Mayor Jonathan Cote wants to help university students in their quest to tackle climate change and housing issues.
On Monday night, Cote put forward a motion for council’s consideration that staff be permitted to make unused funds from the 2018 election campaign available for donation to charitable and/or scholarship programs. Cote, who is not seeking re-election in the Oct. 15 election, has leftover funds from his last campaign.
“At the end of the last municipal campaign, if any candidate has any excess funds, it goes to the city in trust to be returned, for any future campaigns,” he explained Monday night. “Well, as everyone knows, I'm not running in this upcoming election. But those funds are still sitting within the city.”
Funds associated with candidates who are not running in 2022 election become funds of the City of New Westminster for use at the city’s discretion, said the motion.
Instead of remaining in the city coffers, Cote sought council’s support for chanelling those funds elsewhere.
“To be perfectly upfront and transparent, I have been working with Simon Fraser University to develop a scholarship program in the urban planning area related to two individuals who are connected to local communities, and in particular, focusing studies on climate change and housing policy,” he said. “It's still very much in the works. But I would very much like to take these funds, which are now between $4,000 and $5,000, to help be some seed funding towards that towards that program, if that comes to be.”
Cote said he approached the city clerk with his idea, and she said he would need council’s support to make it happen.
“I don't think it would make a big difference in next year's budget in the grand scheme of things,” he quipped.
Council approved the motion that would allow Cote’s funds from the 2018 local government election to be donated to charitable and/or scholarship programs.
