Report to: General Committee Report Date:
SUBJECT:
PREPARED BY: Mavis
Urquhart, Manager, Environmental Leadership, x7502
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT staff report “Markham Environmental Sustainability
Fund (MESF) – Fall Funding”, dated
AND THAT Council approve funding for four community projects and four staff projects in the amount of $155,638.85, as per the recommendations contained in this staff report;
AND THAT Internal (Staff) MESF application form be amended
to state: “funding will not be granted where projects have been commenced;” and
clarify that this funding is intended for environmental projects that would not
normally be considered as part of a department’s budget;
AND THAT funds come from the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund
(MESF), account #87 2800168;
AND THAT the Trees for Tomorrow
application form and process, as described in this report for tree planting
projects between up to $30,000, be approved and that the funds come from the
Trees for Tomorrow account;
AND THAT the Environmental Issues
Committee mandate be revised to include review and approval of appropriate Trees
for Tomorrow projects;
AND THAT Staff undertake a partnership
program with Natural Resources Canada, Enbridge and PowerStream to deliver a
joint recognition incentive program for high rise residential condominium
corporations and apartment buildings to facilitate sustainable practices and
boiler retrofits, as described in this report.
AND FURTHER THAT Staff be authorized to do all things
necessary to give effect to the above.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY:
This report recommends projects for MESF funding in
the second half of 2008, totaling $155,638.85. All of the recommended projects conform
to objectives established by Council and have been circulated/discussed with affected
departments. Applications are appended to this report. This report also
recommends proceeding with the Trees for Tomorrow funding program and finally,
Staff proceeding with a partnership to deliver a joint recognition/financial
incentive program for high rise residential condominium and apartments.
FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
The balance of this Fund at the beginning of 2008 is
$300,000. This funding is split between Town Projects ($200,000) and Community
Applicants ($100,000). This Fall
report recommends funding for 4 Community projects for $19,748.85 and 4 staff
projects equaling $135,890 for a total of $155,638.85 (see following chart). Provided all projects and the request for funding as
recommended in this report are approved, the 2008 year total will be $182,988.85
($145,890 (Town projects) + $37,098.85 (Community projects)). Funding would
come from Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund (MESF), account #87
2800168. The next deadline for applications is
|
|
|
|
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR TOWN
PROJECTS |
$200,000.00 |
|
Town Projects included in 2008
Capital Budget |
|
|
None |
|
|
Town Projects Approved – 1st Half of 2008 |
|
|
OCETA
Manufacturer’s Sustainability Program |
$10,000 |
|
Town Projects Recommended in this
report – 2nd Half of 2008 |
|
|
|
$24,750 |
|
Sustainability
Series |
$2,000 |
|
On-line
Youth Engagement Prizes |
$9,140 |
|
PV
Panels on roof of |
$100,000 |
|
Total |
$145,890 |
|
Funds Remaining for Town Projects
in 2008 |
$54,110 |
|
|
|
|
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY
GROUPS |
$100,000.00 |
|
Community Projects Approved – 1st Half of 2008 |
|
|
|
Not
proceeding |
|
|
$5,000 |
|
All Saints Catholic School |
$5,000 |
|
10,000 Trees |
$7,350 |
|
Total |
$17,350 |
|
|
|
|
Community Projects Recommended in
this report – 2nd Half of 2008 |
|
|
Youth Environmental Network |
$7,372.60 |
|
|
$2,000 |
|
Thornhill Solar Initiative |
$9,476.25 |
|
South Unionville Community Association Signage replacement* |
$900 |
|
Total |
$19,748.85 |
|
Funds Remaining for Community
Groups in 2008 |
$62,901.15 |
|
TOTAL MESF FUNDS DISTRIBUTED |
$182,988.85 |
|
2008 TOTAL MESF FUNDS REMAINING |
$117,011.15 |
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to:
·
Recommend 2008 MESF Fall funding for Staff and Community projects; and,
·
provide a progress report on expenditures to date
BACKGROUND:
This Section describes the
Staff applications:
1. Bill Wiles, Manager of By-law
Enforcement and Licensing requesting $22,000
for
This project is intended to assist community groups with
litter clean-ups in areas across the Town that would otherwise go unaddressed
and to get communities to take ownership for ongoing maintenance. It would
include an education and communication component and seek partnerships with
community groups. The project would run from May to August 2009. Measurable
benefits would be:
- Number of hours of community
resources contribute to the project;
- Weight of the materials removed
from the environment
- Number of hectares undergoing clean
up
The project will require community groups to volunteer and
to commit resources. The project team would seek additional funding for their
activities. They will be proposing a new name for the program which is more
representative, prior to its roll out. The budget includes:
- Garbage bags
- Clean up equipment
- Staff equipment/transportation
- Funding for students to carry out
the program
- Communication materials
At its meeting, Environmental Issues Committee suggested a
more comprehensive program with greater funding, however, due to staff
constraints only a minor addition could be made by staff (1 more student),
which resulted in an increase of the budget to $24,750.
