HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-09-067 - Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) Grants - April 2009REPORT
REPORT TO:
Finance & Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
April 20, 2009
SUBMITTED BY:
Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager, Development &
Technical Services
PREPARED BY:
Barbara Steiner, Senior Environmental Planner (519-741-
2293)
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
April 16, 2009
REPORT NO.: DTS-09-067
SUBJECT:
LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION FUND (LEAF) GRANTS:
APRIL 2009
RECOMMENDATION:
1. THAT the Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) grant applications of less than
$50,000 recommended for funding by the LEAF Steering Committee be approved
as outlined in staff report DTS – 09 – 067; and further,
2. THAT the Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) grant applications of $50,000
and over recommended for funding by the LEAF Steering Committee as outlined
in staff report DTS – 09 – 067 be referred for further discussion at the Finance and
Corporate Services Committee meeting of May 11, 2009 and the Council meeting
of May 19, 2009.
BACKGROUND:
On April 16, 2007, Council approved the $5 million Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF).
Throughout 2007, input on how LEAF should operate was obtained from staff, Council and the
public. Based on direction from all stakeholders an Operating Framework for LEAF (DTS-08-33)
was approved by Council on March 17, 2008, and the application and evaluation process (DTS-
08-194) was received for information on November 17, 2008. On December 8, 2008 the final
composition of the LEAF Steering Committee was approved by Council including the addition of
two (2) citizen-advisors.
City Council will be the final decision-making authority on whether or not an application for LEAF
funding is successful or not.
REPORT:
In accordance with the operating framework, and the application and evaluation process
outlined in the staff reports noted above, web content, advertizing and other communications
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tools were launched in late fall 2008 to solicit applications to LEAF. Key dates in the application
and evaluation process were:
February 16, 2009 Application Submission Deadline (under $50,000)
March 2, 2009 Application Submission Deadline ($50,000 or over)
March-April 2009 Assessment by LEAF Steering Committee
A total of 29 applications were received, 19 for under $50,000 and 10 for $50,000 and above.
The total amount requested in the 29 applications was $7,189,701 ($572,956 for under $50,000;
$6,616,745 for $50,000 and above).
The applications were distributed to the members of the LEAF Steering Committee in advance
of the first meeting. Three (3) meetings (2 to 2.5 hours in length) of the steering committee were
held on March 25, April 2, and April 8, 2009.
The LEAF Steering Committee is comprised of the following individuals: the four (4) General
Managers of City Departments, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Senior Environmental Planner
responsible for LEAF, the Manager of Long Range and Policy Planning, the Director of Corporate
Communications and Marketing and two (2) members of the public who are environmental experts
and / or community leaders with experience in granting organizations, or represent other relevant
specified sectors of the community (“citizen-advisors”).
The two citizen-advisors who are members of the LEAF Steering Committee are Scott Piatkowski
and Karen Redman. Staff would like to thank these committed citizens for giving their time, expertise
and considerable judgement to the evaluation and selection process.
During the evaluation process, certain applicants were contacted for more information or clarification
in order for the committee to conclude deliberations on a particular application, and make a
recommendation.
A full consideration of all the applications was made by the steering committee with the engaged
participation of all of the members. Ultimately, a final recommendation was arrived at in every
instance by consensus. There was no need to canvas committee majority as consensus was
always achieved.
It is noted that conflicts of interest were declared as follows:
Jeff Willmer - Emmanuel Bible College
Scott Piatkowski - Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School
Alain Pinard - Residential Energy Efficiency Project
Karen Redman - Friends of Hidden Valley
In these instances, members who declared a conflict of interest left the meeting room and did
not participate in the discussion.
The recommendations of the LEAF Steering Committee are reflected in the two (2) tables
attached (Table 1 summarizing applications for under $50,000 and Table 2 summarizing
applications for $50,000 and above). Nine (9) of the nineteen (19) grant applications for smaller
projects are recommended for some level of funding while six (6) of the ten (10) grant
applications for larger projects are recommended for some level of funding, for a total of
$1,163,559.
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The projects or programs recommended for funding represent a good cross-section of
environmental issues of importance to the citizens of Kitchener. For example, a substantial
proportion of these projects or programs address both Air Quality and Energy Use in the
community. These were two issues identified as being of paramount importance to the citizens
of Kitchener during the recent (2007-8) update to Kitchener’s Strategic Plan for the
Environment. Furthermore, these projects reflect the broad range of areas in which we all need
to make changes in order to improve air quality and reduce our use of non-renewable energy—
from improvements to new residential construction techniques through green roofs and
bioswales for new institutional sectors to green retrofits of heritage buildings—LEAF funding will
provide the opportunity for this community to accelerate the use of new, green building and site
technologies.
Of course, incorporating Environmental Education and Public Awareness into each and every
project funded by LEAF is a prerequisite, and a number of projects recommended for funding
get at the heart of informing and changing the behaviour of Kitchener citizens—from energy
saver visits focussed on individual homes through a number of projects directed to
schoolchildren and secondary school students. Environmental Education and Public Awareness
was also identified by Kitchener citizens to be a key tool in improving our environment during
the update to the Strategic Plan for the Environment.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
On April 16, 2007, $5 million was established by Council resolution for Kitchener’s Local
Environmental Action Fund—$2 million in 2007 and $1 million each for 2008, 2009 and 2010.
COMMUNICATIONS:
All grant applicants were informed of the recommendations of the LEAF Steering Committee
and of the dates that FCS Committee and/or Council would be considering these
recommendations.
After LEAF grantees have been selected, an announcement of funding recipients will take place
through media releases to be issued during Earth Week (grants under $50,000) and after the
Council meeting of May 19, 2009 (grants $50,000 and over). Information on grantee projects
and environmental information will also be posted on the LEAF website www.kitchener.ca/leaf.
Media releases and any future articles in Your Kitchener will notify the public of grantees and
build awareness of the local environmental enhancement being enabled by LEAF.
REVIEWED BY:
Alain Pinard, Interim Director of Planning
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager
Development and Technical Services Department
Attachments:
Table 1: Summary of LEAF Applicants (under $50,000) April 2009
Table 2: Summary of LEAF Applicants ($50,000 and over) April 2009
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