Clear Full Forecast

Social Grants Spark Downloading Discussion

By 250 News

Thursday, February 19, 2009 03:55 AM

Prince George, B.C.- The social grants approved by Prince  George City Council  last night in their budget meeting, should be covered by the Provincial government says Councilor Brian Skakun. “I look at some of the groups needing money and I think  most of these requests should be covered by Northern Health and the Province.”
Skakun pointed to groups such as Mental Health Association, Deaf Children, Northern HIV Health Education Society.  “I want these groups to get the money they need, but I do want to be on record as saying this is something the other levels of government should be covering.”
The funding requests are the result of downloading from the other levels of government, something Councilor Dave Wilbur says has made municipal governments the ‘grantor of last resort’ “The Federal Government and Provincial Government should be embarrassed by this and we should make them aware of that at every opportunity.”
While Council has approved  some of the grant requests, ( to the tune of $125 thousand dollars)  this is not the highest amount that has been requested. Staff  say they believe many groups have just given up as they may have failed in past requests. Last year the request for funding was in the $300 thousand dollar range, this year, requested amounts were just shy of $275 thousand.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email Email | Print Print | Share on Facebook Facebook | Tweet! Twitter | Digg Digg | Del.icio.us Del.icio.us

Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2009 03:55 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home
NetBistro

Comments

Comment Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on February 19 2009 8:04 AM
Lots of needy people out there, no end to it. I wonder what they did in the days of old?
Comment Posted by: xommilf on February 19 2009 8:09 AM
Yama: They died.
Comment Posted by: Big-Wayne on February 19 2009 8:12 AM
Yamadoo
It’s like Skakun & Wilbur said in days of old, when taxes were lower & Mulroney with his Conserviative Reform Alliance people hadn't sunk us further into the quagmire, Federal & Provincial Governments picked it up no the last resort tax of the municipalities
Comment Posted by: lostfaith on February 19 2009 8:37 AM
"The funding requests are the result of downloading from the other levels of government, something Councilor Dave Wilbur says has made municipal governments the ‘grantor of last resort’ “The Federal Government and Provincial Government should be embarrassed by this and we should make them aware of that at every opportunity.”


It doesn't seem to bother them now does it?

Perhaps the city of PG should try it themselves.

Sorry the "grantor of last resort" doesn't have anymore taxpayers dollars for you.

Welcome to the real world.
Comment Posted by: Harbinger on February 19 2009 3:47 PM
Bleeding heart do-gooders should pursue the average working person for funds concerning their altruistic agendas instead of city hall with the bank account created by taxpayers. They can find out how many people in the community share their insights to social injustices. Maybe it is easier for them to lay the sleeve on city hall only because city hall's mindset on their generosity is focused on other peoples money.
Comment Posted by: camoose on February 19 2009 9:14 PM

Wow, ONLY $25,000 less than last year. Such a deal. Grant them all and we can save $25,000 over last years requests. Wanna buy a bridge over the Nechako??