SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 6
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
JUNE 27, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 10, 1996
TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM: Director of Finance, in consultation with the
Director of Permits & Licenses
SUBJECT: 1996 'Other' Grant Requests
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT a grant of $47,162 be approved to the Vancouver City
Planning Commission, with the source of funds being 1996
'Other' Grants budget.
B. THAT a grant of $6,000 be approved to Cycling British
Columbia, with the source of funds being 1996 'Other' Grants
budget.
C. THAT a grant of $75,000 be approved to the University of
British Columbia, for the continuation of the Fire
Protection Engineering Program, with the source of funds
being 1996 'Other' Grants budget.
D. THAT a grant of $100,000 be approved to the Vancouver
Symphony Society to offset the rent payable under the lease
with Civic Theatres for the period of January 1, 1996 to
December 31, 1996, with the source of funds being 1996
Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent budget.
CONSIDERATION
E. THAT the following grant requests be submitted for
consideration, with the source of funds being 1996 'Other'
Grants budget.
1. SPCA - Vancouver Regional Branch $26,700
2. Chinese Benevolent Association of BC 3,500
3. Motorcycle Toy Run 1,500
4. Vancouver Block Parent Program 2,800
5. Sanctuary Foundation 5,000
$39,500
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval
of A, B, C and D, and submits E for CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Applications for grants under the 'Other' Grants category are to be
submitted to the City before March 31 of the current budget year, and
the requests are generally submitted to Council in a single report.
Current policy regarding funding to outside organizations for policing
and engineering costs is that the City waives the first $500 of
policing costs and organisers pay all other costs associated with
their event. In recent years, Council has approved requests from
outside groups for grant to offset the additional costs over the $500
floor. In 1995, two organiza-tions received a total of $4,500 to
cover their costs.
As part of the 'Rescue Package' for the Vancouver Symphony Society
approved by Council on October 24, 1989, the Society is to lease
office space in the Orpheum basement from the City at a rent of
$100,000 per year, to be offset by a grant of $100,000 to the Society.
City Council, on July 27, 1995, approved the continuation of the
$75,000 funding to University of British Columbia for 2 years to fund
the Fire Protection Engineering Program, subject to City staff
attending at least 10 course sessions per year in the program at no
additional cost to the City.
Approval of grants require eight affirmative votes of Council.
Council established the 'Other' Grants budget to provide funding for
grant requests which do not meet the criteria for Community Services,
Cultural, Day-care or Environmental grants.
The grant requests under the 'Other' Grants category are generally
presented to Council in one single report, and this report contains
eight (8) requests under the 'Other' Grant category and one (1)
request under the Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent category.
DISCUSSION
The following table shows the 1996 funding status of the 'Other'
Grants Category:
1996 Allocation $604,800
Less: Approvals to date (265,394)
Requests in this report (167,662)
Unallocated Balance $171,744
The unallocated balance of $171,744 has been fully reserved for a
number of items which are normally funded from the 'Other' Grants
budget, and report on these requests will be submitted to Council at a
later date.
A summary of the grant requests and staff comments is provided below.
1. Other Grants Category
There are eight requests included in this report under the 'Other'
Grants category totalling $168,176.
1.1 Vancouver City Planning Commission - $47,162
After allowing for internal budget adjustments as proposed by the
Vancouver City Planning Commission, the Commission is able to maintain
their 1996 gross budget at $47,176, unchanged from the 1994 and 1995
level. The net 1996 grant to the Vancouver Planning Commission is
$47,162, after adjusting for the 1995 operating surplus.
The Director of Finance recommends approval of the grant request.
1.2 Cycling British Columbia - $6,000
Cycling British Columbia has provided valuable support to the Permits
& Licenses Department for the development and the implementation of
the bicycle courier program since 1987. In return, the City has
approved grants to Cycling BC to offset part of their costs. The
grants range from $2,500 to $6,000 depending on the programs proposed
for the year.
