1. gREEN PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAm

PROGRAMME COMMUNauTAIRE PILOTE DE PARTENARIAT ÉCOLOGIQUE

Committee recommendations

That Council approve:

1. That the accountability framework approved in the Community Funding Framework Policy be adopted as the framework for the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

2. The Green Partnership Pilot Program as outlined in the report and the Eligibility Criteria outlined in Attachment 1.

2. That maximum grant levels for projects on common ground and City property be set at $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, while Hallmark projects be considered individually.

4. That the Deputy City Manager of Public Work Services or in his absence the Director of Surface Operations, be given delegated authority to approve in accordance with the framework set out in this report and the Eligibility Criteria as outlined in Attachment 1, grants under this program’s funding envelope and to execute any necessary agreements on behalf of the City.

5. That staff be directed to report back with recommendations for future consideration and refinements for the Green Partnership Pilot Program beyond the pilot duration.

6. That any potential operating impacts resulting from the implementation of the Green Partnership Pilot Program be tabled as operating pressures during the budget process.

7. That a coordination resource, advertising, promotion and program administration costs for the Green Partnership Pilot Program be funded from within the approved capital funding allocation.

8. That the Green Partnership Pilot Program, along with associated Cleaning the City and Greening the City Actions of Fall Cleaning the Capital and the Litterbug campaign be officially launched during the 2006 Spring Cleaning the Capital Launch.

Recommandations du Comité

Que le Conseil approuve ce qui suit :

1. adoption du cadre de responsabilisation approuvé dans le cadre de la Politique sur les subventions de projets communautaires pour le Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique.

2. critères d’admissibilité au Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique énoncés dans le rapport et définis dans la pièce jointe 1.

3. détermination de subventions maximums de 10 000 $ et 20 000 $ respectivement pour les projets visant les lieux publics et les biens appartenant à la Ville, et examen des projets Hallmark au cas par cas.

4. délégation d’autorité au directeur municipal adjoint, Services et Travaux publics, ou, en son absence, au directeur, Opérations des surface, en vue de l’approbation, conformément au cadre énoncé dans le présent rapport et aux critères définis dans la pièce jointe 1, des subventions au titre de l’enveloppe budgétaire du programme et de l’exécution, ainsi que de toutes les ententes nécessaires conclues pour le compte de la Ville.

5. directive au personnel pour la formulation de recommandations à examiner et améliorer après la fin du programme pilote relativement au Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique .

6. dépôt de toutes les incidences opérationnelles éventuelles de la mise en œuvre du Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique à titre de besoin permanent dans le cadre du processus budgétaire.

7. financement, à même les dépenses de capital approuvées, de l’embauche d’une personne-ressource à la coordination, de même que des dépenses de publicité, de promotion et d’administration du Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique.

8. lancement officiel du Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique et des campagnes Nettoyage et reverdissement et Nettoyage de la capitale à l’automne, ainsi que de la campagne de propreté publique durant le Nettoyage de la capitale à l’automne de 2006.

Documentation

1. A/Deputy City Manager's (Public Works and Services) and Deputy City Manager's (Planning and Growth Management) joint report dated 10 March 2006 (ACS2006-PWS-SOP-0001).

Documents

1. Rapport conjoint du Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim (Services et Travaux publics) et du Directeur municipal adjoint (Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance) daté le 10 mars 2006 (ACS2006-PWS-SOP-0001).

Report to/Rapport au :

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and Council / et au Conseil

10 March 2006 / le 10 mars 2006

Submitted by/Soumis par :

R. G. Hewitt, Acting Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim,

Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux publics

and / et

Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,

Planning and Growth Management / Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

Contact Person/Personne ressource : John Manconi, Acting Director / Directeur intérimaire

Surface Operations Branch/Opérations de surface

(613) 580-2424 x 21110, John.Manconi@ottawa.ca

and/et

Carol Christensen, Manager, Environmental Sustainability

Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy/Politiques d’urbanisme, d’environnement et d’infrastructure(316) 580-2424 x 21610 Carol.Christensen@ottawa.ca

City Wide

Ref N°: ACS2006-PWS-SOP-0001

SUBJECT:	GREEN PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM

OBJET :	PROGRAMME COMMUNauTAIRE PILOTE DE PARTENARIAT ÉCOLOGIQUE

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council approve:

1. That the accountability framework approved in the Community Funding Framework Policy be adopted as the framework for the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

2. The Green Partnership Pilot Program as outlined in the report and the Eligibility Criteria outlined in Attachment 1.

2. That maximum grant levels for projects on common ground and City property be set at $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, while Hallmark projects be considered individually.

5. That staff be directed to report back with recommendations for future consideration and refinements for the Green Partnership Pilot Program beyond the pilot duration.

6. That any potential operating impacts resulting from the implementation of the Green Partnership Pilot Program be tabled as operating pressures during the budget process.

7. That a coordination resource, advertising, promotion and program administration costs for the Green Partnership Pilot Program be funded from within the approved capital funding allocation.

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver ce qui suit :

1. adoption du cadre de responsabilisation approuvé dans le cadre de la Politique sur les subventions de projets communautaires pour le Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique.

