Financial Support to the Caribbean Cultural Committee and Caribana

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee submits, without recommendation, the following transmittal letter (April 21, 1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Budget Committee on April 20, 1998, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, as per Council's direction at its meeting on April 16, 1998, that the grants envelope be increased by $75,000.00.

Background:

The Budget Committee on April 20, 1998, had before it a report (April 20, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding Clause No. 3 of Report No. 5 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, headed AFinancial Support to the Caribbean Cultural Committee and Caribana@.

(Transmittal letter dated April 20, 1998, addressed to the Budget Committee from the City Clerk)

City Council on April 16, 1998, had before it Clause No. 3 contained in Report No. 5 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, headed AFinancial Support to the Caribbean Cultural Committee and Caribana@.

Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, a report dated April 15, 1998, from the Chief Administrative Officer, and a report dated April 16, 1998, from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in response to requests from the Municipal Grants Review Committee regarding the issue of City of Toronto financial support to the Caribbean Cultural Committee and Caribana.

Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following:

(i)a communication dated April 16, 1998, from Mayor Lastman advising of his support for additional funding to the Caribana; and

(ii)a submission (undated) from Councillor Rob Davis, York - Eglinton, comparing the rates charged at various Toronto hotels on the following dates: April 11, 1998; July 11, 1998 and August 1, 1998.

 In this regard, Council adopted Recommendations (A) to (F) of the Municipal Grants Review Committee embodied in the report dated April 14, 1998, from the City Clerk, subject to:

(1)the additional grant of $150,000.00 for the Caribana Festival mas bands and cultural producers referred to in Recommendation (A)(1)(b) being approved and provided from the Grants envelope; and

(2)deleting the names ACouncillor Tom Jakobek@ and ACouncillor Bas Balkissoon@ from the membership of the Caribana Festival Support Group and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(a)the Mayor, or his designate; and

(b)the Budget Chair, or his designate.

Council also adopted the following recommendations:

AIt is recommended that:

(1)the grant be deemed to be in the interest of the municipality;

(2)the Budget Committee be requested to increase the grants envelope by $75,000.00;

(3)the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested:

(a)to devise and execute an economic development study of the 1998 Caribana Festival measuring direct and indirect impacts, such study to include the value of volunteer hours and public sector impacts; and

(b)in consultation with Special Events= staff:

(i)to submit a report to the Economic Development Committee on the feasibility of the City of Toronto entering into a >strategic joint venture partnership= with the Caribbean Cultural Committee Inc. (CCC) in the production of the annual Caribana Festival; and

(ii)after having assessed the economic benefits of the 1998 Caribana Festival, submit a report to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, through the Economic Development Committee, on the feasibility of changing the mechanism by which funds flow to Caribana to a method which would allow the organization to market revenue-positive events with more lead time; and

(4)the report dated April 16, 1998, from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, embodying the following recommendations, be adopted:

>It is recommended that:

(1)if the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer receives donations to the City which are accompanied by a desire that the City use such monies to support Caribana, that she then report to Council for instructions on the disbursement of any such donations;

(2)the City demonstrate its support for the Caribana festival by providing the CCC with any necessary assistance which will facilitate its receiving Charitable Status on a timely basis; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary steps to give effect thereto.= @

Clause No. 3 of Report No. 5 of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, titled AFinancial Support to the Caribbean Cultural Committee and Caribana@, adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto on April 16, 1998, was forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee for its special meeting on April 28, 1998, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.