CUTS in various provincial grant programs are affecting community groups, school groups, charities and even local and regional governments, indicate figures now released.
Last July, the City of Terrace received a small community grant of $111,284 and traffic fine revenue money in the amount of $83,391 for a total of $194,675 from the Strategic Community Investment Fund, as announced by Community and Rural Development Minister Ben Stewart. This was almost $100,000 less than the previous year when the city received a small community grant of $184,982 and traffic fine revenue sharing of $107,998 for a total of $292,980.
The Kitimat-Stikine regional district received $53,353 – compared to its previous year’s amount of $88,685 – and the District of Stewart received $104,558, less than its previous year’s take of $173,802
The money was designated for public safety and local priorities such as new police equipment, new police officers, community safety and crime prevention as well as new infrastructure, planning, improvements to existing infrastructure and roads and local employment opportunities.
The Strategic Community Investment Fund is a restructuring of provincial grant money made available through previous traffic fine revenue sharing programs and ones to funnel money to smaller communities and regional districts.
In another round of grant money from provincial government programs for human and social services and for public safety, community groups received a total of $387,650.
The money was divided up among many groups.
The Skeena Valley Snowmobile Association received $1,875, compared to its previous year’s amount of $7,500.
The Terrace 747 Air Cadet Society received $4,900 in contrast to its previous year’s take of $12,008.99.
The Terrace Salmonid Enhancement Society received $7,875, down from its previous year’s $31,500.
The Kinsmen Club of Terrace received only $9,125, way down from its previous year’s amount of $35,795.65.
Local Rotarians received $11,250, down from its previous year’s $18,000.
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #13 received $15,625, down from the previous year’s $25,000.
The Knights of Columbus #5149 – Terrace received $16,875, down from the previous year’s $27,000.
The Order of The Royal Purple #216 received $18,750, down from the previous year’s $30,000.
The Terrace Elks Lodge #425 of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Canada received $18,750, down from its previous year’s amount of $30,000.
The Terrace Search and Rescue Society received $35,000, less than half of the previous year’s $77,184.
Volunteer Terrace received $35,625, down from its previous year’s amount of $57,000.
Several groups received the same amount of money as the previous year including Terrace Hospice Society with $17,000, Mills Memorial Hospital Auxiliary with $20,000, Terrace & District Community Services Society with $30,000, Ksan House Society with $50,000 and Kermode Friendship Society with $95,000.
Grants for school-based Parent Advisory Councils (PAC) tended to receive more money this year than last.
Kitwanga Elementary School PAC received $1,400, up from $810 the previous year.
Nisga’a Elementary Secondary School PAC received $5,040, up from $2,690.
The Stewart Bear Valley School PAC received $1,620. The previous year it did not receive any money.
Cassie Hall Elementary PAC received $5,400, up from $1,970.
The District Parent Advisory Council for School District #82 - Coast Mountains received $2,500, up from $1,250.
Kiti K’Shan PAC received $2,780, up from $2,140.
L’Ape De Jack Cook - PAC received $720. The previous year it received no money.
Suwilaawks Community School PAC received $4,940, up from $3,200.
Thornhill Elementary PAC received $4,580, up from $2,590.
Thornhill Primary School PAC received $4,040, up from $2,040.
Uplands PAC received $7,300, up from $3,710.
Veritas School Parents Support Group received $4,120, up from $2,080.
Several PACs had their grant money slashed from the previous year.
Caledonia Senior Secondary School PAC received $9,560, down from $17,758.92.
Skeena Junior Secondary Parents Advisory Council received $11,110, down from $11,500.
Thornhill Junior Secondary PAC received $4,415, down from $4,940.
The total for Terrace PAC grants for this year was $61,465.
Arts and culture grants to the city were as follows: the Terrace Art Association received $2,100 and the Dare to Dream Foundation received $7,500 for a total of $9,600.
Arts and culture programs that involve active youth participation were eligible for community gaming grants. Programs in which youth were only part of the audience were not eligible.
Grant money for adult literacy were given to two local organizations but the government declined to list the amounts given. The locals who received money for literacy were Northwest Community College/Kermode Friendship Society and Northwest Community College/The Terrace Volunteer Bureau.
Money for youth education and search and rescue went to the British Columbia Original Minds Association (BCOMA) and the British Columbia Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA), of which the local search and rescue is a part of. No one in the area received grants for youth and disabled sports.