Just last week we heard that Westlock FCSS could find itself in rough shape since it has received no funding increases from the province and no longer has deferred revenue to rely on.
The implications of this are that fewer services may be offered to those who need them, and the services that are offered may come with user fees.
As director Jayme Baxter so succinctly put it, “As with any social programs when they make cuts, the people who need it the most are the ones who will suffer.”
Likewise we know that the Hope Resource Centre, which has helped more than 100 people struggling with domestic violence since it opened its doors in 2010, is facing budgetary problems — despite a $50,000 provincial grant earlier this year, the centre has still been forced to reduce its hours and increase its funding.
And these two organizations are obviously not alone.
While local municipalities have thrown varying degrees of support behind non-profits and social services organizations in our community, they can’t be expected to shoulder the burden themselves.
In the case of FCSS, there has been no funding increase from the province for four years — so if we’re to keep up with inflation municipalities must contribute more than the 20 per cent that the province asks of them.
In the case of the Hope Resource Centre, there was no shortage of federal money to get the project off the ground in the first place, but it now no longer qualifies for the Status of Women grants that have been so crucial — leaving substantial funds to make up.
This week we heard that the parties involved are looking into the possibility that the family violence outreach services currently provided by the Hope Resource Centre could be rolled into FCSS — a move that could certainly save money but may not necessarily keep service levels the same.
More distressing is that it seems these conversations have been held behind closed doors, leaving both the taxpayers who fund these programs and the people who use them out of the loop.
We certainly hope a resolution can be found that will ensure the continuation of these important programs, and that it will be a resolution that has public support.