2. critères d’admissibilité au Programme communautaire pilote de partenariat écologique énoncés dans le rapport et définis dans la pièce jointe 1.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Assumptions and Analysis:

The City Corporate Plan 2006-2009, approved by Council on September 28, 2005, established Cleaning the City and Greening the City Action in the Neighbourhood Agenda. Action items to address the cleanliness and greening of the City include:

Expanding the Spring Cleaning the Capital program to twice per year;

Expanding the Community Pride Program to encourage and support community involvement in keeping the city clean by establishing a city-wide anti-littering campaign;

Increasing the standards for street cleaning and litter pick-up;

Piloting a community-based Green Partnership Pilot Program and assessing results;

Reviewing ground cover options for City-owned green space and boulevards.

Prior to approving the City Corporate Plan, Council directed staff to prepare a report on recommended activities (and costing) for these action items to be brought to Planning and Environment Committee and Council prior to the tabling of the budget.

On November 30, 2005, Council approved the recommendations contained in the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Report. The Report detailed the various service activities, financial implications, resource requirements and anticipated outcomes for those services that could contribute most significantly to the overall cleanliness and green appeal of the city and introduced the concept of the Green Partnership Pilot Program. City Council upheld these recommendations during approval of the 2006 Budget.

While the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Report focused predominantly on the City services aspect of the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Neighbourhood Agenda Actions, this Report provides an overview of the framework for the Green Partnership Pilot Program and introduces the Fall Cleaning the Capital campaign and the Litterbug anti-littering campaign.

Financial Implications:

Council approved funding of $1.0 M for the Green Partnership Pilot Program in capital account 903790 and $50,000 in the Community Pride Operating budget account 184614 for the anti-littering campaign.

This report recommends that expenditures related to the Green Partnership Pilot Program for the community grants as well as coordination resource, advertising and promotion, any other program administration cost of the Green Partnership Program be funded from within the approved $1M Capital allocation. No new funding is being requested at this time.

Public Consultation/Input:

An overview of the framework of Green Partnership Pilot Program and its’ eligibility criteria was provided to the Environmental Advisory Committee and the following feedback has been incorporated into the framework:

· A member of the public at large, possibly a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee, shall be included on the grant application evaluation committee.

The Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee will also be presented with an overview of the framework and their feedback to inform them of the recommendations contained in the report and to provide details and seek feedback on the merits of the Program.

BACKGROUND

During consideration of the City Corporate Plan on September 28, 2005, City Council approved a motion that Cleaning the City and Greening the City be added to the Neighbourhood Agenda in Ottawa’s first City Corporate Plan 2006-2009. The motion further resolved that the Community Pride Program be expanded to include a city-wide anti-littering campaign, Spring Cleaning the Capital twice per year, and that staff pilot a community-based Green Partnership Pilot Program to encourage and support community involvement in keeping the city clean. A review of ground cover options for City green spaces and boulevards was also to be included as part of Greening the City. Staff was directed to prepare a report, to be brought to Planning and Environment Committee and Council prior to the tabling of the budget, on recommended activities and associated costs for delivering on the Actions of the new Neighbourhood Agenda item.

Consequently, on November 30, 2005 Council approved the recommendations contained in the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Report. The Report detailed the various service activities, financial implications, resource requirements and anticipated outcomes for those services that could contribute most significantly to the overall cleanliness and green appeal of the city, specifically: litter pick-up services; roadway sweeping services; manual sweeping services; roadside shrub and planter maintenance; park shrub maintenance; routine road patrol and, the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

Approval of the report authorized the Public Works and Services Department (PWS) to table for Council’s consideration, budget requirements in the Surface Operations 2006 Budget to support delivery of these activities. During the 2006 Budget process, Council fully approved the budget submissions for funding of these services including a $1M Capital allocation to pilot the Green Partnership Program.

The Cleaning the City and Greening the City Report focused predominantly on the City services aspect of the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Neighbourhood Agenda Actions. This Report addresses the Green Partnership Pilot Program and provides an overview of the framework, eligibility criteria and associated details to implement, monitor and manage the $1M pilot grant program.

DISCUSSION

Recommendation 1 – Accountability Framework

Through the Green Partnership Pilot Program, the City of Ottawa is creatively partnering with local communities to deliver on the community’s priorities in cleaning and greening the City. It builds on residents’ pride and their strong community support and commitment by supporting residents to showcase clean and green initiatives that matter to them. The PWS Department needs to ensure that it responsibly manages the $1M grant program in a transparent, accountable and cost-efficient manner.

On March 26, 2003, Council approved a recommendation from the City Auditor that “Management establish a clear and comprehensive corporate policy framework governing all mechanisms for funding to external organizations”. Consequently, the Community and Protective Services Department (CPS) launched a two-phased comprehensive review to move toward a more transparent, accountable, fair and efficient community funding program to established standardized documentation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation procedures for all funded partnerships and to further address accountability fundamentals such as eligibility criteria, funding priorities, risk assessment and service agreements. The final Community Funding Framework Policy was presented to and approved by Council February 8, 2006.

While the immediate scope of the CPS review and accountability development was focused on funding provided to community agencies for the delivery of health, recreation and social services, the Council approved framework provides a significant contribution and suitable platform for a consistent corporate approach and is inherently flexible to permit other Departments to apply the approved framework to other funding programs, in accordance with the City Auditor’s intent. The framework supports sound fiscal management, appropriate accountability for funding allocations, transparent decision-making and effective risk management.

