Burnaby city council recently denied grants for a wildlife rescue society, food exchange, youth exploitation prevention group and hospital transportation program because they “did not fall within council guidelines for awarding grants.”
At its May 26 council meeting, council approved recommendations from the executive committee of council to turn down the applications on the basis that they didn’t meet the committee’s criteria.
“There were people asking for grants for operating funds and we don’t do that,” said Coun. Pietro Calendino, who chairs the executive committee of council.
The terms of reference for grants notes that grants are normally not made available “to cover cost of past deficits, capital improvements or ongoing operating expenses.”
Council denied an application from the Wildlife Rescue for a $10,000 grant to support public education programs, community outreach presentation and wildlife rehabilitation leadership. The wildlife group was also denied last year, though they received a $5,000 grant from the city in 2011.
The Children of the Street Society unsuccessfully requested $5,000 to fund the delivery of its TCO2 (Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others) program throughout Burnaby. The program “is a unique and innovative workshop designed and delivered by youth, for youth to prevent the sexual exploitation of children and youth in B.C.”
Council turned down a $5,000 grant request by the Quest Food Exchange to aid it in running food programs for low-income residents. Likewise, Shriners Care for Kids asked for $225 to support Care Cruises, a program that transports children and accompanying parents to and from B.C. Children’s and Sunny Hill hospitals, but was denied.
Meanwhile, grants were approved several festival grants and travel expenses for school-related trips.
Council awarded the Dynamo Swim Club a $1,000 grant for travel expenses to the AA and AAA Provincial Championships in Victoria. Council also gave $1,000 each to École Marlborough and South Slope Elementary to help fund trips to Iowa for the finals of the Odyssey of the Mind, a creative problem-solving competition for students of all ages.
Since 2012, the city has awarded $6,000 at a rate of $1,000 per school for travel expenses related to the Odyssey of the Mind contest.
After some deliberation, council OK’d giving $1,500 to the Eastside Opportunity Society to support its bike fairs at Edmonds Community School and Forest Grove Elementary. The society had been granted $1,200 in 2013 and $1,500 in 2011.
“It was kind of difficult to judge that that was a festival event, really, but they were having other activities which kind of put them on the borderline,” said Calendino.
The EPIC Music in the Park Series received $840 to support three nights of live music in Edmonds Park while the Edmonds City Fair and Classic Car Show received $5,000 – just shy of their $6,000 request.
Lastly, the Korean Writers Association of Canada requested $5,000 for its Canada-Korean Literary Festival, council matched the $2,500 neighbourhood grant that the association received last year.