Recommendation:
That the revised request from Bill Wiles, Manager of By-law
Enforcement and Licensing, for $24,750, for the Markham Environmental Kick-Start
Project, be approved, and that Waste Management staff be consulted to ensure
proper sorting and recycling of collected materials.
2. Vicky
McGrath, Sustainability Office requesting $2,000 for Sustainability Series with
This request is to support “Building Markham’s Future
Together” and provide public education on community sustainability with Markham
Public Library. Speakers, workshops and educational panel discussions are
proposed to help
- Homemade environmentally friendly
cleaning supplies
- Growing food near home
- Gardening for kids
- Calculating your carbon footprint
Budget includes supplies, honorariums for speakers/leaders
and communication materials for a total of $2000. One hundred volunteer hours
are anticipated.
Recommendation:
That the request from Vicky McGrath, Sustainability Office,
for $2,000 for Sustainability Series, be approved.
3. Vicky
McGrath, Sustainability Office requesting $14,140 for Online Youth Engagement Program – see Appendix
3
The purpose of this project is to promote online
participation of youth 11-18 years of age in
·
Prizes for
schools, including bike and helmet, iPod Nano, memory sticks, etc., as
identified in the application - $9,140
·
Development
of the website - $5,000
The request for video development is not recommended since
the website design is already complete. MESF is not intended for completed
projects. This criterion was already added to the Community Application form
and will also be added to the Internal Application form for staff as well.
Staff also notes that MESF is intended for environmental projects that would
not normally be considered as part of a departmental budget. Finally, should
proposed prizes, such as a school garden, waste audit or outdoor classroom be
awarded to a school, then these projects should be coordinated with the
Manager, Environmental Leadership.
Recommendation:
That $9,140 for Online Youth Engagement be approved for
prizes only and that the Internal MESF application form be amended to state:
“funding will not be granted where projects have been commenced;” and clarify
that this funding is intended for environmental projects that would not normally
be considered as part of the department’s budget.
4.
Viive Sawler, Manager
Energy Conservation Office,
Requesting $100,000 for Solar Panels on Civic Centre – see Appendix 8
This proposal represents a demonstration project that would
see the installation of a 10 kW grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the
Civic Centre in
Recommendation:
Funding for a grid-tied solar Photovoltaic panel
system at the Civic Centre, or other
suitable Town-owned building, be approved in principle, to an upset limit of
$100,000 and that the funding be provided from the 2008 Markham Environmental Sustainability
Fund, subject to further review and approval of the project by the
Environmental Issues Committee.
This Section describes the Community applications:
1. Youth Environmental Network of
Requesting $10,000 for a
The YENYR is a registered non-profit youth group composed of 20 students from Markham Secondary Schools working to:
· raise environmental issues among young people in York Region;
· encourage youth to contribute to well being of the communities in which they live;
· facilitate and develop communications/expand membership and cooperation between youth environmental groups in York Region.