This report is recommending that the approved accountability framework be adopted as the framework for the Green Partnership Pilot Program, with minor adaptations only as warranted to achieve relevancy and alignment to the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

Recommendation 2 – Eligibility Criteria

The Green Partnership Pilot Program funding is available to environmentally civic-minded community groups, non-profit agencies, and local businesses to plan and undertake one-time cleaning and greening projects in their communities, which enhance or sustain public open space.

In keeping with the City’s responsibility to manage the grant program in a transparent, fair, accountable and cost-efficient manner, a number of eligibility criteria must be met to ensure appropriate and responsible distribution of the public monies to the community. Funding eligibility must be based on known criteria so that community groups that apply for funding have an equitable opportunity and can be assured that their submission will be treated in a fair and consistent manner. Eligibility criteria also ensures that the City, as funding authority, has the assurance that the funding is in support of appropriate activities that fully align with the City’s policies, values and principles and meets transparency requirements.

The Green Partnership Pilot Program funding eligibility criteria are outlined for Committee and Council’s consideration in Attachment 1 of the Report.

Recommendation 3 - Maximum grant levels for common ground and City property

The intent of the Green Partnership Pilot Program is to encourage civic-minded community groups to envision and undertake cleaning and greening projects in their neighbourhoods by providing enabling funding grants, however, many publicly accessible areas that may be candidates for cleaning and greening are not City of Ottawa properties. In some neighbourhoods, these non-city properties are the more significant open green spaces available to residents.

To balance the priorities of maximizing community participation and benefit with accountability for City funding, project funding will be capped depending on the type of property as described in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Maximum Grant Levels

Property Type	Maximum Grant Amount
Private Property	Ineligible
Common Ground	$10,000
City Property	$20,000
City Property (Hallmark Projects)	N/A

“Common ground” is defined as publicly accessible green space land, regardless of ownership, that is accessible for public use. Common ground may include areas such as remnant property parcels, federal property, provincial property, and hydro corridors. Common ground explicitly excludes institutional grounds (schoolyards, hospital grounds, etc.), home grounds (private lawns and gardens), and watercourses (drainage and storm water conveyances, ponds, creek corridors, river corridors, etc.).

Notwithstanding the intrinsic value of common grounds, the City’s responsibility and accountability in dispersion of public funds is to ensure that the monies are spent in such a manner as to provide value and appreciable benefit to all residents, all communities, and ultimately, to the City itself. Therefore, applications for projects proposed for City of Ottawa properties will be given higher priority than proposals targeted at non-City common ground.

Proposals for significant funding requests for high profile “Hallmark” projects will be considered under the Green Partnership Pilot Program, however, Hallmark projects will be required to satisfy a number of more substantial and extensive objectives. These projects will showcase City lands and would involve more significant resources related to components such as professional design assistance, community engagement and workshops including follow-up and information dissemination, and ecological restoration and design - including environmental analysis and research - that enhances the long term diversity and sustainability of a site.

Recommendation 4 – Delegated Authority

Principles of transparency maintain that applicants shall be informed, in a timely manner, of any decisions that affect them and of the individual or body that makes such decisions. Transparency requires, among other things, that the applicants are fully informed of the factors that will be considered by the funding authority and that the public have ready access to information about who receives funds, for what purposes and in what amounts.

For this purpose, the Department will convene an Allocation Committee comprising representatives from:

the Surface Operation Branch, PWS and the Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy Branch, PGM, who have core knowledge and expertise to review, assess and recommend approval of the project proposals in accordance with stated criteria and priorities,
A member of the community at large, and
Representatives from other City Departments and Ward Councillors, as required.

In the process of evaluating a submission, the Department will consult with other City Departments with a direct interest in the project as submitted as well as the Councillor for the ward in which the project is to be completed. This will ensure that the projects that receive funding from the City are consistent with related City policy and services and will also ensure that the broad expertise of City resources is appropriately applied. The recommendation of the Allocation Committee shall be subject to appeal, with appeals to be heard by the Planning and Environment Committee.

Public Works and Services Department takes seriously its’ responsibility to manage the $1M grant program in a transparent manner. As such, the Department will include a complete listing of all approved grants and the project scopes and outcomes in the follow-up report to Committee and Council.

Recommendation 5- Recommendations for future consideration and refinements

Typically, pilot projects are used to develop, test and refine effective policy, process, guidelines, implementation model, and evaluation criteria prior to committing to permanent programming with annual funding mechanisms.

Given the emergent nature of a pilot, coupled with the significant funding allocated for this project and the degree of sustained stewardship that is desired as an outcome, a reasonable duration is required to satisfy the pilot objectives. To that end, staff anticipates that the pilot program will continue through to year-end 2007. Following completion of the pilot project, staff will report back to Committee and Council with recommendations for future consideration and refinements for the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

Recommendation 6 - Potential operating impacts

It is anticipated that there may be a potential for the City to incur future operating costs associated with the resulting outcomes of any possible projects the community may conceive and propose for the beautification and enhancement of their community. As this is an unknown quantity at this time, it is difficult to ascertain any potential impacts or calculate meaningful pressures. Staff will identify any operating impacts as a result of projects implemented as part of the Green Partnership Pilot Program as budget pressures for inclusion in the City’s draft budget for consideration during the annual budget review.