The 1996 grant request of $6,000 is to fund two programs (same as
1995): $3,500 for the on-going administration costs related to the
written and road testing program; and $2,500 to continue the
preparatory seminar for road test. The 1995 grant was for $5,000.
The Directors of Permits & Licenses and Finance recommend approval of
the grant.
1.3 University of British Columbia - $75,000
In 1991, the University of British Columbia proposed to establish a
Fire Protection Engineering Program in the Facility of Applied
Science, and reached a funding arrangement with Union of British
Columbia Municipalities and the City. The City provides a grant of
$75,000 to UBC to cover 50% of the cost of the program with a 2.25%
increase in all permit fees. The grant is conditional on UBC
receiving the remaining 50% funding from UBCM.
The program was delayed due to funding problem from UBCM. City
Council, on July 27, 1995, approved a 2-year funding extension to the
program and requested that the funding issue be considered through the
late resolution process at the 1995 UBCM Annual Convention.
The 1996 grant of $75,000 is the second payment to UBC under the 1995
Council resolution. Staff will report back on the future of program
at a later date.
The Directors of Finance and Permits & Licenses recommend approval of
the grant.
1.4 SPCA - Vancouver Regional Branch - $26,700
The Vancouver Regional Branch of the British Columbia Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has submitted a 1996 grant request of
$26,700 to the City, representing a 2% increase over the 1995 level of
$26,184, to assist in maintaining the services to the residents of
Vancouver.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.5 Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver - $3,500
The City has provided financial assistance to the Chinese Benevolent
Association of Vancouver for a number of years. The grants, ranging
from $1,500 to $3,500, were used to cover the cost of events sponsored
by the Association. In 1995, a grant of $3,000 was approved.
The Association has submitted a 1995 grant request of $3,500 to the
City. The grant will be used to offset costs related to the Chinese
New Year Parade, the Lion Dance and the Canada Day celebration.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.6 Vancouver Motorcycle Toy Run - $1,500
The Vancouver Motorcycle Toy Run is an annual event organised by
volunteers with all proceeds donated to the Vancouver Christmas Bureau
for distribution at Christmas to needy families and children in the
Greater Vancouver area.
The 1996 event will be held on October 27, 1996 using the Coquitlam
route, and the 1996 request of $1,500 is at the same level as in 1995.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.7 Vancouver Block Parent Program - $2,800
Funding to the Vancouver Block Parent Program had been channelled
through the Vancouver Safety Council before the Safety Council ceased
its operation in 1992. Since 1993, Council has provided grants to the
program which has the support of the Vancouver School Board and the
Vancouver Police Department. The 1995 approved grant is for $2,700.
The Director of Finance submits the request for consideration.
1.8 Sanctuary Foundation - $5,000
The Sanctuary Foundation has offered training programs on bicycle
repair to the public for a number of years. Since 1993, the City has
provided annual grants of $2,500 to the Sanctuary Foundation to assist
in acquiring pre-owned bicycles from the Police Department for use in
the training program.
This year, the Foundation will seek permission from Park Board to
offer their program from a portable classroom near Aquatic Centre.
The summer program will include bike safety inspec-tion, courses in
bike maintenance and minor repairs, and providing information on
municipal bike trails.
The portable classroom was funded by the Vancouver Foundation in 1995.
Sanctuary Foundation has submitted a 1996 grant request of $5,000 to
the City to fund the operating cost of the program.
The Director of Finance submits the request for consideration.
2. Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent Category
As part of the 'Rescue Package' to the Vancouver Symphony Society
approved by Council On October 24, 1989, the Society is to lease the
basement of the Orpheum Theatre at an annual rental rate of $100,000,
to be offset by a grant of $100,000 from the City. The lease has been
renewed annually, subject to the approval of a grant of $100,000 from
the City.
The Director of Finance recommends that the lease be renewed to cover
the period of January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1996 inclusive, and the
rent for the period be set at $100,000. It is further recommended
that a grant of $100,000 be approved to cover the lease cost, with the
source of funds to be the 1996 Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent budget.
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