The
project team will have assistance from the York Region Environmental Alliance
(YREA) – an external non-profit group which has completed MESF projects in the
past. In spring 2008, YENYR held a very successful youth environmental
conference that was hosted at the Civic Centre featuring Justin Trudeau. All
reporting requirements for this project were satisfactorily completed. This
proposal is for a Markham Ecofest to provide demonstrations to the
· Booths
· School presentations
· Performances/events
· School Eco challenge
· Speakers
The budget was
reviewed by staff and revised at the request of Environmental Issues Committee
so that total project cost is now estimated at $13,389.27 with $7,372.60
requested from MESF for support services, stage, tent and equipment, activity
supplies, promotional materials, awards and prizes (revised budget is attached).
Sponsorship will be requested from PowerStream.
Recommendation:
That the
2.
Requesting
$10,000 for communications and venues to promote – see Appendix
6
This project is intended to encourage Thornhill residents
and businesses owners (Wards 1 and 2) to undertake renewable energy retrofits
to their residences and businesses by providing them with all necessary
information (costs, procedures, contacts, options, incentive programs, etc.)
for doing a solar energy retrofit on their buildings. It is based on the
experience of a group of residents in
Recommendation:
That the York Region Solar Initiative request for $9,476.25,
be approved, and that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to enter into an
agreement with York Region Solar Initiative, including but not limited to, an
indemnity clause and provisions stipulating requirements for communications in
a form satisfactory to the Town Solicitor.
3.
Requesting $2,000 for signage at
This application
comes from Swan Lake Village Association whose residents are keen naturalists,
bird watchers and nature lovers. The public have been feeding the geese, as
well as the swans in the lake, so the Association is requesting signage (2
signs), similar to the sign in
Recommendation: That the
4. South Unionville Community
Association (no application)
Requesting Use of $900 in
Remaining funds for sign replacement
The South Unionville Community Association received $6,072
funding in May 2006, for 2 interpretive signs and a planting program around the
stormwater management pond located on
Recommendation: That the UVA’s request for replacement signage
in the amount of $900, be approved and that all MESF natural heritage signs be
more securely fastened in the future.
TREES FOR TOMORROW
The proposed application form for the Markham Trees for Tomorrow Fund is attached to this report as Appendix 8. Modeled on the MESF, this new fund is intended to provide financial assistance for most tree planting projects between $10,000 and $30,000 (applications less than $10,000 will generally be processed through MESF – these smaller applications will be co-ordinated between Staff responsible for the two funds). Applications will be received and managed by the Parks Planner (and coordinated with the Manager, Environmental Leadership) with the timing of submission deadlines, review and approval process running parallel to the MESF. The Environmental Issues Committee will review and approve the applications for the tree planting projects, according to the guidelines; and the Environmental Issues Committee’s terms of reference should be amended to include this responsibility.
INCENTIVE/REBATE PROGRAM
In November 2007, General Committee requested that staff
report back with details for a recognition/financial incentive system for
condominiums to encourage adoption of sustainable practices and boiler
replacement. Staff is working with NRCan, Enbridge and PowerStream
representatives as partners to develop a comprehensive program to offer “one
stop shopping” for education and rebates for both residential condominium
apartments and rental apartments. Staff has determined that there are
approximately 80 residential buildings that would fall into this category in
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
Under the administration
guidelines, the MESF is replenished annually to $300,000, or more. Community
projects are allocated up to $100,000 annually (approximately one-third of the
fund) with the remaining $200,000 available for Town internal projects. These
projects must meet the Program Requirements of the fund. A total of 4 Community
and 4 Town projects are recommended for approval
FINANCIAL TEMPLATE:
“Not applicable”
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The MESF supports the Town of
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
“Not applicable”
ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
The MESF supports the Town of
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND
AFFECTED:
Operations/Parks
Waste Management
Finance Department
Legal Department
Communications and Community Relations
RECOMMENDED
BY: ________________________ ________________________
Mavis Urquhart, Brenda Librecz
Manager,
Environmental Commissioner,
Leadership Community
and Fire Services
APPENDICES:
Appendix 1
Appendix 2 Sustainability Lecture Series
Appendix 3 On-line Youth Engagement Prizes
Appendix 4 Application
for PV panels on
Appendix 5 Youth Environmental Network
Appendix 6 Thornhill
Solar Initiative
Appendix 7
Appendix 8 Application form for Trees for Tomorrow