Recommendation 7 – Coordination, Advertising, Promotion and Program Administration

A key instrument to the success of civic delivery of a community-based environmental stewardship grant initiative is ability to provide effective volunteer management and to foster and sustain committed community partnerships. In this regard, resource capacity is also necessary to facilitate project coordination and integration.

Appropriate and adequate resourcing is not only fundamental to attaining the necessary level of accountability within any funding framework but also essential to achieving desired outcomes in alignment with the vision and goals of the framework policy in reflection of the priorities of Council. Ongoing program administration and refinement are critical components to delivery of the Green Partnership Pilot Program.

In addition, materials and services are required to support the program, inherent in the process of delivery of the various elements of the funding grant program. For example, advertising is a necessary expenditure in the solicitation and application processes.

This Report is recommending that a coordination resource, advertising and promotion, and any other program administration for the Green Partnership Pilot Program be funded from within the approved capital funding allocation.

Recommendation 8 - Official Launch

The degree of success in raising public awareness is directly linked to the reinforcement of the message. Building associative links to other sources of similar messaging lends to the overall consistency of the message that in turn strengthens the reinforcement.

The desired consistency and fuller development of the associative value of the new Community Pride Program initiatives, namely the Green Partnership Program, the Fall Cleaning the Capital and the Litterbug anti-littering campaign, with the existing Community Pride Program (Spring Cleaning the Capital, Adopt-a-Road, Adopt-a-Park), can be achieved through the symbolic launch of the new initiatives at the Spring Cleaning the Capital Launch.

Green Partnership Pilot Program

Accountability Framework

Council entrenched the principles of A Green and Environmentally-Sensitive City in the guiding principles of the City Official Plan. These principles were further reflected in the Environmental Strategy Growth Management Plan, a policy that guides staff and Council with a focus on the responsible management of the City’s environment. The Environmental Strategy further advocates the demonstration and promotion of leadership in environmental stewardship through application of innovative methods and practices. The establishment of the Green Partnership Pilot Program reinforces the City’s commitment to environmental responsibility and stewardship in a manner that encourages broad-based community partnerships and supports direct community participation.

The Green Partnership Pilot Program Framework establishes a long-term vision for cleaning and greening the city that will prioritize the ways in which the City and community-based partners can contribute to the beautification of Canada’s capital city.

Ottawa 20/20 and the Environmental Strategy for the City of Ottawa (2003) established a community vision which involves creating a Green and Environmentally Sensitive City where natural habitats and a network of green spaces are protected and all people work to improve the quality of the natural environment. This works hand in hand with other Ottawa 20/20 vision statements related to establishing distinct and liveable communities, which are pleasing to the eye, interesting, clean and benefit from an abundance of trees.

The Green Partnership Pilot Program Framework builds on this vision by establishing a way in which the City and the community can forge partnerships, which enhance environmental qualities and beautify City lands and related common grounds through sustainable stewardship greening initiatives.

Goals and Priorities

The Green Partnership Pilot Program’s goal is to creatively partner with local communities to reflect their priorities in cleaning and greening through grant opportunities that make it possible for environmentally civic-minded community groups to envision and undertake cleaning and greening projects in their communities. It builds on residents’ pride and showcases what matters to the community.

Projects will be funded on a one-time project-basis and due to the nature of pilot and the degree of sustained stewardship that is desired as an outcome, it is recognized that reasonable project duration is necessary to achieve desired project outcomes. Accordingly, projects implemented under the auspices of the pilot program will be considered completed at year-end 2007. Participants will be required to submit an Interim Report demonstrating significant progress and a Final Report following completion of the project.

Priority will be given to those project proposal submissions that align most closely with the core values of the City's Corporate Environmental Commitment set out in the Environmental Strategy, namely those projects which:

Demonstrate and promote leadership in environmental stewardship through application of innovative methods and practices.
Take innovative and sustainable approaches.
Showcases city facilities for emerging best practices for the use of green space and resource use efficiency.

The pilot program presents the opportunity to residents to "Green" the City through aesthetic enhancements that contribute to the appeal and influence of a clean, well-maintained, landscaped and abundantly treed city through the development of project proposals that reflect the City and community’s commitments to meet environmental sustainability objectives (for example, increasing the urban forest canopy or creating butterfly habitat). The Green Partnership Pilot Program Framework:

Establishes a formal funding policy and structure identifying the vision, goals, eligibility criteria, funding priorities, risk assessment and funding mechanism;
Demonstrates Ottawa’s commitment to improving the beauty, quality and sustainability of the city 's green infrastructure by investing financially and administratively in citizen action plans;
Contributes to a healthy and beautiful city that builds citizen pride and commitment to keep their city attractive and clean;
Provides the tools to assist communities to develop a beautification plan for their neighbourhoods, streets and parks;
Builds on the approved accountability framework for community funding;
Strengthens the working relationships between various City Departments while investigating innovative solutions to greening issues.

Grant Funding Structure

The recently approved Community Funding Framework provides a significant and suitable platform for a consistent corporate approach inherently flexible to be applicable to similar grant funding programs (in accordance with the City Auditor’s intent). The framework supports sound fiscal management, appropriate accountability for funding allocations, transparent decision-making and effective risk management.

The approved accountability framework has been adapted as warranted to achieve relevancy and alignment to the Green Partnership Pilot Program. Modeled on best practices - practices that best exemplify qualities associated with effective and responsible funding program management - the approved accountability framework provides Transparency; Accountability; Fairness; and, Efficiency.

