As presented by Councillor Lapierre:
WHEREAS Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury, a gathering place for Francophones and the whole community, is in the final stage of construction of its arts and cultural centre in downtown Sudbury;
AND WHEREAS the City of Greater Sudbury has been a key partner to Place des Arts since its earliest stages of development, and has provided funding in the amount of $5 million as well as the contribution of land in support of the capital construction project;
AND WHEREAS Place des Arts helps to advance the City’s strategic goals of community vibrancy, cultural diversity, economic capacity and investment readiness and downtown revitalization;
AND WHEREAS the building facility includes a number of components that align with the City’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP);
AND WHEREAS the City of Greater Sudbury currently contributes $149,213 annually in the form of a grant supporting operational costs of Place des Arts;
AND WHEREAS the initial funding has contributed to the creation of 3 new full-time positions, one of which has been filled, with the other two anticipated to be filled in September of 2021;
AND WHEREAS Place des Arts had indicated in its initial proposal in 2016, and again with an update in 2018, that the facility will require annual operational funding of $260,000 from the City of Greater Sudbury, which represents an increase of $110,787 annually;
AND WHEREAS the municipal contributions to operating costs are integral to the organization securing ongoing operational funding from the federal and provincial governments;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to prepare a Business Case for the increase of Place des Arts annual operating funding to $260,000 for Council’s consideration as part of 2022 Budget deliberations.