A request for a letter of support backing a grant application to cover half the cost of a proposed $19.3 million redevelopment project at the Bow River Lodge was defeated when Canmore councillors reached a tie vote, Tuesday (June 21).
Mayor Ron Casey was not present at Tuesday’s meeting and as part of the Municipal Government Act, a tie vote results in defeat of a motion.
Bow Valley Regional Housing (BVRH) was seeking a letter of financial support from municipalities in this region, for any future operating deficit and debt servicing costs resulting from construction of new units at the Lodge in Canmore.
Banff and the MD of Bighorn have already agreed to provide letters of support for the application.
BVRH is proposing to renovate Bow River Lodge and build a new addition – a total of 61 new units will provide Levels 3 and 4 care, which currently is not offered in the Bow Valley.
Level 3 means residents require unscheduled assistance and need more help with daily tasks and some decision-making. Level 4 requires 24-hour care.
If successful, the grant would have provided 50 per cent of the capital costs, reducing what the local municipalities were required to pay to $9.65 million, with Canmore required to pay $5.796 million.
The sticking point for Councillors John Borrowman, Joanna McCallum and Hans Helder, who voted against providing the letter of support, was the lack of information in BVRH’s proposal and the potential effect on taxpayers.
Borrowman, who, along with McCallum and Helder, stated they supported seniors housing, said the request was putting pressure on council to make a decision on what could increase the tax burden for Canmore taxpayers by four per cent (or $60 per household per year).
“This feels rushed and that council is being pressured. We haven’t had time to look at the project,” Borrowman said.
“I’m not comfortable with supporting the motion as it reads. I’m aware of the need. I campaigned on that and this isn’t something I’m being flippant about. We need seniors housing, but in this instance I’m uncomfortable with the level of detail and having to sign a letter committing the town to cover debt and there is no limit where that could go.”
McCallum felt it was a sizeable increase to the taxpayer without any consultation.
“It is appropriate to prepare a community for what is coming down the pipe,” she said. “I’m in support of seniors housing, but feel we are being asked to write a blank cheque without any real comprehensive information.”
Helder said he agreed council needs a greater level of detail, a public consultation period and more time for discussion to be able to make an informed decision.
“We have spent far more time talking about (the Multiplex) than we have this,” he said.
“It’s not about not wanting this type of service in the community. It’s about doing the right thing in the right way. I don’t think we’ve got the right way figured out yet and we need time to do it.”
Also, Helder pointed out that a private operation is proposing to convert Mountain View Inn, which sits on one acre of land at 100 Kananaskis Way, to a 66-room assisted living facility for seniors with rates set by the province, that would not be supported by Canmore taxpayers.
However, the remaining three councillors in favour of writing the letter of support, while expressing frustration with the level of information, were willing to move forward to allow BVRH to complete its grant proposal.
Coun. Jim Ridley said the clause about future debt servicing was a standard clause for all grant applications and was the same statement used for the regional transportation commission.
While Coun. Gordie Miskow, who was standing in as deputy mayor, agreed the conceptual plan wasn’t as informative as council would have liked, public consultation, albeit informally, has been in the works since the election.
“This has been the number one thing from the time I started campaigning to now. I’d certainly be willing to take my lumps in 2013.
“If we don’t build it and miss the opportunity, we don’t get anything. This is kind of sketchy, but there has to be some belief in our housing authority. Do we flip the coin and give it to a private enterprise and it flops, then we have nothing?”
Coun. Ed Russell, who serves as BVRH chair, said the motion is meant to help the BVRH access the grant, which would allow it to be begin planning and public engagement as part of the process.
“We’re in an awkward spot and it has gotten really complex. We have to stop losing people from this community. It’s becoming urgent. This process is to obtain grant funding. That is all. This grant will give the community a 50 per cent reduction,” he said.
“Right now we are applying for a grant. We can turn it back if we need to. They can go foward at any time, but for all of the older folks this could be a one time shot because they may not live to see it.”
Once the motion was defeated, to keep the proposal and the request from disappearing, McCallum asked what needs to happen next, to ensure the BVRH can move forward.
“I don’t want this to fall off the table. How does this move forward?” she said.
At this stage, Russell replied, the application is incomplete and cannot be submitted unless Canmore council gets the information it seeks and approves the request.
“This won’t fall off the map, it will have to come forward in some form that is more acceptable. The other councillors didn’t have a problem with the issue. If we get public direction that we should build this, if we miss this round of grant funding it could potentially cost more if sent back for further study for something that could have given us 50 per cent funding,” he said.
Ian Wilson, BVRH chief administrative officer, said the rotation for this particular grant is approximately every two to three years.
