Port Moody considers a corporate sponsorship and naming-rights program to raise municipal revenue

Port Moody is considering opening more municipal programs, events and assets to corporate sponsorship and naming rights as it seeks revenue beyond property taxes. Council received a proposed framework for a Sponsorship, Advertising, Naming Rights and Donation (SAND) program at its Sept. 22 meeting. The partnerships could eventually generate upwards of $175,000 a year. Consultant Nancy Owens told council the program could help pay for community programming and amenities while diversifying the city’s revenue. She said the aim is to support events, programs and public spaces through carefully governed partnerships that contribute to long-term financial resilience.

The city hired Owens in 2025 to examine sponsorship and naming-rights opportunities and develop a framework covering governance, funding, industry practices, and attracting and retaining sponsors. Owens is currently on loan to Port Moody from her role supervising sponsorship and advertising for the City of Burnaby. She said municipalities are increasingly formalizing sponsorship programs as service demands grow and their taxation options remain limited.

Under the proposal, Port Moody could create an inventory of municipal assets available for sponsorship, advertising or naming rights, along with eligibility criteria for assets and potential partners. The framework would distinguish commercial naming rights from honorary naming. Sponsorships would generally exchange money or other contributions for recognition over a limited period; commercial naming rights would involve longer-term agreements and greater council oversight. Owens recommended requiring council approval for naming rights and major sponsorship agreements worth more than $75,000. The city’s report says a full program would also include authorization rules, ethical and eligibility standards, contracts, an asset inventory and an evaluation process. Staff said appropriate valuations and a fair process for offering sponsorship opportunities would be critical.

Generating meaningful revenue would require an initial investment. A proposed two-year pilot would cost approximately $72,000 a year and include a staff position working three days a week. The position would identify and value assets, market opportunities, solicit sponsors, develop relationships and administer agreements. Owens estimated the program could generate $50,000 to $75,000 in its first year and $75,000 to $125,000 in its second. She said that within three to five years, a mature program could bring in $175,000 or more annually.

Coun. Kyla Knowles said the city should explore additional income sources, adding that it should look broadly within reason and that this is a time when spending money to make money makes sense. Coun. Haven Lurbiecki was more cautious about bringing private-sector partnerships into public spaces, although she said the proposed framework appeared balanced. She said her immediate concern was protecting the public good while considering any form of private-sector partnership. She was somewhat uncomfortable with the general concept but open to measured, informed consideration.

Owens said Port Moody would need to maintain a dedicated staff position once sponsorship agreements were established. Coun. Callan Morrison asked whether the workload might eventually decline enough for the city to reduce the position or rely on a contractor for renewals. Owens cautioned against that approach, saying sponsor relationships require ongoing work. She said a permanent part-time resource was the bare minimum to maintain and gradually grow the program, and warned that without dedicated staff the work often gets handled off the side of employees’ desks, limiting effectiveness. The staff report likewise says dedicated resources are needed to coordinate work across city departments and build long-term sponsor relationships.

For now, the city has included $20,000 in its proposed 2027 capital budget for foundational work, including hiring a consultant to establish asset valuations, funding levels, contract templates and evaluation measures. That work would not include actively seeking sponsors or donors. Council could instead proceed with the more extensive two-year pilot, which would include actively soliciting sponsors and advertisers. Under that option, five to seven per cent of sponsorship revenue, excluding donations, would go toward administering the program; the remaining funds would be directed to recognition materials and other program, event or asset costs. Mayor Meghan Lahti said council will have more detailed discussions before deciding how to proceed.