The Vancouver city council has opened up more city-owned spaces to corporate sponsorships. The move, which was one of 17 recommendations issued by the Mayor’s budget task force in January, is a bid to bridge the funding gap between infrastructure needs and rising property taxes.
As reported by CityNews, the proposal applies to a broader range of city-owned assets and programs, including property, services, publications, vehicles, and digital platforms, to maximize revenue generation opportunities.
The City Manager will be able to approve sponsorships of up to $3 million, while a City Manager-designate will be able to do so for agreements up to $50, 000. Naming rights, however, will still be subject to council approval, and there is a limit to what can be renamed. For instance, public parks, libraries, or street names aren’t on the table.