The City of Richmond’s social planners are recommending to city council that the cash-strapped Richmond Women’s Resource Centre be allocated additional funding next year
Planners, in a report to council this week, are pitching a recommendation that stops short of assisting the centre immediately, namely because the city’s policy is to “not accept downloading of social services from senior governments.”
The centre assists women who face a combination of social, health, financial, and cultural difficulties.
The city’s report does state it is council’s prerogative to give additional money for this year, however, doing so would “constitute reliance on city funding for social services, a provincial responsibility.”
In February, city council awarded the centre about $16,000 in gaming revenue grants when the centre had asked for $32,000 to cover operating losses.
Without additional money the centre is expected to face more closures in the short and long term.
The report notes provincial funding, outside of gaming grants, was cut off in 2004. A decision from council is expected next week.
