SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
CS&B AGENDA
NOVEMBER 28, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
DATE: October 25, 1996
To: Vancouver City Council
From: City Manager, Chief Constable, Director of Community
Services-Social Planning, and General Manager of Corporate
Services
Subject: Establishment of a City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney
General Community Safety Funding Program
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve establishment of the joint City of
Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney General Community Safety
Funding Program.
B. THAT Council approve an annual grant program budget of
$150,000 to the Community Safety Funding Program for a minimum
of three years. A matching fund of $150,000 per year for the
next three years has been confirmed by the Ministry of
Attorney General. The $150,000 for the grant program to be
provided in the 1997 Operating Budget, without offset.
COUNCIL POLICY
On July 11, 1996, City Council approved in principle an annual grant
program fund of $150,000 for community crime prevention and community
safety activities, subject to negotiating matching funding from the
Provincial Government.
City Council, on February 3, 1994, approved that during the term of the
1994 - 1996 Budget Management Program, any proposed increases in program
and/or service levels be offset by corresponding spending reductions
else where in the City s operating budget or by increasing non-taxation
revenues, subject to Council discretion.
Approval of grant funding requires eight affirmative votes of Council.
BACKGROUND
On July 11, 1996, staff submitted a report to Council outlining options
for Council's consideration in providing support for crime prevention
activities through community safety offices.
City Council adopted the option to provide grant funding to support
specific crime prevention activities for community safety offices.
Staff will also encourage and assist in negotiating for rent-free space
in City facilities such as community centres and libraries, for
operation of community safety offices where appropriate.
Council also instructed staff to negotiate with the Provincial
Government for matching funds to this program, to design an appropriate
funding program, and to consult with the community safety offices on the
application and review process.
DISCUSSION
A series of meetings had been held involving City staff from the City
Manager's office, Social Planning, Vancouver Police Department and
Budgets together with the Director of Crime Prevention Division,
Community Justice Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General. An
agreement was reached to establish a joint Community Safety Funding
Program whereby the City and Province will each contribute $150,000
annually for a minimum of three years period. A review of the program
will take place after three years. The shared contribution will provide
up to $300,000 per year in program funding support to community safety
offices in Vancouver. (see Appendix A for confirmation of program funds
from the Province)
City staff and Provincial staff also worked together and developed the
grant program criteria, application format, review and evaluation
process. All parties have agreed to the following guidelines:
the purpose of the Community Safety Funding program is to support
annual program activities, not core operational costs. However, we
agreed that the proposed program can include a reasonable
administrative, operational cost of 15-25%;
both partners' contribution is fixed at $150,000 each at this time,
regardless of the number of applications received;
all three categories of community safety offices (crime prevention
offices, neighbourhood offices, and ethno-specific offices, as
identified in the July Council report) are all eligible to apply
under this program;
funding decision will be based on the merit of the grant
application and the credibility of the organization;
the level of funding recommended will be assessed according to the
need, scope, and complexity of the activities proposed. Qualified
program grant will be considered in the range of $10,000 to
$30,000;
A community consultation meeting was held on October 23 to discuss the
proposed grant program. Board and staff members of all the community
safety offices were invited and input was received for clarification
and improvements to the funding criteria, review and assessment process,
etc. The final version of the grant program information, guidelines,
application, review process and evaluation are all included in Appendix
B.
CONCLUSION
If City Council approves the City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney
General Community Safety Funding Program and the annual grant budget of
$150,000, the grant application process will being in November 1996. The
review and assessment of all applications will take place in December
1996 and January of 1997 involving representatives from both the City
and Ministry of Attorney General. A grant allocation report will be
submitted to Council at the end of January for approval.
The City's contribution of the Community Safety Funding Program will be
in the Other Grants category administered by Financial Services.
However, Vancouver Police Department and Social Planning will assist in
the support and review process.
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