9.             2012 OPERATING GRANT FOR SAVOUR OTTAWA

 

SUBVENTION DE FONCTIONNEMENT DE 2012 POUR SAVOUREZ OTTAWA

 

 

 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

 

That 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.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU COMITÉ

 

Que le Conseil approuve 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.

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.         Councillor El-Chantiry’s Report, West Carleton March, Ward 5, dated

1 March 2012 (ACS2012-CMR-CCB-0029).

 

2.         Extract of draft minutes, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting of

5 April 2012.

 


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

Comité de l’agriculture et des affaires rurales

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

1 March 2012 / le 1 mars 2012

 

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

 

City-wide / À l'échelle de la Ville

Ref N°: ACS2012-CMR-CCB-0029

 

 

SUBJECT:

 

2012 operating grant FOR SAVOUR OTTAWA

 

OBJET :

 

subvention de fonctionnement de 2012 pour savourez OTTAWA

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION
 

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.

 

Recommandation du rapport

 

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.

 


RURAL IMPLICATIONS

 

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.

 

CONSULTATION

 

Members of ARAC received a presentation from the group on 9 February 2012.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal implications associated with this report.

 

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no risk implications.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Funds are available within the Rural Affairs operating budget.

 

DISPOSITION

 

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. 


2012 operating grant FOR SAVOUR OTTAWA

subvention de fonctionnement de 2012 pour savourez OTTAWA

ACS2012-CMR-CCB-0029                           City-wide / À l'échelle de la Ville

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION:

 

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.

 

CARRIED with Councillor S. Moffatt dissenting.