Tos The Mayor and Aldermen .
From: The Finance Committee C 0 UJ i January 14, 1972.

JAN “17 1972

The Finance Committee met on Thursday, January 13th, 1972 to consider the matter of grants to organ~
izations. Three grants were specifically referred to this years Finance Committee:

1. The Crisis Intervention Suicide Prevention Centre. 2. Port Coquitlam Secondary School Rugby Team.
3. Vancouver:and, Lower Mainland Industrial Development Commission.

With regard to the Vancouver and Lower Mainland Industrial Development Commission, the Committee feel
that this is not in the nature of a grant as it is in effect our share of the budget of this organization for
the year. The City can, by way of membership in this organization, gain the advantage of considerable adver-
tising in the way of industrial promotion that would not be possible through other means. Membership in this
commission is similar to the U.B.C.M. ox the Canadian Federation of Mayors membership. We can at any time cease .
to be a member. With respect to this request the Committee recommend that if the Industrial Development Committee
of Council wish to recommend continued membership in this organization that funds be provided for in the Provis~
ional Budget for this membership fee.

With regard to the other grant requests and in general with respect to our grant policy, the Committee
feel that the Council should give serious consideration to eliminating all grants. The criteria followed by the
Council in past years stated that in order to qualify for a grant the organization must be:

1. ; A local organization or have local representation.

2... Be an organization primarily for educational, cultural or health and welfare purposes.

3. Must be clearly of an advantage to the City by way of its promotional value.

Although we have maintained this policy fairly closely we did deviate from this policy in some of the

grants made during 1971 and the Committee feel that with the increasing number of: grant applications that have
been received in the past year it is becoming increasing difficult to apply a policy consistantly and therefore
fer.l that the payment of these various types of grants to service organizations and local groups should be dis-
continued.

There may be areas where a group is functioning as part of the Committee of Council, for example, the
Coquitiam Fine Arts Council operates closely in conjunction with the Recreation Committee and the past Council
has made a grant to this organization for the services rendered to the Recreation Department. in addition, the
Provincial Government grant to this organization was contingent upon the group obtaining some municipal support.
If the Recreation Committee still wish to participate with this group, the Finance Committee feel that it is their
prerogative. Another group is the Port Coquitlam Auxiliary of the R.C.M.P. The City receive a direct benefit

from this ‘group by way of manpower and will be faced with certain expenses tn connection with their operation.

The Committee feel, therefore, that there are going to be some situations where participation in joint financing
will be required. The Committee would appreciate Council's serious consideration of this proposal. There is a
fair increase in taxes anticipated this year, and the Committee feels that grants is one of the areas that has

been increasing annually and must be brought uncer control.