granted Leave of Absence for the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting of June 12, 2003, for Civic Business.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

5. Leave of Absence - Mayor Campbell

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

THAT Mayor Campbell be granted Leave of Absence for a portion of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting of June 12, 2003, for Civic Business.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

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