QQQQ 960429 BLUE
File Reference Number: 3701-5 TT 960509
SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
MAY 9, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: April 29, 1996
TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM: Director of Finance
SUBJECT: Grant Requests - Chinatown Community Police Services
Centre and the Vancouver Police & Native Liaison
Society
CONSIDERATION
A. THAT Council approve a grant of $40,000 to the Chinatown
Police Community Services Centre; source of funds to be 1996
'Other' Grants budget.
B. THAT Council approve a grant of $24,800 to the Vancouver
Police & Native Liaison Society; source of funds to be 1996
'Other' Grants budget.
C. THAT Council approve the use of the office space at 312 Main
Street by the Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society at
no cost to the Society. The estimated value of the free
accommodation is $15,200 in 1996.
GENERAL MANAGER S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Corporate Services submits A, B and C for
CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Approval of grant requires eight affirmative votes of Council.
BACKGROUND
1. Chinatown Police Community Services Centre
The Chinatown Police Community Services Centre was started in April
1992, with 100% Provincial funding. In 1993, the Centre submitted a
request of $32,000 under the Community Services Grant category. The
Director of Social Planning considered the Centre as a form of police
service, and therefore not eligible under the Community Services Grant
category. Council directed that the request be considered by the
Police Department. Subsequently, Council approved a grant of $32,000
from Contingency Reserve pending the receipt of a report on community
policing from the Chief Constable.
In 1994, a Community Services grant request of $40,000 was made by the
Centre to the City. The request was referred to the 'Other' Grants
category for consideration. At that time, it was noted that the
funding from the Ministry of Attorney General has dropped from the
1992 level of $213,740, to the 1993 level of $110,000, and finally to
the 1994 level of $80,000, with a commitment at that level for a
period of three years from April 1994 to March 1997. A grant of
$20,000 was approved by Council from Contingency Reserve.
In 1995, a request for $40,000 under the 'Other' Grant category was
made by the Society to the City. The Director of Finance recommended
that the request not be approved on the basis that the City's
preference is that community based police offices should be operated
by volunteers with no direct funding contribution from the City. It
was also noted that the funding from the Provincial Government is not
guaranteed beyond March 1997, and the operation would be in serious
financial difficulty if the provincial funding is not extended.
Council, after considering the report, approved a grant of $40,000
from Contingency Reserve.
2. Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society
The Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society Storefront project was
started in 1990, with the Federal and Provincial Government being the
primary funding sources. The City's financial support has been in the
form of community services grants ($10,000 in 1990, $20,000 in each of
1992 and 1993). The 1993 Community Services grant was the last year of
the City's funding commitment to provide start up funds for the
program.
Similar to Chinatown Police Community Service Centre, the Society
received further funds of $20,000 in 1994 and $40,000 in 1995 from the
City, due to the decrease in funding from senior levels of government.
DISCUSSION
1. Chinatown Police Community Service Centre
The programming offered by the Chinatown Police Community Service
Centre extends beyond the Chinatown boundary, and is receiving a grant
of $80,000 from the Provincial Government in recognition of the
service. The Centre has now presented a 1996 grant request of $40,000
to the City, requesting the same level of support as in 1995.
Staff met with the Board of the Chinatown Police Community Service
Centre to discuss the request and their 1996 operation plan. The
Centre is entering the final year of the funding agreement with the
Provincial Government, and if the funding arrangement is not extended
beyond March 1997, the Centre will be facing serious financial
problems and may not survive without making significant changes to
their programs and/or securing other funding sources. Staff is
concerned about the long term financial health of the Centre and has
encouraged the Centre to evaluate the viability of other operating
models.
As the result of the meeting, the Centre has agreed that it will
undertake a strategic planning process with the assistance from the
Ministry of Attorney General to redefine its long term operational
options. Options on restructuring the Centre will be considered,
which may include making adjustments to its programming activities,
moving the Centre to City owned properties or sharing space with other
community groups in order to reduce the operating expenses. At the
same time, the possibility of other funding sources will be pursued.
It will take sometime for the result of the planning exercise to take
shape. In the meantime, the Centre requires the same level of
financial support from the City to continue with their current level
of service. The Director of Finance submits this $40,000 grant
request for Council's consideration, noting staff will actively assist
the Centre to refocus its operation and work towards a self-financed
option, and will report back to Council on the proposed changes. The
source of funds for the $40,000 is the 1996 'Other' Grants budget.
2. Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society
The Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society has also submitted a
1996 grant request of $40,000 to the City for the same level of
support as in 1995. City staff met with the staff from the Society to
discuss the long term financial planning of the Society. It was
agreed that the survival of the Society is dependent on the
continuation of funding from the Provincial Government beyond March
1997. The Society was encouraged to seek other funding sources to
minimise its dependence on government funds, and a few steps have been
taken.
The Society currently operates at 239 Main Street, and will be moving
into the Public Safety Building at 312 Main Street when renovation of
the office is completed at the end of May. Through an arrangement with
the Police Department, the Society will be receiving the use of the
new office, including building maintenance cost, at no cost to the
Society. The Society is currently budgeting an annual amount of
$26,000 to cover rent and utilities. In consideration for the seven
month free accommodation in 1996, it is proposed that the 1996 grant
to the Society be reduced proportionately by $15,200.
As well, the Provincial Government has expressed an interest in
assisting the Society to conduct a strategic planning process to
refocus its program direction. The recommendations arising from the
process will take some time to implement and the grant from the City
will enable them to conduct its program at the existing service level.
The Director of Finance is submitting the request of $24,800,
reflecting the adjustment made to account for the free accommodation,
for Council's consideration. The source of funds for the grant, if
approved, is the 1996 'Other' Grants budget.
CONCLUSION
The Chinatown Police Community Services Centre and the Vancouver
Police & Native Liaison Society are entering their final year of the
secured funding arrangement with the Provincial Government. Both
organisations recognised that their survival beyond March 1997 is
dependent on the continuation of the provincial funds, unless
significant changes are being made to their operations. The Director
of Finance submits the two grant requests to Council for consideration
to enable them to continue operation in 1996 until a more permanent
arrangement can be established.
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