The Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund was created to ensure that projects and initiatives that were underway during amalgamation with the City of Kingston would be completed. Further, it protected the Township’s operating reserves and ensured they would be used according to the Minister’s Order that created the new City specifically “for the benefit of the residents in the area of the former Township of Pittsburgh.” These reserves were built by residents, staff and councilors over the years, and the Council wanted to protect some of the long-standing community activities that could potentially disappear due to lack of funding.
The PCBF is run by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. The Board manages approximately $4 million dollars remaining from the original $5,697,000 reserve and 1997 operating surplus of the former Corporation of the Township of Pittsburgh leftover following amalgamation.
The interest on the investments is used to:
- recapitalize the PCBF fund to counter inflation; and
- distribute any remaining funds for scholarships and grants based on established application criteria.
The Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund is a recognized Board within the City of Kingston.
History
In June 1997, it was announced that the Corporation of the Township of Pittsburgh was going to work together with the City of Kingston and Kingston Township and amalgamate into one new City of Kingston.
The Corporation of the Township of Pittsburgh held a meeting on Monday, November 10, 1997. At this meeting, Reeve Holmberg informed the people that Township Council was going to be passing a by-law establishing the Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund. For more information, please see a portion of the minutes from this Council Meeting, and a copy of the signed by-law establishing the creation of the PCBF.
We are a legal corporate entity without share capital, Ontario Corporation Number 1264867, created on November 18, 1997. The By-Law Document contains our legal operating directions.
The Corporation of the City of Kingston approved the transfer of $5,697,000 to the Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund at the meeting held February 9, 1999.
The Corporation of the City of Kingston approved a motion on February 23, 1999 that respectfully requested the Pittsburg Community Benefit Fund to consider endorsing an amendment to their Charter, to provide for two formal City appointments to their Board from individual members of Council representing the geographic boundaries of the former Pittsburgh Township.