SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
JUNE 1, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 19, 1995
TO: Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM: Director of Finance
SUBJECT: 1995 'Other' Grants Allocation
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT a grant of $46,376 be approved to the Vancouver
City Planning Commission; with the source of funds to
be the 1995 'Other' Grants budget.
B. THAT a grant of $5,000 be approved to Cycling British
Columbia; with the source of funds to be 1995 'Other'
Grants budget.
C. 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,
1995 to December 31, 1995; with the source of funds to
be the 1995 Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent budget.
CONSIDERATION
D. THAT the following grant requests be submitted for
consideration, with the source of funds to be 1995
'Other' Grants budget.
1. S.P.C.A.- Vancouver Regional Branch $ 26,184
2. Chinese Benevolent Association of B.C. 3,000
3. Motorcycle Toy Run 1,500
4. Vancouver Block Parent Program 2,700
5. Sanctuary Foundation 2,500
$ 35,884
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS
approval of A, B and C, and submits D 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 for consideration
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 organizers pay all other costs
associated with their event. In recent years, Council has
approved requests from outside groups for grants to offset the
additional costs over the $500 floor. In 1994, two organizations
received a total of $4,800 to cover their costs.
- 2 -
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.
Approval of grants requires eight affirmative votes.
SUMMARY
This report presents seven grant requests under the 'Other'
Grants category and one request under the Cultural Grant -
Theatre Rent category. Three of the eight requests are
recommended by staff, and the remaining five requests are
submitted for consideration.
The total of the seven grant requests under the 'Other' Grants
category is $87,260, and there are sufficient funds in the 1995
'Other' Grants budget to cover these grants, leaving an
uncommitted balance of $108,540 for future requests. There are
sufficient funds in the Cultural Grant - Theatre Grant category
to cover the request of the Vancouver Symphony Society.
BACKGROUND
Council established the 'Other' Grants budget to provide funding
room for organizations which do not meet the criteria for
Community Services, Cultural, Daycare or Environmental grants.
As part of the 'Rescue Package' to the Vancouver Symphony
Society, City Council, on October 24, 1989, approved the
continued use of the Orpheum basement by the Society at a rental
rate of $100,000 per year, to be offset with a grant of $100,000
to the Society. On April 16, 1992, Council directed staff to
submit subsequent grants to the Vancouver Symphony Society for
rent offsets as part of the 'Other' Grants report.
DISCUSSION
The following table shows the 1995 funding status of the 'Other'
Grants category.
1995 Allocation $ 429,800
Less: Approvals to date 234,000
Requests in this report 87,260
Unallocated Balance $ 108,540
The unallocated balance of $108,540 has been fully reserved for a
number of items which are normally funded from the 'Other' Grants
budget, and reports on these requests will be submitted to
Council at a later date.
A summary listing of the grant requests and staff comments is
provided below.
1. Other Grants Category
There are seven requests in this report under the 'Other' Grants
category totalling $87,260.
1.1 Vancouver City Planning Commission - $46,376
- 3 -
The 1995 gross grant request from the Vancouver City Planning
Commission is $47,176, the same level as 1994. After allowing for
the 1994 surplus of $800, the net 1995 grant to the Vancouver
City Planning Commission is $46,376.
The Director of Finance recommends approval of this grant.
1.2 Cycling British Columbia - $5,000
Cycling British Columbia has provided valuable support to the
Permits and Licenses Department for the development and
implementation of the Bicycle Courier Program. The City has
provided grants to the organization to fund specific programs in
past years. The grants range from $2,500 to $6,500 depending on
the programs proposed for the year.
The 1995 grant request of $5,000 is to fund two programs; $3,000
to cover the on-going administrative costs related to the current
written and road testing program, and $2,000 to continue the
preparatory seminar for the road test.
In recognition of the contribution made by the Association, the
Directors of Permits and Licenses and Finance recommend approval
of the grant.
1.3 S.P.C.A. - Vancouver Regional Branch - $26,184
The Vancouver Regional Branch of the British Columbia Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has submitted a 1995 grant
request of $26,184 to the City, a 2.8% increase over the 1994
level of $25,545, to assist in maintaining the services to the
residents of Vancouver.
The City has provided financial support to S.P.C.A. for many
years. The Director of Finance submits this request for
consideration.
1.4 Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver - $3,000
The City has provided financial support to the Chinese Benevolent
Association of Vancouver for a number of years. The grants,
ranging from $1,500 to $2,500, were used to cover the cost of
events sponsored by the Association. In 1994, a grant of $2,500
was approved.
The Association has submitted a 1995 grant request of $3,000 to
the City. The grant will be used to sponsor activity related to
the Chinese New Year Parade and the Lion Dance in Chinatown, as
well as the celebration of Canada Day.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.5 Motorcycle Toy Run - $1,500
The Vancouver Motorcycle Toy Run is an annual event organized 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.
Council has supported this event for many years. In 1994, $1,800
was approved to cover the engineering and policing costs related
to the Toy Run held on October 30, 1994. Over 6,500 toys, 30,000
pounds of non-perishable goods and $18,000 were collected and
distributed.
- 4 -
This year's event, to be held on October 29, 1995, will only use
the Coquitlam route, and the ride from Richmond has been
cancelled. This will reduce the costs related to the event and a
grant of $1,500 will be sufficient to cover the costs.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.6 Vancouver Block Parent Program - $2,700
In past years, the Vancouver Block Parent Program was funded by
the City through the Vancouver Safety Council. In 1992, $3,000
was disbursed to the Vancouver Block Parent Program by the
Vancouver Safety Council before it ceased its operation due to a
lack of funding.
The City has provided grants to this program since 1993, and the
program has the support of the Vancouver School Board and the
Police Department. The 1995 grant of $2,700 will be used to
provide support costs to the program.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
1.7 Sanctuary Foundation - $2,500
The Sanctuary Foundation is a registered non-profit organization
formed to help the victims of family violence. One of the
programs offered by the Foundation is a training program for
young people to become bicycle mechanics. Previous grants from
the City have been directed to support this program.
In 1993, 40 bicycles with a market value of $2,500 were donated
to the Foundation. In 1994, a grant of $2,500 was approved to the
Foundation to enable them to purchase abandoned bicycles at the
City's auction. The 1995 grant request of $2,500 will enable the
Foundation to continue its program at the 1994 level.
The Director of Finance submits this request for consideration.
2. Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent Category
As part of the 'Rescue Package' to the Vancouver Symphony
Society, the basement of the Orpheum Theatre was leased by the
Society at an annual rental rate of $100,000, and offset by a
grant of $100,000 from the City. The lease was first approved by
Council on October 24, 1989, and has been renewed annually since
then, subject to approval of the grant of $100,000 from the City.
The Director of Finance recommends that the lease be renewed to
cover the period of January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1995
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 1995 Cultural
Grant - Theatre Rent budget.
* * * * *