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Active Communities Alberta - Value for Money Assessment
Presented by: Kerry Hilts, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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That the attached report titled “Value for Money Assessment, Active Communities Alberta - Regional Sport and Community Campus Business Case, dated September 28, 2020” be received as information.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
To provide Council with the results of the independent Value for Money Assessment completed by MNP Consulting Services on Active Communities Alberta’s Business Plan.
For the purposes of this report, a Value for Money Assessment can be simply defined as - is there value in the capital investment using qualitative and quantitative measures.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY #1: Growth Policy Framework: Develop a robust policy framework to guide growth. Revise the Municipal Development Plan framework to provide direction to growth needs, annexation positioning, and our role in regional government.
CORPORATE BUSINESS PLAN: Identify and recommend high value projects and programs to capture emergent growth opportunities.
COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY #2: Economic Development: Enhance business/commercial growth. St. Albert will work towards an innovative, investment-positive environment that will support and encourage the development of new, existing, and emerging sectors.
COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY #4: Infrastructure Investment: Identify, build and/or enhance needed critical or strategic infrastructure and identify and implement associated optimal business and operating models and lifecycle strategies.
CORPORATE BUSINESS PLAN: Identify and recommend opportunities for investment in long-term revenue generating infrastructure.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
• SERVICE AREA - Community Granting and Support for Delivery of Services
o SERVICE - Management of Partnerships for the Provision of Recreational Programs - The provision of infrastructure support to community organizations to deliver recreation programs to the community
§ SERVICE COMPONENT - City Owned, Community Operated Facilities and Parks Partnerships
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
• (June 29, 2020) CM-20-022 - Moved by Councillor Joly
o That, in light of the original funding not being carried forward to the 2020 budget, a maximum of $30,000 be allocated from the Stabilization Fund to execute the directions of CM-18-045.
• (December 17, 2018) CM-18-077 - Amendment CM-18-045 Memorandum of Understanding - Active Communities - Notice given by: Councillor Hansen
o Moved by Councillor Hansen - That a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be executed with Active Communities by a mutually agreed date with Administration that will serve to support the concept of a Sport and Wellness Campus. Further, that the MOU contain therein a statement that the City of St. Albert has interest in providing up to $20 million towards the project, conditional on $10 million in federal funding and $10 million in provincial government funding being secured for the project and further that the project is contingent upon a value for money assessment by an outside consultant to a maximum of $10,000 from the Stabilization Fund and that the facility is built on land within the City of St. Albert which may include proposed annexed lands. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
• (June 25, 2018) CM-18-045 Moved by Councillor Hansen
o That a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be executed with Active Communities by a mutually agreed date with Administration that will serve to support the concept of a Sport and Wellness Campus. Further, that the MOU contain therein a statement that the City of St. Albert has interest in providing up to $20 million towards the project, conditional on $10 million in federal funding and $10 million in provincial government funding being secured for the project and further that the project is contingent upon a value for money assessment by an outside consultant to a maximum of $10,000 from the Stabilization Fund and that the facility is built on land within the City of St. Albert. CARRIED
• (November 6, 2017) CM-17-085 Moved by Councillor Hughes
o That the Mayor draft a letter of support for the Active Communities proposal. CARRIED
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Active Communities Alberta (Active Communities) is an organization founded in early 2017 with the following vision:
To be viewed as the leader in delivering recreation facilities and healthy living activities for the benefit of all Albertans.
In June 2018, a motion was passed directing Administration to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Active Communities (June 25, 2018: CM-18-045), and complete a Value for Money Assessment. The two (2) items were delayed until the City of St. Albert identified a site for a future recreation facility that was confirmed in January 2020.
The original motion included $10,000 be drawn from the stabilization reserve to fund the Value for Money Assessment. These funds were identified in 2018 carried over into 2019. However, were not carried forward into 2020; therefore, an additional Council motion was passed in 2020 to redraw the funds from the stabilization reserve to complete the Value for Money Assessment in 2020.
MNP Consulting Services was hired in July 2020 to complete the independent Value for Money Assessment based on Active Communities’ Business Plan. The attached report includes their findings for Council’s information.
MNP Consulting Services is present today to highlight their finding and to answer any questions.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Administration and Active Communities have been actively meeting on the Memorandum of Understanding.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
The Value for Money Assessment cost $27,500.
Legal / Risk:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
N/A
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Report Date: September 28, 2020
Author(s): Kerry Hilts
Committee/Department: Office of the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble