POLICY REPORT
FINANCE

Date: October, 1 1999
Author/Local: RGM/7347
RTS No. 01051
CC File No. 5654

Council: October 19, 1999

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Social Planning
SUBJECT:	‘Spare Change’ Meters

CONSIDERATION

A. THAT Council approve a proposal from the Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus for a trial installation of 10 recycled parking meters supplied by MacKay meters as outlined in the report.

B. THAT the estimated $1200 installation cost and first year maintenance cost of this proposal be funded from Contingency Reserve.

RECOMMENDATION

C. THAT if Council approves A and B staff report back before the end of next year on continuation of the program, and the distribution of any revenues collected, noting that the granting of any collected revenues will require eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report reviews a request from Rotary Club of Vancouver, Arbutus to install spare change meters and responds to Council’s request that staff report back on how to implement a Panhandling/ Spare Change meter program similar to Kamloops.

BACKGROUND

Council has taken a number of initiatives to reduce the impact of panhandling in the City of Vancouver. One new proposal, that has been tried in Kamloops, is the use of recycled parking meters that are specially identified and strategically placed for the public to donate spare change to the meter rather than giving it to individuals. The revenue collected from these ‘Spare Change’ meters is then given to a charity organization.

A proposal received from the Rotary Club (Appendix A) requests that the City initiate such a program with 10 meters provided through the Rotary Club from Trafco Canada. The proposal has the following conditions:

1) That the meters would be supplied free of charge by Trafco Canada.

2) That the City paint, install, and maintain these meters at City cost in locations agreed to by the City, Rotary Club, and appropriate business association(s).

3) That the Rotary Club approve the signage on the meters and be consulted on the press release.

4) That all the money collected be donated to a charity selected by the Rotary Club.

The cost of installing the meters and the first years maintenance is estimated to be $1200. If Council wished to support this request an appropriate source of funds would be Contingency Reserve. A decision on the distribution of any revenues received should be deferred until the amount is known and, as it would be a grant, it would require eight affirmative votes.

Staff feel that this proposal has the ability to raise the profile of charity support organizations and make the public think twice before handing money to someone on the street.

In Kamloops, though, the program has not raised enough money to cover the initial cost of the program and initial indications are it has not affected the amount of panhandling that happens in that community.

Based on the available information, Social Planning staff do not believe this project will be particularly effective at reducing panhandling. If the objective is to raise the profile of organizations which support low income people, or generate donations for these groups, there are more direct ways to accomplish this.

This proposal is submitted for Council’s Consideration.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver