As city councillors doled out roughly $850,000 in municipal grant money Monday night (city report), representatives from the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre became the case in point for local community groups that have been left high and dry due to lack of resources caused by political buck-passing.
“Our expenses have increased and our grants have decreased. The situation has reached a crisis level,” stated Mary Scott, an RWRC board member, speaking to the city’s finance committee.
The 38-year-old centre is a non-profit group that strives to support women in various facets, such as job searches, immigrant integration, education, and helping women escape domestic violence.
In its grant application it listed expenses of $166,000 and asked for $54,000. On Monday, councillors approved $15,700.
Last year, the centre closed its doors for two summer months to stop the fiscal bleeding and does not open on Fridays anymore.
Scott said more time is being spent fundraising, just to keep operating.
She added it was the city’s social responsibility, but Mayor Malcolm Brodie’s opinion differed.
“I’ll politely disagree. It’s the provincial government that’s responsible for social services in the city.
“We want to be fair and compassionate to everyone, but the standards you’re placing on the city’s shoulders are too high,” said Brodie.
Coun. Bill McNulty was equally unimpressed with the province.
“Christy Clark and her entourage have to start coming to the table,” said McNulty.
Scott acknowledged grants from the provincial and federal governments had declined and said about three quarters of all women’s centres in B.C. have closed recently.
Local MLA's Teresa Wat and Linda Reid did not return calls from the Richmond News and John Yap was unavailable.
According to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development the centre received $50,000 for 2014-2015.
Brodie listed a number of organizations he would have liked to give more money to and noted a review of the funding source for grants — gaming revenue from the River Rock casino — is forthcoming.
Under Brodie’s leadership, council has spent 3.9 per cent of gaming revenue on community grants since 2004.
The city is currently sitting on an estimated $15 million of unallocated money from gaming revenue, which has largely been allocated to the Richmond Olympic Oval and other capital projects, such as two firehalls, heritage restoration projects and the new Minoru pool and seniors centre.
Last October, councillors Chak Au and Ken Johnston promised to double the community grants portion.
According to city staff, grants are based on merit, organizational structure and impact to the community. One factor that plays a role in receiving grants is how a group has sought funding through other means (fundraising, provincial grants etc.).
