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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-51-83 i _ CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT T.T.EDWARDS,M.C.I.P.,Director HAMPTON,ONTARIO LOB 1,10 TEL.(416)263.2231 REPORT TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF MARCH 21st , 1983 REPORT NO. : PD-51-83 SUBJECT: BUILDING REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (BRIC) OUR FILE: PLN 11 .5 RECOMMENDATION: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council -the following: 1 . That Report PD-51-83 be received for information. BACKGROUND: On December 24th, 1982, the Town received an invitation from the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, Heritage Administration Branch, for submission of applications for funding under the Building Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, 1983/84 fiscal year. is_fib) Report No: PD-51-83 .. ./2 In December, 1981, the Minister of Culture and Recreation announced the creation of the Building Rehabilitation and Improvement Campaign , as part of the Provincial Economic Initiative, the Board Industrial Leadership and Development. A major objective of BRIC is to provide funds to municipalities for local heritage programs. Three of the four BRIC components, the Designated Property Grants, the Corporate Sector Grants and the Heritage Conservation District Funds are now operative. The final component, the Municipal Heritage Fund, attempts to provide an ongoing source of funding for architectural conservation activity at the municipal level . The Municipal Heritage Fund is a revolving fund, existing to finance heritage conservation projects which have the potential of returning money to the fund and generating profits which can then be used to finance other heritage conservation projects. It is expected that the fund will grow, at least, at the rate of inflation. This fund will be created through joint Provincial and municipal contributions and will be administered by a non-profit corporation. Fund activities may include purchasing, conserving and reselling heritage properties, lending money and guaranteeing loans for the purchase and conservation of such properties and, in special circumstances, for grants for heritage conservation projects. To be eligible to participate in the program, the municipality must: 1 ) have an Official Plan which contains a statement of the municipality's commitment to a Heritage Conservation Program, or a municipal by-law to this effect; IV Report No: PD-51-83 . . ./3 2. have an active LACAC; 3. have a minimum of five (5) properties designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act or a minimum of one (1 ) heritage conservation district designated under Part V of the Act ; 4. have a commitment to establish the appropriate administrative mechanism to manage the funds ; 5. have a commitment to finance its share of the Municipal Heritage Fund and to assume all administrative costs related to the fund. The Province will contribute to the establishment of a Municipal Heritage Fund to a maximum Provincial grant of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) on the following basis. The Province will contribute Two Dollars ($2.00) for every One Dollar ($1 .00) contributed by the municipality up to Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) ; for any amount contributed by the municipality above Twenty- Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000), the Province will contribute One Dollar and Twenty Cents ($1 .20) for every One Dollar ($1 .00) (all to a total maximum Provincial grant of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) ) . The municipality may apply for Provincial funding each year it makes a minimum Ten Thousand Dollar ($10,000) contribution for the first application and a minimum Five Thousand Dollar ($5,000) contribution for each subsequent application. The municipal share after the first year must come from newly raised revenue rather than from income derived from the assets of the fund. Administrative costs include, but are not necessarily restricted to; legal fees , accounting costs, clerical costs and publicity costs. Report No: PD-51-63 . ./4 The Ministry of Citizenship and Culture will review each application to ensure that the municipality eligibility criteria has presented a statement of objectives for the fund which corresponds with the terms of the program, has raised at least Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) as its contribution to the Municipal Heritage Fund, can establish a non-profit corporation to manage the fund, and has the financial and administrative capacity to ensure the successful operation of the fund. The non-profit corporation to be established will be incorporated under the Corporations Act, and it will have nine members, including at least one municipal councillor and at least two LACAC members. The corporation will be responsible for keeping detailed documentation on each project from initiation to completion, including feasability studies, complete photographic documentation, architectural drawings, inspection reports, financial accounts, etc. Provincial rights within this corporation allow the Province to request its share of any money remaining in the fund be returned if established fiscal performance standards are not met, if the corporation is not operating in a manner consistent with the Program Guidelines, and if the work is not completed in accordance with generally accepted standards of conservation. COMMENTS: As indicated in the background, to participate in the BRIC Program, the municipality would have to put forth a commitment to finance its share of a municipal heritage fund and to assume all administration costs related to the fund. Report No: PD-51-83 .. ./5 In addition, an Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the Heritage Conservation Act would have to be established; an item which has not been included in the Department 's 1983 Work Program. In view of the 1983 budget guidelines and the present Departmental workload, it would not appear that the Town would have the financial or administrative capacity to get involved in the program in the 1983/84 fiscal year. We would therefore recommend that the Town of Newcastle not get involved in the Municipal Heritage Fund Program at the present time, and that this Report be received for information. Respectfullyrubrtitted, T. T. Edwards, M.C.I .P. Director of Planning LDT*TTE*mjc Yc7, 1983