A New Deal for the Non-Profit Sector

Brampton’s non-profits should succeed because of what they can do for the community—not because of who they know at City Hall. We should prioritize Merit over Access, with transparency and accountability as guiding principles.

In 2018, Council told Brampton Focus to apply through the ordinary community-grant process. One year later, Mayor Patrick Brown initiated a special review that led to a direct $150,000 allocation for a Neighbourhood Watch pilot managed by Brampton Focus—an organization founded and previously led by political allies on Council.

There was no competitive application process and no conventional written contract. Nearly $94,000—almost two-thirds of the City’s contribution—went to one program manager, Fazal Khan, a founder of Brampton Focus along with councillor Paul Vicente, one of the Mayor's strongest allies.

I have worked with many non-profits over the years, and know full well that the City has a clear policy that grants and funding are not intended to fund administration or payroll costs. So how did this happen?

The Integrity Commissioner found no pecuniary conflict involving Councillors Vicente or Santos, but found that Council and staff failed to enforce lobbying-registration requirements and recommended proper written funding agreements.

Meanwhile, every other community organization was expected to complete an application, compete for limited funding and follow the City’s ordinary rules. Including the prohibitions around using grant monies for salaries.

That is the problem with Patrick Brown’s City Hall in a nutshell: friends and political allies appear to get access, special consideration and exceptions that ordinary residents and organizations do not receive.

That trend has only amplified the longer he has been in office.

Brampton Focus was not an isolated case. In the BramptonU file, forensic investigators found that firms connected to Brown and Councillor Santos received an “unfair advantage” and more than $600,000 in City work. Brown and his council allies then voted to terminate the investigation before its final report. After Brown’s re-election, his administration brought back controversial officials with previous political connections to him. The pattern is difficult to ignore: insiders repeatedly appear to receive access, opportunities and second chances unavailable to ordinary residents and organizations.

When the culture of Access over Merit affects the Non-Profit Sector, it impacts the vulnerable and less fortunate the hardest.

I want a New Deal for Brampton’s non-profit sector:

Open applications. Clear rules. Fair competition. Written agreements. Publicly reported results.

Funding decisions should be based on community need, organizational capacity and measurable public benefit. Every qualified organization should receive the same opportunity to make its case.

No inside track. No special route for the politically connected. One rule for thee, the same rule for me.

It should never be about who you know.

It should be about what you can do for Brampton.

On October 26th, elect Wesley Jackson for Mayor of Brampton