2017 Annual Report and Unaudited Financials

2017 Annual Report The Compost Education Centre (CEC) is a project of the Victoria Compost and Conservation Education Society, which is a not-for-profit, charitable organization.

Started in 1992 by the Fernwood Community Association, the CEC provides composting and conservation education to Capital Regional District (CRD) residents with the goals of reducing waste and improving local soils through the use of compost. The CEC promotes organic gardening as a means of reducing the health and environmental effects of chemical gardening practices as well as promoting the health, environmental and social benefits of local food production.

2017 Highlights 25 Years of Composting and Conservation!

2017 marked the Compost Education Centre’s 25th Anniversary as a composting, organic gardening and conservation resource centre.

On June 24th, 2017, CEC staff hosted Bubbles and Bees, a party in celebration of our quarter century in operation. The event was hosted in the CEC’s Teaching Garden and featured local musicians, bubbling beverages, cake and lots of laughter and reminiscing.

Bubbles and Bees honored not only the ever evolving legacy of the Centre, but the efforts of staff, board, volunteers, and CEC members and guests, whose work and commitment to composting and conservation keeps the Centre a hub of environmental advocacy in the CRD.

Healing City Soils 2017 Healing City Soils (HCS) is a partnership between the CEC and Royal Roads University BSc in Environmental Science Program. In 2017 HCS offered free soil testing for heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and cadmium, at 100 garden sites across Saanich and Oak Bay in order to support people who are interested in growing food in their backyards, front yards, boulevards and community gardens. In addition to soil testing, students created an open-access soil health map highlighting areas where heavy metals may need to be addressed before growing food. This map, paired with factsheets and beginner-level soil science workshops, helps to empower people with the knowledge and skills to grow food safely or to heal their soil with compost, plants and mushrooms.

For the Love of Soil!

The 2nd annual Spring Fundraiser, For the Love of Soil, was held on April 12th at the Fernwood Inn. It was a great evening of songs of the Bell Miners, door prizes, live auctions, worm raps, furtive silent bidding, and of course, great company.

Through the support of many donations from local businesses as well as ticket sales, proceeds from the fundraiser surpassed the previous year. The funds directly support our school workshops and multifaceted flagship programs such as Healing City Soils. Vital community support such as this allows the CEC to continue to expand our reach in educating children and adults about the importance of soil conservation, composting, and creating and sustaining local food systems.

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Education Programs 

In 2017 we continued to teach thousands of children and adults about composting, soil, waste diversion/reduction and organic gardening. We also expanded our educational programs into the Cowichan Valley Regional District for the first time!



We taught 16,039 adults in 61 workshops and 12 community outreach events, and presented 176 school programs to 3,849 students and 626 teachers, parents and/or guardians.

What students and teachers are saying about our programs: 

“We wanted you to know we really enjoyed your workshop. It was engaging and fun. I think it is so important for students to learn about these helper animals that we don’t normally think about! “, Teacher from Savoury Elementary“

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“You had the students hooked from the first second! All the knowledge and your own personal energy towards composting was evident. It was also well planned for grade 3's to enjoy the puppets too. Very enjoyable!” Herv Kegalj, St. Josephs Elementary 3

2017 Financials 2017 TOTAL REVENUE $187,888

2017 TOTAL EXPENSES $186,990

To request a full copy of the CEC’s unaudited financial statements please email info@compost.bc.ca 4

Fundraising and Donor Recognition We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from our funders, community partners, volunteers and membership base who help us to deliver quality educational programming within the Capital Regional District. In addition to funds received from the Capital Regional District and the City of Victoria, the following sources supported our funding in 2017:

Funders

Cash and In-kind Donations

        

                     

Capital Regional District City of Victoria Province of British Columbia 1% For The Planet Foundation Flow Through Fund Horne Coupar Law Hummingbird Foundation TD Friends of the Environment Victoria Foundation First West Foundation

Additional Revenue       

Spring and Fall Organic Plant Sales Sales of composters Event Fundraising School programs Community workshops Memberships Donations

Black Press D.I.Y Fungi Hoyne Brewery Borden Mercantile Danica Nursery Dig This Fernwood NRG Fernwood Community Association Fernwood Inn Garden Works GeoBC Little Elf Garden Centre Meadow Oak Nursery Mason Street City Farm Royal Roads University Van Isle Water Systems Victoria Aquaponics Sooke Voice News Nezza Naturals Caffe Fantastico Fol Epi/Agrius Lifestyle Markets

Summary of Programs and Services The Compost Education Centre (CEC) was established in 1992 to educate CRD residents about composting, ecological gardening practices and soil conservation. Under contract to the CRD, the CEC annually offers presentations, workshops, educational compost demonstrations, volunteer training, monthly e-newsletters and maintains the CEC Hotline and website.

In 2017, the CEC delivered 176 school programs to 3849 children from Preschool to Grade 12, and facilitated 73 community workshops and learning events on topics from Building Healthy Soils, to Grow Your Own Food 101 and Composting Basics. Over 97,500 residents participated in one of our many community-centered events, workshops, and community compost demonstrations. In 2017, over 16,800 residents visited the CEC’s demonstration site or participated in an educational community event or compost demonstration.

