Vancouver Liberals: keep the Park Board elected, raise its share to 9% of the budget
The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan says they would fight every effort to remove the elected Park Board, repeal the Mayor's motion calling for its abolition, create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee, and restore Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city budget in four years.
PARKS AND RECREATION
An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process: what the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver says
The Vancouver Liberals publish a separate two-page plan for parks and recreation, linked from their issues page. It opens by saying the party wants a strong, independent Park Board with the tools, budget stability and modern facilities it needs. The first section says the Park Board must stay elected and independent. The party would fight all efforts, by the current Mayor or anyone else, to remove it, and would repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for abolishing the board.
The second section is about money. The party would create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board's general manager. This committee would guide the yearly budget and set shared expectations. The plan lists financial goals for it: earlier access to accurate forecasts, a pre-budget outlook issued jointly each year, service levels matched to approved funding, clear reporting in line with guidance from the Office of the Auditor General, and a rise in Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city's total budget within four years.
The plan also sets out a three-year rolling budget for the Park Board. Year 1 would be approved and years 2 and 3 forecast, with year 4 set jointly through the advisory committee. The budget would adjust each year for inflation, population growth and the renewal of aging assets, with the goal of fewer swings from year to year and steadier long-term planning.
Vancouver is the only major Canadian city with a separately elected park board, and that board exists under the Vancouver Charter, which only the Province can change. Council approves the city's budget, including the Park Board's share, so the funding and committee steps need both bodies to agree.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
The Park Board's current share of the city budget, according to the party
The party's figureThe share of the city budget the party would restore to the Park Board
The party's figureTime the party gives itself to raise Park Board funding to 9% of the city budget
The party's figureLength of the rolling budget framework the party proposes for the Park Board
The party's figure9 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Fight all efforts to remove the elected Park Board
The Vancouver Liberals would fight all efforts, by the current Mayor and anyone else, to remove Vancouver's elected Park Board.
- Who has the power
- Province The Park Board exists under the Vancouver Charter, and only the Province can change that act.
Repeal the Mayor's motion to abolish the Park Board
The party would repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for abolishing the Park Board.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council can repeal its own motion by a vote.
Create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee
The party would create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board general manager, to guide the annual budget cycle and set shared expectations for financial planning.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council and the Park Board would both have to agree to form a joint committee.
Earlier access to accurate financial forecasts
The party sets a financial goal of earlier access to accurate financial forecasts for the Park Board's budget.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The plan places both the city's and the Park Board's senior finance staff in the budget process, so both bodies would be involved.
A jointly issued annual pre-budget outlook
The party sets a goal of a pre-budget outlook issued jointly by the city and the Park Board each year.
- Who has the power
- City, with others A joint report needs both Council and the Park Board to take part.
Match service levels to approved funding
The party sets a goal of aligning the Park Board's service levels with the funding that is approved for them.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board decides how its programs and services are run within the money it receives.
Clear reporting in line with Auditor General guidance
The party sets a goal of clear, consistent reporting and performance measures aligned with guidance from the OAG, the Office of the Auditor General.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Both Council and the Park Board would set the reporting rules for the Park Board's budget.
Restore Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city budget
The party sets a goal of restoring Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the global city budget within four years.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the city's operating budget, which sets the Park Board's share.
A three-year rolling budget for the Park Board
The party would set up a three-year rolling budget that approves Year 1, forecasts Years 2 and 3, sets Year 4 jointly through the Joint Budget Advisory Committee, adjusts each year for inflation, population growth and asset renewal, and reduces swings from year to year to support long-term program and capital planning.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council approves the city budget and the Park Board plans its own spending, so both would have to adopt the framework.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about an elected park board and a better budget process
Do the Vancouver Liberals want to keep the Park Board?
Yes. The Vancouver Liberals say the Park Board must stay elected and independent. They would fight every effort to remove it and repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for its abolition (party park plan).
How much money would the Vancouver Liberals give the Park Board?
The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan sets a goal of raising Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city's total budget within four years. Council approves the city budget, so it would have to agree (party park plan).
What is the Vancouver Liberals' Joint Budget Advisory Committee?
It is a committee the Vancouver Liberals would create, made up of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board general manager. It would guide the yearly budget and set shared expectations for financial planning (party park plan).
Who decides whether Vancouver keeps its elected Park Board?
The Park Board exists under the Vancouver Charter, and only the Province can change that act. Council can repeal its own motion, which is why the Vancouver Liberals promise to repeal the Mayor's motion and to fight efforts to remove the board (party park plan).
What is a three-year rolling budget in the Vancouver Liberals' parks plan?
The Vancouver Liberals would approve the Park Board's budget for one year and forecast the next two, then set the fourth year jointly through the advisory committee. The budget would adjust each year for inflation, population growth and asset renewal (party park plan).
ON THE BALLOT
The Vancouver Liberals candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked