ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 17, 1995
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Social Planning
SUBJECT: Distribution of Flow-Through Funding for the
Vancouver Childcare Regional Delivery Pilot Project
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council authorize the Director of Finance to disburse
the Year One flow-through funds received from the Ministry
of Women's Equality for the Vancouver Childcare Regional
Delivery Pilot Project, as per Schedule B of the legal
agreement between the City and the Province of British
Columbia (see Appendix I, p.11-15).
B. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to
contract with Colleen Croft-Cannuli for the provision of
project co-ordination services for the Pilot Project (total
contract award $25,500).
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
A and B.
COUNCIL POLICY
The Civic Childcare Strategy, approved October 1990, commits the City
to being an active partner with senior levels of government in the
development and maintenance of a well managed, comprehensive childcare
system in Vancouver.
On March 9, 1995, Council approved City participation in the Vancouver
Regional Delivery Pilot Project and instructed staff to negotiate the
necessary agreements with the Ministry of Women's Equality to receive
funding.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to report back to Council on the
distribution of the pilot project flow-through funding and to
authorize staff to proceed with contracting for the co-ordination of
the pilot project work.
BACKGROUND
In March 1995, City Council approved City participation in a proposed
Vancouver Regional Delivery Pilot Project, including the allocation of
staff time and the receipt and distribution of flow-through provincial
funds. Staff were given authoriza-tion to negotiate the necessary
agreements with the Province. After considerable discussion with the
Ministry of Women's Equality and some minor adjustments to the pilot
project time-lines and budget, Provincial Treasury Board approved the
pilot project funding and a legal agreement was signed between the
City and the Province in October 1995 for Year One of the four- year
project.
DISCUSSION
As per the Pilot Project proposal approved by Council on March 7,
1995, and confirmed in the legal agreement signed October 6, 1995, the
City is to receive funds from the Ministry of Women's Equality and
will in turn flow these funds through to the community partners
involved in the pilot project and to the contractors who will provide
services to the project partici-pants. A first payment of $194,976
has now been received and is awaiting disposition. Prior to December
31, 1995, the City will receive a second payment of $45,844 for the
remaining balance of Year One funding. These funds are to be
distributed as per Schedule B of the legal agreement (see Appendix I).
A contractor is required to carry out the project co-ordination of the
pilot project work during Year One. An advertisement was placed in
the Vancouver Sun and Province the weekend of October 14th, requesting
letters of interest from contractors. A more detailed request for
proposals was sent out to six of the applicants. Three proposals were
received and interviews were held. The Selection Committee, comprised
of representa-tives from the participating community agencies and the
City Childcare Co-ordinator, are pleased to recommend that the project
co-ordinator service contract be awarded to Colleen Croft-Cannuli.
The term of this contract will cover the period November 1, 1995 to
March 31, 1996. The flow-through funding available is $25,500.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Year One funding covers the period June 1, 1995 to March 31,
1996. This delay in timelines has led to some minor adjustments to
the budget and the phasing of the overall project activities. It also
means that the overall pilot project can be extended by twelve months
and will be eligible for funding through until March 31, 1999.
Because the Province has successfully negotiated cost-sharing of our
project with Human Resource Development Canada as part of a four-year
Strategic Initiatives Program, project participants and the City
Childcare Co-ordinator are extremely hopeful that funding for the
Vancouver project will still be available for the next three years.
Negotiations for Year Two funding will begin early in 1996 with the
goal of having funds available for April 1, 1995, so that there is no
disruption in the project activities. Staff will report back on the
results of these negotiations, including the distribution of the Year
Two funding.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that Council authorize the Director of Finance to
distribute the provincial flow-through funding as per Schedule B of
the legal agreement with the Province. Further, it is recommended
that Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to contract with
Colleen Croft-Cannuli to undertake the contract work required for the
Vancouver Regional Delivery Pilot Project.
* * * * *