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3. MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT INITIATIVE Application demande en vertu de l’initiative d’investissement dans
l’infrastructure municipale |
Committee Recommendations
That Council:
1. Endorse the submission of
an application to the Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation (“OIPC”) for
funding in the amount of $20 million towards the Central Archives and Ottawa
Library Technical Services project
from the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) grant
program;
2. Enact a by-law in the form
attached as Document 1 affirming their support of this application and
approving the expenditure of the funds on the aforementioned eligible capital
project; and
3. Authorize the Treasurer to
complete, execute and submit the aforementioned application on behalf of the
City.
Recommandations du comité
Que le Conseil municipal :
1. appuie la soumission d’une demande de
financement d’un montant de 20$ millions de dollars à la Société ontarienne de
travaux d’infrastructure (‘SOTI’’)aux fins du Projet des services techniques de
la Bibliothèque d’Ottawa et des Archives centrales en vertu du programme de
subvention de l’Initiative d’investissement dans l’infrastructure municipale
(IIIM);
2. adopte un règlement sous le format ci-joint
en tant que Document 1, confirmant son soutien à la présente demande et
approuvant la dépense des fonds en vue du projet d’immobilisations admissible
mentionné ci-dessus; et
3. autorise la trésorière à remplir, à signer et
à soumettre la demande mentionnée ci-dessus au nom de la Ville.
Documentation
1. City Treasurer's report dated 28 January 2008
(ACS2008-CMR-FIN-0004).
2. Extract of Draft Minute, 5 February 2008.
Corporate Services and
Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
28 January 2008 / le 28 janvier 2008
Submitted by/Soumis par : Marian Simulik,
City Treasurer / Tresorière municipal
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Marian Simulik, City Treasurer
Financial
Services/Services financiers
(613)
580-2424 x 14159, marian.simulik@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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demande en vertu de
l’initiative d’investissement dans
l’infrastructure municipale |
That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council:
1.
Endorse the submission of an application to the Ontario
Infrastructure Projects Corporation (“OIPC”) for funding in the amount of $20
million towards the Central Archives and Ottawa Library Technical Services
project from the Municipal
Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) grant program;
2.
Enact a by-law in the form attached as Document 1
affirming their support of this application and approving the expenditure of
the funds on the aforementioned eligible capital project; and
3.
Authorize the Treasurer to complete, execute and submit
the aforementioned application on behalf of the City.
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique recommande que le Conseil municipal:
1.
appuie
la soumission d’une demande de financement d’un montant de 20$ millions de
dollars à la Société ontarienne de travaux d’infrastructure (‘SOTI’’)aux fins
du Projet des services techniques de la Bibliothèque d’Ottawa et des Archives
centrales en vertu du programme de subvention de l’Initiative d’investissement
dans l’infrastructure municipale (IIIM);
2.
adopte
un règlement sous le format ci-joint en tant que Document 1, confirmant son
soutien à la présente demande et approuvant la dépense des fonds en vue du
projet d’immobilisations admissible mentionné ci-dessus; et
3.
autorise
la trésorière à remplir, à signer et à soumettre la demande mentionnée
ci-dessus au nom de la Ville.
Last December, the Ontario government announced the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) program, which is a $300 million one-time grant funding. It is an application‑based program intended to address community infrastructure projects across the Province.
All types of municipal owned infrastructure are eligible for funding except for public transit infrastructure. There is no maximum cap for funding awards and the successful applicants will receive exactly the grant amount that is requested. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2008.
The purpose of this report is to seek Council support for the
submission of an application for funding to the MIII program. Staff considered a number of projects and concluded that the Central
Archives and Ottawa Library Technical Services project best fits the Provincial and the City
criteria and should be subject of this application.
The Province has advised that
projects will be selected for funding through a competitive based evaluation
process using the following criteria:
·
Construction
Readiness
·
Benefits
of the project to the community, region and province, including:
Ø Economic or commercial benefits
Ø Environmental or sustainability
benefits
Ø Health and safety benefits
Ø Social and community benefits
In addition to the provincial
criteria, the City was looking for a project that:
City Staff reviewed the projects
listed below to submit for the MIII funding.
It was determined that these
projects were either not construction ready; did not provide a benefit
citywide; or were not top priorities in either source documents (e.g. the
Transportation Master Plan) or the Council Strategic Plan. In addition some of the projects would not
fully maximize the anticipated funding envelope available to the City.
