Coun. Betty Irwin is praising a proposal that would give those receiving environmental grants from the city an extra month to submit their final report to the city.

The move makes for a much more reasonable timeline for groups to finish up their reports and submit them, Irwin said Monday.

She spoke after Mike Ellis, the city’s acting manager of planning and sustainability, brought forward the change as part of a proposed new environmental grant policy that would replace the current policy adopted 23 years ago.

As Ellis told council: “The (environmental grant) has existed since 1994 to encourage and support community organizations in undertaking projects that contribute to Whitehorse’s sustainability objectives.”

A review of the policy was done in an effort to clarify provisions that were difficult to implement.

Along with the longer period for groups to submit final reports to the city, changes to the policy would include:

• removing community groups not registered under the Societies Act from being eligible for the grant, a move that would decrease financial risk for the city;

• increasing the threshold for requiring cost-sharing on equipment from the current $500 limit to $1,000 in order to support small community projects;

• requiring businesses to be registered as a business for at least six months before applying for the grant, another effort to reduce the city’s financial risk;

• requiring any unused funds from the grant to be returned within two months of the deadline on the final report as the current policy provides no timeframe;

• a requirement that organizations receiving a grant have a Whitehorse address and bank account in the Yukon which would replace the current regulation that the majority of members live in Whitehorse;

• putting on a limit of one grant per calendar year, which would be in line with other city grant policies;

• removing ‘unskilled labour’ from the list of ineligible costs for the grant, as “many organizations do legitimately use unskilled labour in their projects.”

• an increase to eligible meal costs from $40 per day to $64 per day, the same rate paid by the city to its employees;

• a more simplified approach to airfare and limiting reimbursement to $500;

• numerous minor changes to wording.

Along with praising the move to give groups more time to submit their reports, Irwin questioned staff on another provision of the proposed policy specifying that equipment of $1,000 or more purchased through grant funds can’t be sold or traded without council’s approval. That had Irwin wondering if council approval would be needed should equipment reach its end through normal wear and tear and the group wishes to dispose of it.

Acting city manager Linda Rapp clarified that where equipment becomes worn out the group wouldn’t be required to involve the city in getting rid of it. Rather the clause would come into play more often in situations should a group cease to exist and is disposing of its assets or if they are simply choosing to sell off equipment and the like.

Council will vote Monday on whether to adopt the new policy.

Mayor Dan Curtis was absent from Monday’s meeting with Coun. Rob Fendrick serving as acting may