Building on the success of PWS’ Community Pride Program and incorporating the community grant strategy, the program will provide funding to local community associations, service clubs, non-profit groups, local Business Improvement Agencies, etc. to enhance or maintain public and related common grounds. The program will support projects that:

· Assist to maintain city gateway and subdivision entrances and other locations which contribute aesthetic green space values in communities (including shrub planting and maintenance);

· Commemorate a site’s historical and natural significance with interpretive signs;

· Design and plant floral displays;

· Create innovative green spaces or gardens which demonstrate environmental sustainability through benefits such as reduced water demand, contributions to energy efficiency and local environmental quality including mitigating microclimatic effects (e.g. provide strategic shading, wind breaks), natural infiltration of stormwater run-off, and urban habitat creation through use of native species (e.g. butterfly habitat or wildflower meadows);

· Assist in maintaining natural values through enhancement of native species and control of invasive species;

· Maintain, restore and enhance City owned Urban Natural Areas and common grounds with owner’s permission and participation. This could involve maintenance/management activities as identified in the Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study (UNAEES, 2005) including:

o Removal of garden waste dumps which can introduce invasive plants.

o Enhance vegetated buffers between adjacent land uses and woodland/natural habitat areas to reduce edge effects and erosion.

o Enhance vegetated buffers which protect stream corridors to reduce pollutants and provide natural habitat.

o Enhance/restore natural vegetation along trails and other use areas.

Along with the specific activities and objectives of a project, additional considerations involved in assessing applications would involve:

The manner in which the project respects the community and ecological context of the site. Projects should fit both the social and environmental setting.
The extent to which the project involves and engages the community. The most successful partnerships will be those that have substantial community support, interest and participation.
A strategy for long-term sustainability of the project.

Hallmark Projects

Residents have expressed a desire for a beautiful and green city. They have demonstrated initiative and conviction through the success of past community projects and they maintain a strong commitment to partnership and stewardship opportunities to improve the city. The Green Partnership Pilot Program aims to build on the successes of existing stewardship programs such as the Adopt-a-Park Program, Spring Cleaning the Capital, the various Tree Planting Programs, etc.

To that end, the City will consider submissions for significant funding requests for high profile “Hallmark” projects that reflect the City’s commitment to the Green Partnership Pilot Program by satisfying a number of more substantial and extensive objectives. These projects will showcase City lands and would involve more significant resources related to components such as professional design assistance, community engagement and workshops including follow-up and information dissemination, and ecological restoration and design - including environmental analysis and research - that enhances the long term diversity and sustainability of a site.

An example of a project that would be sufficient in nature to qualify for Hallmark project status would be community-led administration of a community-wide flower planting program initiative. Such a project submission could propose a steering committee (perhaps comprising a member of Council, representatives from local horticultural societies, environmental leaders such as Riverkeepers, local businesses such as a nursery or garden centres, Business Improvement Areas, and schools and church groups, etc. to be responsible and accountable for the management of the flower project. This established beautification program could incorporate community involvement, information sharing and education, recognition for achievement in floral displays and involve significant improvements and contributions to landscapes, turf, urban forest canopy, heritage conservation, and environmental awareness.

Other examples of substantial and extensive objectives appropriate for a Hallmark project include:

Developing project plans with opportunity for other community stakeholders to provide input to the unique characteristics and flavours of their communities and districts, including the cultural, heritage and geographic features;
Development and implementation of landscape plans that reflect existing qualities while encouraging more diverse ecological options (such as Garrison Creek in Toronto and Shaganappi Park in Calgary);
Develop and deliver organized community workshops in conjunction with the project;

Identify appropriate, hardy and sustainable landscape and plant material options and/or that identify and utilize sites for implementation of low maintenance, native and naturalized and ornamental plant material, including drought and salt tolerant alternatives suitable for urban and suburban environmental conditions;
Include set timelines for project coordination and implementation;
Plan and undertake any necessary collaboration with other City departments such as Parks Planning, RPAM, and Economic Development to share knowledge and expertise in the corporate greening initiatives;

Facilitates a change to public perception by educating residents on new landscaping practices that are attractive, drought tolerant, low maintenance alternatives to traditional development standards and urban landscape models;
Showcases City Property and/or explore alternative options to maintain the City's boulevards, keeping them clean and green.

Process Elements of the Funding Framework

The primary process elements of the funding framework can best be articulated structured in the following categories:

§ Solicitation - The methods used to inform potential applicants about the funding program. This element category directs the Communication Strategy (situation analysis, objectives, target audience, key messaging tactics), Strategic Issues Analysis (opportunities, challenges), Advertising and client-facing communications (Web, newspaper ads, Client Service Centre, PSA, Master Contact List, etc).

· Application – Process and Documentation which applicants must submit and the format of those submissions. This element category directs the Project Funding Submission, Eligibility Criteria, Ineligibility, Organizational Information, Establishment of Credibility, Detailed Project Plans, Budget Submission, Match Contribution, etc.

· Screening & Assessment - The methods used to review, evaluate and assess whether an application is eligible for and should be recommended for funding. This element category directs Application Screening, Program Viability, Agency Legitimacy, Financial Standing, Capacity to Deliver, Strength of Commitment, etc.