Staff identified the Central
Archives and Ottawa Library Technical Services project as the best option for this funding
initiative because it:
The project provides for the design and construction of the 81,363 square foot Central Archives and Library Technical Services Facility located on city owned land outside the downtown core, adjacent to cultural facilities such as Nepean Centrepointe library branch, Centrepointe Theatre, and Algonquin College. The Central Archives is a city-wide geographically-centralized facility providing access to records of civic and community significance to all citizens of Ottawa. The Central Library technical services include technical services, collection development services, and materials distribution service. The size of this project makes it a prime candidate for a provincial grant – capital costs of $38.63 million are estimated.
The relocation of the City Central Archives and construction of the Archives and Library Technical Services building responds to the City's Official Plan, in particular the Centrepointe Community Design Plan.
The goal of this Secondary Plan is a vibrant, urban focal point for business, commerce and academia, where a majority of people travel by walking, cycling and using public transit. The Archives and Library Technical Services building will create a community focus and serve as a cornerstone of future development in the immediate Centrepointe lands.
In addition, locating Library Technical and Collection Development Services and the Library’s Materials Distribution Centre apart from the future Central Library will reduce demands on a downtown site, lower site development costs, excavation costs, capital costs and allow for more accessible public parking in the building.
Because Archives and Library Technical Services will form one building project, rather than two separate projects, there will be considerable savings in site development, site servicing, and project administration costs. Combining functions in an Archives and Technical Service Facility will eliminate the need for separate operations and maintenance facilities. Cost savings may also be achieved through sharing common spaces, meeting spaces, loading docks, building mechanical systems space, operations and maintenance service space and shared security system, shared parking etc.
No site acquisition funds are required since the facility will be constructed on city owned land.
Locating Library Technical Services, Collection Development Services and Materials Distribution Centre outside the downtown core, adjacent to major arterial routes, will allow for more streamlined library distribution services that will accommodate increases in volume without significant increases in cost.
Ø Environmental
or Sustainable Benefits
The Archives and Library
Technical Services facility will be LEED standard construction. The design will minimize the impact of
construction and operation of the building on local, regional, and global
environments by taking in consideration impact of construction, materiality,
longevity and durability of building systems, energy efficiency and life cycle
costing.
The accessibility of the
site by rapid transit and bus service from all parts of the City and the
Queensway meets Official Plan requirements.
The location of the Archives and Library Technical Services Distribution
Centre outside the downtown core will contribute in alleviating and reducing
downtown traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ø Health
& Safety Benefits
The present City Archives
building does not adequately support persons with disabilities, including
access doors, proper furniture, auditory and visual aids to support access and
research. A new state-of-the-art facility with accommodations for persons with
disabilities, including access and security will improve consultation services,
reduce wait times and facilitate patron self-directed learning for all.
Archival records are
presently not stored in optimal conditions and they may be exposed to fire,
flood, and other hazards and therefore may be at risk of loss or destruction. A
new state-of-the-art best-practice facility will permit staff to remediate,
store, and make available these records to Citizens in areas with adequate
light and ventilation, free from contaminants, and in conditions, which promote
health and well being.
Ø Social
and Community Benefits
Located in the geographical centre
of Ottawa, the new facility will provide research, exhibition, and public
programming space for the surrounding community. The adjacent Algonquin College campus presents further opportunities
for internship partnerships and other forms of collaboration between the
Archives and the College, such as the Museology Program. Cultural facilities such as the Nepean
Centrepointe Public Library and the Centrpointe Theatre are already established
in the area and offer partnership and efficiency opportunities.
The
Archives Program operates in partnership with community based archival and
genealogical societies, and
attracts volunteers and student placements.
(Serves a broad population base – even beyond the City boundaries). External users of the Archives Program
include the media, genealogists, students and academic researchers, historians,
land planners, architects, legal and real-estate professionals, staff from
other levels of government. Residents
of Ottawa, Gatineau and visitors from outside the region also use the City
Archives.
