Greater Vancouver Regional District
4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5H 4G8

Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Funding for Science World

February 18, 1988

REPORT:

Representatives of the Arts, Sciences and Technology Centre appeared
before the Executive Committee on February 17th to request a grant
towards the capital funding of Science World of $1 million over three
years. The grant is requested from all GVRD municipalities other
than the City of Vancouver which has previously provided a commitment
of $1 million.

Vancouver staff have indicated that the City wishes to participate
with all other GVRD municipalities in funding Science World through
the GVRD. The allocation of cost would be based on the distribution
of assessment for regional hospital district purposes, the basis for
GVRD general government and a number of functions. In order to raise
both a portion of the City of Vancouver’s commitment and $1 million
from all other GVRD municipalities, the total grant would therefore
have to be $1,715,000. The City of Vancouver represents 41.7% of
1987 GVRD assessment for regional hospital district purposes and
would contribute $715,000 through the GVRD. The remainder of the
City’s commitment would be provided directly.

The GVRD’s current policy regarding such funding requests, restated
most recently in March of 1985, is not to make grants on a regional
basis to organizations. seeking funding assistance, on the grounds
that member municipalities are best suited to determine where such
assistance should be directed.

A Subcommittee of the Executive Committee was established in 1987 to
determine if there were some cultural organizations or activities
which could be considered “regional", and to recommend a policy of
whether or not funding for organizations or activities so defined
might be appropriately undertaken by the GVRD on behalf of its member
municipalities. At present, individual organizations seeking funding
assistance must seek grants from individual municipalities.

The Executive Committee noted the unique characteristics of Science
World and the fact that funds were being sought for capital not
operating purposes. The Committee agreed to recommend to the Board