· Decision-Making: The person or body authorized to make the ultimate funding decision. This element category directs the Steering Committee, Approval Process, Budget Review, Risk Assessment, Circulation Process, Award, etc.

· Terms and Conditions: The agreed upon conditions and rules that determine accountability. This element category addresses Timeframe, Purpose, Human Rights, Unused Funds, Repayment (forfeiture) Reporting Requirements, Insurance & Liability, Occupational Health & Safety, Conflict Resolution, Applicable Legislation, etc.

· Reporting - The performance information that funding recipients must provide to the funding body. This element category directs Interim Reporting, Final Report, Report Templates, Memo to Council, etc.

· Contribution Management - The role of the funding program staff in monitoring and/or supporting the recipient of funding to help ensure that the conditions are met and funding program goals are achieved.

Other Neighbourhood Agenda Actions

The approved City Corporate Plan clearly outlines priority areas of focus for City services over a four-year period that moves the City toward the achievement of Ottawa’s 20/20 vision. The Neighbourhood Agenda recognizes that healthy, sustainable neighbourhoods reflect the needs and aspirations of the community and addresses the cleanliness and greening of the city by entrenching a number of Action items. In addition to piloting the Green Partnership Pilot Program to encourage and support community involvement in keeping the city clean, the Neighbourhood Agenda prescribes that the Community Pride Program be expanded to include Spring Cleaning the Capital twice per year and implementing a city-wide anti-littering campaign, and that the standards for street cleaning and litter pick-up be increased, and that ground cover options for city-owned green space be reviewed.

Fall Cleaning the Capital

Building the highly successful Spring Cleaning the Capital Campaign, the Fall Cleaning the Capital Campaign will promote and support community contribution to the City’s fall preparations through encouraging residents to organize and undertake registered projects in their communities. As with all Community Pride initiatives, Fall Cleaning the Capital will focus on public participation, community stewardship, developing and strengthening business partnerships, and fostering a cooperative approach to keeping Ottawa clean and green.

Fall Cleaning the Capital presents an opportunity to further reinforce the underlying message of environmental responsibility woven through many City of Ottawa public awareness initiatives that strive to influence residents’ behaviours and remind people of the significant contribution they can make by changing their everyday habits. For example, to improve water quality and protect our natural waterways, Utility Services Branch encourages residents to practice lot-level source controls such as keeping litter, pest waste, leaves and debris out of street gutters, storm catch basins and ditches. It also promotes selection of native and adapted plants species that require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive which aligns with the objectives of the Green Partnership Pilot Program. This, in turn, also ties in with the City’s water conservation objectives.

Fall Cleaning the Capital will provide the necessary support to residents to plan and undertake a clean-up project in their community and will encourage residents to consider these types of characteristic fall activities such as pick-up of litter or clearing of accumulated debris and leaves along the curb or boulevard and from around catch basins. This also ties in strongly with the objectives of the City’s Leaf and Yard Waste program that results in the production of thousands of tonnes of compost at the Trail Waste Facility from the leaf and yard material collected during residential pick-up. Compost is a rich soil amendment that can revitalize poor soil and reduce fertilizer requirements.

Fall Cleaning the Capital Campaign also coincides with “back to school” and timing is conducive for all schools and civic groups such as Boy Scout’s of Canada and Girl Guides of Canada to participate. Fall Cleaning the Capital presents the perfect opportunity for high school students to accumulate volunteer hours toward their compulsory Community Involvement Program. Synergies are evident with the upcoming Reduce, Reuse, Recycle public awareness initiative being developed for local schools.

Through these synergies and linkages with these related initiatives, PWS can reinforce key messaging. Based on this added value principle, PWS will unveil the Fall Cleaning the Capital Campaign on April 21, 2006 at the official Spring Cleaning the Capital Launch Event.

As with the Spring Cleaning the Capital Campaign, the Fall Cleaning the Capital campaign will be funded through a combination of existing operating funds and community sponsorships. Public Works and Services plans to officially launch the program on or around September 29, 2006, and it is anticipated that the campaign will run through to October 15^th.

Anti-littering Campaign

Various surveys of residents conducted in municipalities in Ontario have shown that residents believe that keeping streets and green spaces free of litter is a shared responsibility between the municipality and residents. Respondents have also identified a need for increased littering enforcement and expansion of public awareness programs.

The 2004 EKOS Citizen Satisfaction Survey and the 2001 Decima Public Opinion Survey conducted in Ottawa revealed that the majority of residents view litter in parks and along roadways as very important. Likewise, a section of an enhanced survey for Mississauga residents (Environics 2003), focused on the litter issue and revealed that 83% of respondents were very concerned or somewhat concerned about litter.

Ottawa's residents have consistently demonstrated their commitment to reducing litter through active participation in the City’s annual Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign as well as the other Community Pride initiatives of Adopt-a-Park and Adopt-a-Road. With the combined support of corporate sponsors, volunteers and city staff, literally thousands of residents have participated in litter clean-up projects across Ottawa. The City recognizes that the community’s litter control efforts need to be supplemented and complemented with an anti-littering campaign that focuses on litter consciousness and changing the behaviours that leads to littering.