The Archives
Program has established partnerships with five resident research organizations
and one archives:
§
Archives of the Ottawa Conference of the United Church of
Canada, Ottawa and Seaway Valley Presbyteries
§
Ontario Genealogical Society - Ottawa Branch
§
Régionale
Samuel-de-Champlain Inc. de la Société franco ontarienne d'histoire et de
généalogie
§
C. Robert Craig Memorial Library (railway history)
§
The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa
§
United Empire Loyalists, Sir Guy Carleton Branch
These
organizations store their research materials at the Central Archives and
provide public access, while maintaining ownership, custody and management
responsibilities for these resources. In exchange for the space, the partners
assist Archives staff with reference requests.
This
is an opportunity for the Province to contribute to the funding of a legacy
project, which will benefit multiple generations and contribute to the local
and regional documentary heritage preservation. A new Archives and Library Technical Services Facility will
become a showcase for civic and community treasures, and a mark of pride in the
community. It will ultimately serve as
one of the City’s signature buildings.
This project supports the following City strategic objectives:
·
Priority C Infrastructure
Renewal – Objective 6: Identify key municipal facilities of city-wide
significance and implement an effective remediation and restoration plan for
these assets;
·
Priority E Sustainable
Healthy and Active City – Objective
8: Operationalize the Ottawa 20/20
Arts and Heritage Plan and the recently approved Museum Sustainability Plan.
·
Priority F Planning and Growth Management - Objective 4: Ensure that City infrastructure required for new growth is built or
improved as needed to serve the growth;
·
Priority I Sustainable Finances – Objective 4: Become a financially sustainable City by 2020 (promotes efficiencies
in City operations)
The application for a grant is administrative in nature and therefore public consultation was not undertaken in the preparation of this report.
The total funding requirement of $38.63 million was identified in the 2005 and 2008 capital budgets. Receipt of this grant will reduce the City’s tax-supported debt requirements for legacy projects by $20 million.
Document 1 – By-law to
authorize the submission of an application to the Ontario Infrastructure
Projects Corporation for funding from the MIII for a new eligible capital
project of the City of Ottawa and to approve the expenditure of funds on said
eligible capital project.
City staff from the Cultural Services and Community Funding branch, Ottawa Public Library and Financial Services branch will submit the funding application and required documentation to the Province by the required deadline.
Document 1
BY-LAW NO. 2008-
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to authorize the submission of an application to the Ontario
Infrastructure Projects Corporation for funding from the Municipal
Infrastructure Investment Initiative for a new eligible capital project of the
City of Ottawa and to approve the expenditure of funds on said eligible capital
project.
WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001. c.25, as amended (the “Act”) provides that a municipal power shall be exercised by by-law unless the municipality is specifically authorized to do so;
AND WHEREAS the Province of Ontario has recently announced an investment of Three Hundred Million Dollars ($300,000,000.00) for municipal infrastructure as a one-time grant for eligible municipal infrastructure initiatives to Ontario municipalities and local services boards;
AND WHEREAS on behalf of the Province of Ontario, the Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation (“OIPC”) will be administering the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Imitative available to Ontario municipalities and local services boards for the purposes of new eligible municipal infrastructure initiative projects;
AND WHEREAS it is now deemed to be expedient to authorize for the municipal purposes of the City of Ottawa (the “City”) the new capital project described in column (2) of Schedule “A” (the “Project”) attached hereto and forming part of this by-law in the amount of the estimated expenditure set out in Column (3) of Schedule “A”;
AND WHEREAS OIPC has invited eligible Ontario municipalities and local services boards desirous of obtaining funding pursuant to the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative in order to meet capital expenditures in connection with a new eligible capital project to apply to OIPC for such funding by completing and submitting an application through the form provided by OIPC (the “Application”);
AND WHEREAS the City has submitted an Application to OIPC to request funding in respect of the Project;
THEREFORE the Council of the City of Ottawa enacts as follows:
1. The Council of the City of Ottawa (“City Council”) hereby confirms, ratifies and approves the completion by the Treasurer of an Application and the submission by the Treasurer of an application, duly executed by the Treasurer, to OIPC for the funding of the Project in connection with the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative in the maximum aggregate amount of $20 million (the “Funding”).
2. (1) Construction of the Project in the amount of the respective Estimated Expenditure set out in column (3) of Schedule “A” is hereby approved and authorized.
(2) The Treasurer is hereby authorized to conclude contracts on behalf of the City for the construction of the Project in accordance with the City’s usual protocol.
