Report to/Rapport au :
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
Comité de l’agriculture et des affaires rurales
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Councillor/Conseiller Eli El-Chantiry,
West Carleton-March (Ward/Quartier 5)
Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Councillor/Conseiller Eli El-Chantiry,
(613) 580-2475 Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
subvention de
fonctionnement de 2012 pour savourez OTTAWA |
That the Agriculture
and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve a one-time grant of up to
$40,000 from the Rural Affairs Office operating budget, payable to Just Food to provide assistance with
2012 operating expenses for the Savour
Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa program.
Que le Comité de
l’agriculture et des affaires rurales recommande au Conseil d’approuver une
subvention non renouvelable pouvant atteindre 40 000 $ et provenant
du budget de fonctionnement du Bureau des affaires rurales, payable à Just Food / Alimentation juste, afin de
contribuer aux dépenses de fonctionnement de 2012 du programme Savour Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa.
Background
On 9 February 2012,
the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee received a verbal presentation from
representatives of Just Food, a group seeking to promote a vibrant and
sustainable food system for Ottawa. Just Food is a lead partner in Savour
Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa, an initiative to develop and promote Ottawa as a premier,
year-round culinary destination offering local foods and experiences for the
City’s residents and visitors.
The City of Ottawa
and Ottawa Tourism are also participating partners in the Savour Ottawa /
Savourez Ottawa initiative, which began following the recommendation of the
City of Ottawa’s Rural Summit held in November 2005.
The organization has
been receiving operating funds from the provincial government through the
Ontario Market Investment Fund (OMIF), a program of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) since 2009. In late 2011, Just
Food received notice that funding support would not be available for 2012 due
to over subscription of the OMIF program.
The Committee gave
direction that staff in the City’s Rural Affairs, and Economic Development and
Environmental Sustainability offices work with representatives of Just Food to
identify potential sources of operating funds for Savour Ottawa and update the
Members of ARAC prior to the April 5, 2012 meeting of ARAC.
DISCUSSION
In order to continue
with the work done by Savour Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa in promoting and branding
locally-produced food, it is recommended that the City provide one-time
operating funding to bridge a shortfall which has occurred due to the
unavailability of anticipated provincial funding for 2012.
This one-time bridge
funding would enable Savour Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa to develop a sustainable
funding model for their operations.
Based on the
direction of 9 February 2012, Councillors Qadri and El-Chantiry met with staff
from Rural Affairs, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability. Through this discussion, staff have identified
$40,000 in funding from the Rural Affairs Office budget that could be allocated
on a one-time basis to the Just Food organization to cover the 2012 Savour
Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa operating expenses. Savour Ottawa / Savourez Ottawa
will be requested to provide a budget with details on costs to be covered by
this funding.
As per the City of
Ottawa Grants and Contributions Policy which
took effect on 1 January 2011, “Grants
and contributions that are funded wholly by the City may only be transferred to
a recipient as part of a program established by Council or as line-item
transfer payments authorized by Council by motion.” Since there is no
established program from which this operating funding to Savour Ottawa could be
provided, a motion of Council is required. This approval would be for 2012 only.
Any future requests for operating support would require a further Council
direction.
The Savour Ottawa program
continues to provide economic development opportunities for farmers in rural
Ottawa, and fulfills one of the recommendations of the Rural Summit.
Members
of ARAC received a presentation from the group on 9 February 2012.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal implications associated with this report.
There are no risk implications.
Funds
are available within the Rural Affairs operating budget.
Following City Council
approval, Rural Affairs Office will finalize an agreement to provide up to $40,000
in funding from cost centre 111 212 to Just Food for expenses associated with
the operations of the Savour Ottawa program in 2012.