Many Ontario municipalities have recently established anti-littering campaigns aimed at the source of the litter problem - the people who litter. The City of Mississauga launched its anti-litter campaign in 2002 by enlisting a well-known character from the past: the Litterbug (see Figure 1). The Litterbug, revamped from the 60s and 70s, was reborn and brought back to remind residents to put our garbage where it belongs. In 2003 and 2004, other Ontario municipalities were invited to join Mississauga’s quest for litter-free communities. Twenty-nine Ontario municipalities including Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Niagara Falls, and Peterborough have adopted Mississauga’s “Don’t be a Litterbug” message for use in their own litter prevention programs.

Public Works and Services intends to benefit from this current momentum and build on the existing brand recognition and other synergies by becoming a “Litterbug” partner in the promotion of anti-littering awareness. Modeled on the successful Mississauga model, Ottawa’s anti-littering campaign will be a social marketing campaign focused on modifying littering behaviour through changing attitudes and creating a "litter consciousness". Directed primarily at youth and families, the program will aim to foster a co-operative anti-littering mind-set and will explore opportunities for integration with other city initiatives (for example waste reduction programs) and advocate and strengthen a holistic corporate approach to litter reduction by working with internal stakeholders on the development of key elements of the anti-littering program including a communications component and heightened enforcement.

Figure 1: Litterbug

Council, as part of the PWS Department’s 2006 Operating Budget, approved operating funds in the amount of $50,000 to deliver the Anti-littering campaign.

As Ottawa’s Anti-littering Campaign is a Community Pride Program initiative highly integrated with Spring Cleaning the Capital and the other Community Pride Program initiatives, PWS intends to unveil the Litterbug on April 21, 2006 at the official Spring Cleaning the Capital Launch Event. Following the launch event, the Litterbug logo will be showcased at the Eco Fair and begin to appear on the on-street litter and recycling bins.

Ground Cover Options

An important component of Green Partnership Projects is the use of appropriate species and ground cover. This involves selecting the appropriate tree, plant or ground cover species for the site, and for the broader objectives related to environmental benefits, low maintenance requirements, and the use of native species. In the short term, applicants will be directed to existing resources and web sites such as those maintained by the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. If needed, a guide for choosing appropriate species and ground cover, as well as a data base to identify recommended plant material for various site types, will be developed as a component of the program.

In terms of City practices, PWS will continue its current trend to increase naturalized areas. Environmental concerns have led public agencies to increase naturalized edge areas free of pesticides and to reduce the frequency of grass cutting in passive parks. This would leave designated areas in a more natural state, reduce the prominence of weeds, and allow City resources to be directed to remaining regularly maintained turf areas. The reduction of manicured turf and continued planting of a variety of native and naturalized plant species provides biodiversity options to the traditional standards of turf monoculture as the only acceptable ground cover. Green Partnership projects can build on this approach and demonstrate environmentally appropriate and sustainable landscaping practices.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

As noted in the introduction, Ottawa 20/20 establishes that Ottawa will be a Green and Environmentally Sensitive City. Environmentally sustainable green spaces contribute to this objective in many ways.

Healthy natural and environmentally sensitive green spaces provide a wide variety of benefits, which help achieve this vision. Trees and green landscaping can improve local air quality by intercepting particulate matter and other air pollutants, improve water quality by providing for natural infiltration and preventing erosion and sedimentation, provide natural habitat to support urban biodiversity, provide resiliency to help prevent spread of invasive species and adapt to longer term changes including changing climate, and reduce temperatures (thus mitigating the urban heat island effect and making the City more comfortable and energy efficient) by providing shade and transpiration. Use of low maintenance and environmentally sustainable plant material also will reduce maintenance and watering requirements

The Green Partnership Program has very positive environmental implications for several reasons:

· It will provide direct benefits as described above through use of City lands and other common grounds. A substantial portion of greenspace in Ottawa is owned by the City and the contribution of these lands if they are maintained and enhanced in an environmentally sustainable fashion would be significant.

· It will provide for learning and increased capacity for environmentally sensitive landscaping in the general community through completion of projects and the showcasing of innovative ideas and Hallmark Projects. This knowledge can extend beyond specific projects involved in the Green Partnership Program.

· It will provide another opportunity for the City to demonstrate and showcase environmental leadership, and reinforce the City’s commitment to be a good steward of the environment and partner with its residents. This directly supports the commitment in the Environmental Strategy for the City of Ottawa (2003) that states that the City will demonstrate and promote leadership in environmental stewardship through application of innovative methods and practices. This commitment was further developed in the Corporate Environmental Action Plan for 2004-2008 that states that the City will “demonstrate and promote leadership in environmental stewardship by developing City facilities, lands, parks, forests, roadways as showcases for environmental best practices”.

CONSULTATION

The Green Partnership Program Pilot will be positively influence residents’ community pride and the transformation of communities to cleaner and greener environments guided by the principle of sustainable enhancements.

Enhancing public spaces and the natural environment areas through the preservation of green spaces, the conservation of native and naturalized species, ongoing planting, beautification projects such as flower planting and keeping Ottawa clean and litter-free, will help ensure a better quality of life for all residents.