(3) The Treasurer is hereby authorized to submit to OIPC or the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal on behalf of the City such reports or other documents regarding the Project as may be requested in connection with the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative.
(4) Where applicable, the Deputy City Manager, Public Works and Services will forthwith make such plans, profiles and specifications and furnish such information as in the opinion of the Deputy City Manager, Public Works and Services is necessary for the construction of the Project.
(5) Where applicable, the construction of the Project shall be carried on and executed under the superintendence and according to the direction and orders of the Deputy City Manager, Public Works and Services.
(6) The Deputy City Manager, Public Works and Services or such other official of the City charged with the management of the Project shall report semi-annually to City Council.
3. City
Council hereby confirms that the Funding will be applied and shall be used
exclusively for financing the Project under the Municipal Infrastructure Investment
Initiative as set out in Schedule “A” to this by-law and for no other purpose.
ENACTED AND PASSED this day of , 2008.
CITY CLERK MAYOR
Schedule “A”
to By-Law Number 2008 -
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(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
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Project Name |
Description of Eligible Capital
Work |
Estimated Expenditure |
Grant Amount |
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Design,
construction, & capital building costs to relocate the Central Archives
and Ottawa Library Technical Services.
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$38.63
million total costs |
$20
million |
MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT INITIATIVE Application
demande
en vertu de l’initiative
d’investissement dans l’infrastructure municipale
ACS2008-CMR-FIN-0004 city-wide / À l’Échelle de la
ville
Mr. C. Hawes, Manotick Community Association, began by stating his support for libraries and for culture. However, he submitted there were some important infrastructure project that should be the focus of the funding application other than the library and archives. He felt one such project was the Hillside Gardens area of Manotick, which had been identified in the City’s Official Plan as having health and environmental risks due to E. Coli bacteria from failing septic systems as a result of insufficient lot sizes. Therefore, Mr. Hawes was concerned that the City was putting forward a proposal to fund a library when a project that related to a public safety and health issue had not been considered despite promises by City staff to go after funding, should any become available. He discussed the long-standing nature of the problem in Hillside Gardens and the results of water quality tests in the area and he maintained that, having reviewed the funding program details and guidelines, he believed this project should have been considered.
Mr. K. Kirkpatrick, City Manager, noted Council had already made the decision to build the archives therefore this was not an issue of priority of spending. As indicated in the report, this was an issue of trying to identify the best project, in terms of the criteria identified by the Province and in terms of magnitude and scope; the best application to maximize the City’s potential for success. With respect to the issue in Manotick, Mr. Kirkpatrick confirmed it had been a long-standing problem and that it would have a resolution. He indicated the City would be able to fund its portion of the cost to resolve the problems in Manotick. He discussed the various funding sources for capital projects (i.e. the City-wide tax supported capital program, sewer funds, development charges) and submitted that, in terms of the funding sources for the Manotick project versus the funding source for the library and archives, these were very separate policy issues.
Responding to a question from Mayor O’Brien, Mr. Kirkpatrick expressed his belief that the Manotick project would fall under the criteria for the MIII funding, however he felt it would not be as good a fit as the library and archives and would therefore not maximize the potential for Provincial approval. Speaking to the delegation’s comment about staff applying for Provincial funding for the Manotick project if any became available, he submitted that has funding become available for that specific type of project (i.e. rural servicing issues), the City would have applied for it in order to reduce its over-all funding requirement. However, he maintained that was not the case with respect to this funding program.
In reply to a further question from Mayor O’Brien with respect to the status of the Manotick project, Mr. R. Hewitt, Deputy City Manager of Public Works and Services, indicated a report would be before the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in late March and that the project was essentially ready to move forward. He advised that once the approvals were in place, staff hoped to move forward to tender later this year, with construction starting next year.
Councillor Chiarelli believed most members of Council would not have put this project at the top of the list if they had to choose. However, he recognized that this application most closely matched the Province’s criteria and therefore it represented the City’s best change at being successful in applying for this particular funding stream. Furthermore, he indicated the City needed a municipal archive and it had to be built soon because the current facility was no longer an option. In closing, he submitted that if this funding application was successful, it would free up some of the money the City had budgeted for the archives, which could then be allocated to other priorities.
