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MORE ON THE THE GAMING REPORT

On January 23, 2012, in Art and Culture Funding , Gaming Grant Review , Gaming Revenue , Solicitor General , by Tom Durrie

From Colin Miles

Friends,
I think the arts and culture and non-profit sector  in BC has been under siege and is so relieved to have some resolution of the gaming revenues issue that it has lost its sense of outrage.

Although the Triplett Report has much value, I was disappointed he rejected the option of allotting a percentage of gaming  revenues to charities.  A frozen reduced and capped amount is little to celebrate.

We are underwhelmed and being too polite about the government response, I think

I hope others will respond to Pete McMartin’s insightful column

The non-profit sector and all it accomplishes is too important to  be demeaned this way.  We can be respectful of public servants but this is a matter of justice and we need to tell them their solution is just not good enough.  My two cent’s worth.

I am pleased the SUN printed my letter but they changed my words from “billions” to  “millions”.

If someone wants to take it from here we might coin the term the “two billion dollar theft.”

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COMMENTS ON GAMING POLICY REVIEW

On January 13, 2012, in Alliance for Arts and Culture , Art and Culture Funding , Christy Clark , Gaming Grant Review , Gaming Revenue , by Tom Durrie

Here are two pertinent comments on Christy Clark’s Gaming Policy Review.

Read Pete McMartin’s column: Government slight of hand does not fool charities.

Following is the response from the Alliance for Arts and Culture:

Alliance Responds To Gaming Grant Announcements

Premier Christy Clark today released Scott Triplett’s Community Gaming Grant Review report and announced some good news for the arts community.

”We are very encouraged by Premier Clark’s announcement of increases to funding and eligibility for BC Gaming Grants,” saidAlliancefor Arts and Culture executive director Rob Gloor in responding to today’s announcement.

“The premier has described the $135 Million grant budget as the ‘new base’, and added that stabilizing arts funding has been a priority for her government and a personal commitment since taking office as premier.  There is no doubt that today’s announcement will have a very positive impact in communities across BC through the work of hundreds of organizations.

“TheAlliancefor Arts and Culture is eager to review the fine details of the funding and associated allocations process in the context of Mr. Triplett’s report. The arts community has endured tremendous funding challenges over the past three years, and we are grateful to receive some news of positive steps,” Mr. Gloor concluded.

ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Province has increased gaming grants in its annual base budget to a total of $135 million, beginning this fiscal year.
  • That will mean $15 million more in gaming grants than originally budgeted for 2011/12.
  • This funding will reach right across the province with a large part going outside of the Lower Mainland to more than 2,000 organizations in hundreds of communities.
  • Groups focusing on adult arts and sports, animal welfare and environmental concerns will be eligible for community gaming grants.
  • These reinstated groups will receive a total of $8 million. The Province will conduct a special intake of applications from Jan. 16 to Feb. 13 to ensure these groups are eligible for funding this fiscal year. Interested organizations will be required to apply online.
  • Of this $8 million, $6 million will be allocated for adult arts, culture and sport organizations, while environmental organizations will be allocated $2 million.
  • This funding will benefit non-profit organizations that deliver key community services such as animal shelter organizations, fish and wildlife associations, lake and stream stewardship societies, district arts councils, museum societies, and theatres.
  • The remaining $7 million will be used to increase funding to groups that have experienced reductions during the past three years, including those responsible for fairs, festivals, youth arts and culture, community service, the B.C. Senior Games and community education organizations.
  • Funding will benefit community-focused organizations such as Kiwanis and Lions Club, heritage and folk music societies, non-profit child development societies, youth music schools and pipe bands.
  • The Province is also exploring options for introducing multi-year funding in the coming years for groups that have achieved earned independence through sound fiscal practices.

Today’s government media release can be found here .
THE REVIEW

Between August 11th and Sept.16th, 2011 Mr. Triplett held Community Forums in 19 locations across BC. A total of 1,229 British Columbians attended these forums and 336 people made oral presentations

The full Community Gaming Grant report can be found here .

The community presentations can be found here .

- END -

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GAMING GRANT POLICY REVIEW

On January 5, 2012, in 2011 Election , Art and Culture Funding , Christy Clark , Gaming Grant Review , Gaming Revenue , by Tom Durrie

WHAT HAPPENED TO CHRISTY CLARK’S GAMING GRANT REVIEW?
This letter was sent to the Vancouver Courier by AABC member Colin Miles.

Arts Advocacy BC sent a short questionnaire posing this question to leadership candidates of the provincial Liberal and New Democratic Party.

“Will you honour the 1999 Memorandum of Agreement to allocate 33.3 percent of gaming revenues to non-profits, or agree to re-negotiate that agreement in good faith?
”

While NDP and Green candidates answered they would honour the memorandum, Christy Clark answered.  “These are difficult economic times and I want to make sure that we maintain our fiscal discipline. At the same time, groups who count on gaming grants 
as a source of revenue need some assurance, which is why I will ask a retired judge to chair a review of the way gaming grants are allocated to all groups in the province to ensure there is a stable and sustainable funding formula.
 The arts community will have a voice at the table during the review of gaming grants as we all work to create a funding system that works for government and the groups that count on the funding.”

Since the Campbell Government abrogated the Memorandum of Agreement, 8,000 organizations in the non-profit sector have been decimated and it is estimated 1,500 non-profit organizations have gone under.  Arts and culture have been doubly jeopardized by savage cuts in grants.

As promised, Premier Clark appointed Skip Triplett to chair a Community Gaming Grant Review.  1,700 British Columbians made submissions and the Report was delivered October 31.  It was supposed to be released to the public by year-end, but the Government has reneged on this promise.   Why the delay?  Does the report perhaps embarrass the government?

Colin Miles

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British Columbia Gaming Grant Review

On August 13, 2011, in Art and Culture Funding , Christy Clark , Gambling , Gaming Grant Review , Gaming Revenue , Uncategorized , by Tom Durrie

FOUR PRESENTATION POINTS FOR THE GAMING GRANT REVIEW
SEE ALSO: ACTION ALERTS

AABC board member David Stewart is presenting the following four points to the Castelgar forum on Monday,  August 15th:

  1. Streamline the application and reporting process for organizations whose budgets are under $50,000 per year
  2. Re-structure eligibility to include adult engagement in Arts, Culture, and Heritage activities
  3. Use gaming grants to increase the Province’s funding to Arts, Culture, and Heritage to at least the National Average. BC has, for too long had the questionable distinction of ranking thirteenth of all the provinces and territories when it comes to arts and heritage funding.
  4. Re-introduce and strengthen options for multi-year funding to enhance the sustainability of charitable organizations.

David is president of both the  BC Choral Federation and the  North Kootenay Lake Arts & Heritage Council.

You’ll find information about the review at this government website . Be sure to follow the links to location nearest you, how to make a written submission, etc. It’s also informative to Google “BC Gaming Grant Review” and see what other people are saying about it. Is this a serious request for citizen recommendations–or just the usual Liberal window dressing?

Don’t forget to see: ACTION ALERTS

We value your comments.

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