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Staff

Board of Directors

Executive Director: Marika Smith Site Manager: Alysha Punnett Office & Communications Manager: Alexis Hogan Education Coordinator: Kayla Siefried

Chair: Jelena Putnik Vice Chair: Doug Mutch Treasurer: David Neate Secretary: Tamara Chirovsky

Message from the Executive Director The Compost Education Centre has had a busy and exciting 2017! We celebrated our 25th anniversary, launched the second year of Healing City Soils, and expanded our school programming into the Cowichan Valley Regional District. In our 25th year, we have continued to promote our teachings of soil conservation, and resource recovery through composting, and waste reduction .

Soil stewardship and conservation provides the foundation of all of our educational programs because soil is the building block of all that we consume, from the food that sustains us, to the clothes that we wear, and the medicines that can be vital to our livelihoods. Healthy soil is the bedrock of food security, resilient ecosystems and thriving communities.

Together with our dedicated staff, Board of Directors, and fabulous volunteers, we reach over 190,000 CRD residents annually with our educational services and practical solutions for living more sustainably. As a hub that connects soil health to food literacy, ecological restoration and bioremediation, the CEC is proud to be an educational resource for composting, organic food growing and teaching children and adults to be stewards of our beautiful and diverse natural resources. ~ Marika Smith

The Compost Education Centre is located on unceded and occupied Indigenous territories, specifically the land of the Lekwungen speaking people—the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. These nations are two of many, made up of individuals who have lived within the porous boundaries of what is considered Coast Salish, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Kwakwa'wakw Territory (Vancouver Island) since time immemorial. At the CEC we seek to respect, honour and continually grow our own understandings of Indigenous rights and history, and to fulfill our responsibilities as settlers, who live and work directly with the land and its complex, vital ecologies and our diverse, evolving communities.

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VICTORIA COMPOST AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION SOCIETY Financial Statements Year Ended December 31, 2017 (Unaudited - See Notice To Reader)

VICTORIA COMPOST AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION SOCIETY Index to Financial Statements Year Ended December 31, 2017 (Unaudited - See Notice To Reader)

Page NOTICE TO READER

1

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Statement of Financial Position

2

Statement of Operations and Changes in Fund Balance

3

Notes to Financial Statements

4

NOTICE TO READER On the basis of information provided by management, we have compiled the Statement of Financial Position of Victoria Compost and Conservation Education Society as at December 31, 2017 and the Statement of Operations and Changes in Fund Balance for the year then ended.

We have not performed an audit or a review engagement in respect of these financial statements and, accordingly, we express no assurance thereon.

Readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate for their purposes.

Victoria, British Columbia March 15, 2018

GREEN HORWOOD & CO LLP Chartered Professional Accountants

VICTORIA COMPOST AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION SOCIETY Statement of Financial Position December 31, 2017 (Unaudited - See Notice To Reader) 2017

2016

ASSETS CURRENT Cash Accounts receivable Inventory

$

FURNITURE (Note 3)

87,424 4,809 15,643

$

73,741 372 12,056

107,876

86,169

2,287

3,127

$

110,163

$

89,296

$

14,311 45,500

$

14,842 25,000

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS CURRENT Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred income

FUND BALANCE $ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

_____________________________ Director _____________________________ Director

See notes to financial statements

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59,811

39,842

50,352

49,454

110,163

$

89,296

VICTORIA COMPOST AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION SOCIETY Statement of Operations and Changes in Fund Balance Year Ended December 31, 2017 (Unaudited - See Notice To Reader) 2017 RECEIPTS Capital Regional District Base Project income Casino funds Items for resale Fundraising - Donations Memberships City of Victoria Victoria Foundation Interest and other income Wage recovery

$

DISBURSEMENTS Wages and benefits Administration costs Purchases for resale Project expenses Site costs Amortization Staff development Volunteer program

NET EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OF RECEIPTS OVER DISBURSEMENTS

89,900 31,016 25,000 21,325 7,476 5,535 5,000 2,075 561 -

$

201,470

125,934 26,333 16,474 13,902 2,588 840 532 387

137,430 22,634 17,297 23,045 3,394 1,270 729 2,029

186,990

207,828 (6,358)

49,454

FUND BALANCE - END OF YEAR

$

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90,575 31,556 26,500 26,044 1,782 4,865 4,875 10,815 1,242 3,216

187,888

898

FUND BALANCE - BEGINNING OF YEAR

See notes to financial statements

2016

50,352

55,812 $

49,454

VICTORIA COMPOST AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION SOCIETY Notes to Financial Statements Year Ended December 31, 2017 (Unaudited - See Notice To Reader) 1.

GENERAL Victoria Compost and Conservation Education Society was incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia on April 12, 1995. Its purpose is to encourage composting and conservation by providing public education programs and by establishing a demonstration site.

2.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Furniture Furniture is stated at cost less accumulated amortization. Furniture is amortized over its estimated useful life on a declining balance basis at the following rates: Equipment Computer equipment

20% 55%

In the year of acquisition, furniture is amortized at one-half of the annual rate.

3.

FURNITURE Accumulated amortization

Cost Equipment Computer equipment

4.

2017 Net book value

2016 Net book value

$

11,079 6,223

$

9,067 $ 5,948

2,012 275

$

2,515 612

$

17,302

$

15,015 $

2,287

$

3,127

CRD CAPITAL GRANT The CRD Capital Grant was disbursed in its entirety during 2011 on the building located at 1216 North Park Street, Victoria, BC. The building is not listed as an asset of the Compost Society as the terms of the CRD Funding Agreement specify that the building reverts back to the CRD upon the Society vacating the premises.

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