An overview of the framework of Green Partnership Pilot Program and its eligibility criteria was provided to the Environmental Advisory Committee and the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee to inform them of the recommendations contained in the report and to provide details and seek feedback on the merits of the Program.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

On November 30, 2005 Council approved the recommendations contained in the Cleaning the City and Greening the City Report (ACS2005-PGM-POL-0065) brought forward jointly by the Departments of Planning and Growth Management (PGM) and Public Works and Services (PWS). The Report detailed the various service activities, financial implications, resource requirements and anticipated outcomes for those services that could contribute most significantly to the overall cleanliness and green appeal of the city and introduced the concept of the Green Partnership Program pilot. These recommendations were incorporated into the 2006 Operating and Capital budgets approved by Council.

As part of that approval, Council approved funding of $1.0M for the Green Partnership Pilot Program in capital account 903790 and $50,000 in the Community Pride Operating budget account 184614 for the anti-littering campaign.

This report recommends that expenditures related to the Green Partnership Pilot Program for the community grants, as well as coordination resource, advertising and promotion, any other program administration cost of the Green Partnership Program be funded from within the approved $1M Capital allocation. No new funding is being requested at this time.

The resource for co-ordination will not be a permanent position and as such will be a temporary contract funded from the project through a capital recovery.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Attachment 1: Green Partnership Pilot Program Funding Criteria

DISPOSITION

Upon approval of the recommendations contained in this Report, PWS and PGM will move forward on the implementation of the Green Partnership Pilot Program and report back to Committee and Council with recommendations for future consideration and refinements for the Green Partnership Pilot Program beyond the pilot duration. As well, PWS will monitor any potential operating impacts resulting from the implementation of the Green Partnership Pilot Program for tabling as operating pressures during the budget process.

Attachment 1

GREEN PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM

The Green Partnership Pilot Program funding is available to environmentally civic-minded community groups, non-profits agencies and local businesses to envision and undertake cleaning and greening projects in their communities, which enhance or sustain public open space.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Complete the checklist (ü) to ensure the following criteria are met:

r Applications must be received on, or before the deadline, including applications sent by mail.

r All organizations must be community groups, service groups, non-profit organizations or local business or BIAs, and operate in a non-discriminatory manner, as set out by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

r The organization must be located in the City of Ottawa and the project must benefit residents of Ottawa.

r Projects must take place on Common Grounds in the City of Ottawa accessible for the benefit of all residents with the exception of Hallmark Projects, which must take place on City of Ottawa property.

r If the project is to take place on common grounds (other than city property), the application must include the signed permission of the property owner to implement the project of their property.

r All applications must include timelines and budget for project coordination and implementation.

r Grant requests must be matched by equal community contribution on a dollar per dollar basis on through provision of in-kind services.

r All Team Members must agree upon the project plan. A current list of Team Members, positions, names, and phone numbers must be included.

r Signatures from the Team Leader, and one authorized representative of the team on the Signature Block page are required. If the project is in conjunction with another organization, the second signature must be from an authorized representative of the other agency.

r A letter of support is required. (for example: Community Association) If the project is in conjunction with another organization, the letters must be from a third party.

r The project can not duplicate work conducted by the City or another community organization and must not receive duplicate funding from any other sources.

r All project participants must adhere to all relevant City of Ottawa Policies (for example the Pesticide Use on City Property Policy).

r The applicant must obtain all relevant and necessary approvals, permits, etc.

r The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received.

INELIGIBILITY

The Green Partnership Pilot Program Funding will NOT fund:

Projects that financially benefit for-profit companies, groups or other organizations.
Non-profit organizations sponsoring for-profit organizations.
Organizations of political affiliation or for political activities.
Organizations such as service clubs and foundations, which act primarily as a funding source for other groups.
Other governments or government agencies such as conservation authorities and provincial ministries.
Fundraising events.
Faith organizations where the services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith.
Conferences.
Staffing, ongoing operating cost or travel costs for Teams Members.
Deficit financing for organizations in debt and/or financing a portion of taxes.
Projects from provincial/national organizations, unless a local chapter/branch exists to serve the residents of the City of Ottawa.
Capital costs such as assets, equipment, the purchase/construction of new facilities or renovation to existing buildings.
Refreshments.
Projects outside the City of Ottawa.
Business development plans and projects.
Projects receiving other City grants.
Planning Workshops (unless they result in the production of a direct tangible submitted at time of application).

PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO PROJECTS THAT:

Demonstrate a commitment to keeping the city attractive and clean.
Contribute to a healthy and beautiful city by improving the beauty, quality and sustainability of the city 's green infrastructure.
Demonstrate and promote leadership in environmental stewardship through application of innovative methods and practices.
Are sustainable in nature by identifying appropriate, hardy and sustainable landscape and plant material including drought and salt tolerant alternatives suitable for urban and suburban environmental conditions.
Involve development and implementation of landscape plans that reflect existing qualities, unique characteristics and flavours of the community, including the cultural, heritage and natural and geographic features.
Showcase city facilities for emerging best practices for the use of green space and resource use efficiency and/or explore alternative options to maintain the City's boulevards keeping them clean and green.
Provide opportunity for other community stakeholders to participate with a beautification plan for their neighbourhood, streets and parks.
Facilitate changes to public perception by incorporating organized community workshops in conjunction with the project and/or educating residents on sustainable landscaping practices that are attractive, drought tolerant, low maintenance alternatives to traditional development standards and urban landscape models.
Includes a strategy and plan for long-term sustainability

The 2006 Green Partnership Pilot Program Funding is allocated to cover project expenditures until December 31, 2007.