Councillor Brooks indicated funding for infrastructure programs in rural areas was an on-going problem. He referenced the existence of Provincial funding programs for rural municipalities but noted that, because Ottawa’s rural communities were part of a larger municipality, they were not eligible for these programs. Furthermore, he submitted that when funding did come forward, it did not seem to flow through to Ottawa’s rural communities. He maintained this problem had been raised time and again and that it would continue to be raised until the Province recognized Ottawa’s unique character in terms of its urban/rural composition. He referenced infrastructure needs in Manotick and in Richmond and he asked that the Mayor and senior staff continue talking to the Province about the need for funding for essential services such as water and sewers in rural parts of Ottawa.
Councillor Bloess remarked that amount of the application represented approximately half the cost of building the archives. He also noted that there did not appear to be a limit to the amount the City could request through this funding stream. Therefore, he indicated he would have thought the City would have tried to get more. Furthermore, he wondered if this application meant there was no turning back with respect to the archives project. Addressing the Councillor’s last question, Mr. Kirkpatrick indicated it would take a vote of reconsideration at Council in order to revisit the decision made in December to build the archives. He maintained Council had approved the project as well as the related funding. However, he submitted the proposed funding application to the Province would reduce the taxpayers’ funding requirement for the project, thereby either reducing the amount of debt the City would need to issue or putting more money back into the reserve fund.
Mayor O’Brien indicated this was an all or nothing proposition; the Province would either approve the full amount requested or none of it. He discussed the process by which various options were considered. He reported having spent a lot of time going over the City’s options, as well as consulting and exchanging information with the Province. As a result, he and the City Manager believed this project had the best potential for success. Speaking to the amount being requested through the application, he indicated it was the dollar value that was theoretically given to the City as something the Province would judge acceptable.
In reply to comments from Councillor El-Chantiry with respect to funding for infrastructure in rural parts of Ottawa, Mr. Kirkpatrick confirmed having met with Provincial cabinet ministers, in 2006 and again in 2007, to discuss Ottawa’s eligibility for Provincial programs intended to inject funding into rural Ontario and rural issues. He reported the Province’s response was that, although Ottawa was a unique City because of its rural/urban mix, it was also the second largest City in the Province and as such, it benefited from the allocation of gas tax far beyond other municipalities. He noted that, beyond the broad restrictions, it was entirely Council’s choice to decide how to allocate gas taxes. Speaking to the issue of gas tax allocation, he reminded Committee that, following the rural summit, Council had made decisions to increase investment in rural road construction and maintenance and through a motion introduced by Councillor El-Chantiry last year, Council had taken $10M, out of the approximately $60M envelope, and agreed to spend it on additional infrastructure in rural Ottawa. Therefore, he submitted that Council had purposefully made decisions to flow incremental provincial funding into rural infrastructure.
Councillor Desroches wondered whether the list of projects referenced in the report had been validated by the Province. Mr. Kirkpatrick indicated he and the Mayor’s office had done some inter-governmental relations work to get a sense of the potential success of this application. He advised the indications received from the Province were that this application would be well received and supported, both in terms of the type of project being put forward as well as the amount being requested.
Mayor O’Brien re-iterated to Committee that a lot of energy had gone into making the decision in terms of the project being put forward and the amount of the request in terms of the best overall financial benefit to the City and the criteria and conditions set-out by the Province.
Responding to a further question with respect to the amount of the request and why the City was not asking for more, Mayor O’Brien indicated the City had been provided a bit of an envelope in terms of what the Province expected to see come forward in the application and he believed the majority of the $300M total funding for the program would be going into Northern Ontario. Adding to that, Mr. Kirkpatrick advised that, through some inter-governmental relations work, he and the Mayor’s office had been successful in stretching the envelope in terms of what the Province expected to see come forward in the City’s application.
That the
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council:
1. Endorse the submission of
an application to the Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation (“OIPC”) for
funding in the amount of $20 million towards the Central Archives and Ottawa
Library Technical Services project from the Municipal Infrastructure Investment
Initiative (MIII) grant program;
2. Enact a by-law in the form
attached as Document 1 affirming their support of this application and
approving the expenditure of the funds on the aforementioned eligible capital
project; and
3. Authorize the Treasurer to
complete, execute and submit the aforementioned application on behalf of the
City.
CARRIED with Councillor G. Brooks and R. Jellett dissenting