Tribune Express

PROVINCE MAKES CUTS TO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION FUNDING

- GREGG CHAMBERLAI­N gregg.chamberlai­n@eap.on.ca

Local municipali­ties seeking financial aid from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for community projects may have less chance of success. The provincial government is cutting its support funding for the foundation by several million dollars.

Last month provincial media reported that the Ford Progressiv­e Conservati­ve government is cutting its funding allocation to the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) by $15 million. There was no mention of the planned funding reduction in the government’s earlier economic profile report. The Ontario /POQSPàU /FUXPSL 0// IBT DSJUJDJ[FE UIF government’s action and is calling on voters, local municipal government­s, service clubs BOE PUIFS HSPVQT UP MPCCZ 2VFFOT 1BSL UP reverse the decision.

“The government has just put your comNVOJUZ BU SJTL CZ XJUIESBXJO­H B QSPNJTFE million to the Ontario Trillium Foundation, money that would have been granted out UP DPNNVOJUZ QSPKFDUT u TUBUFE UIF 0// in a news release. “Funding that would have strengthen­ed communitie­s won’t be EJTUSJCVUF­E -JLF GVOEJOH UP àY UIF JDF SJOL roof, support a local festival, buy community play equipment, provide meals to vulnerable people, and create jobs.”

5IF 0// XBSOFE UIBU àOEJOH BMUFSOBUF sources of financial aid to the OTF funding cut would be hard.

“Other foundation­s, municipali­ties, and donors cannot fill the funding gap the governNFOU IBT KVTU DSFBUFE u UIF 0// TUBUFE “The OTF is the only province-wide fund GPS BMM PSHBOJ[BUJPOT SFHBSEMFTT PG TJ[F PS subsector, to support important community initiative­s. In many rural and small communitie­s, the OTF is the only community HSBOU NBLFS u

Local OTF benefits

In the Five Counties region, some of the most recent projects receiving OTF aid JODMVEF UIF 5VDLFS )PVTF 3FOFXBM $FOUSF JO the City of Clarence3P­DLMBOE the VanLMFFL )JMM Agricultur­al Society in Champlain Township, the Village of Crysler JO /PSUI Stormont Township, and the Village of 8JODIFTUFS JO /PSUI %VOEBT 5PXOTIJQ

5VDLFS )PVTF SFDFJWFE UP IFMQ with upgrades to its environmen­tal learning centre operation, which provides educationa­l programs to improve local awareness of UIF FOWJSPONFO­U " HSBOU UP UIF 7BOLMFFL )JMM "HSJDVMUVSB­M 4PDJFUZ IFMQFE with upgrades to the electrical system at the 7BOLMFFL )JMM 'BJS HSPVOET B TJUF GPS NBOZ local festival events. The Crysler Community $FOUSF JO /PSUI 4UPSNPOU 5PXOTIJQ CFOFàUFE GSPN B HSBOU UP BTTJTU XJUI SFQMBDJOH UIF SPPG VQHSBEJOH UIF GBDJMJUZ LJUDIFO BOE NBLJOH UIF DPNNVOJUZ DFOUSF NPSF BDDFTsible to people with mobility problems. The 8JODIFTUFS $VSMJOH $MVC SFDFJWFE GPS weatherpro­ofing and other facility upgrades UP UIF MPDBM DVSMJOH SJOL

5IF 0// recommends contacting local MPPs and also sending letters or email to Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Michael Tibollo at minister. mtcs@ ontario.ca, and sharing local stories of how OTF funding has helped support community QSPKFDUT BOE QSPHSBNT 5IF 0// OPUFE UIBU EVSJOH UIF àTDBM ZFBS UIF 05' JOWFTUFE BCPVU NJMMJPO JOUP MPDBM FDPOPmies across the province through its grants, XJUI QFS DFOU PG UIBU NPOFZ TVQQPSUJOH local job creation.

Il y a peut-être moins d’argent disponible pour appuyer les festivals locaux, les programmes de loisirs ruraux et d’autres projets communauta­ires, en raison d’une réduction de 15 M$ du soutien financier provincial à la Fondation Trillium de l’Ontario. Le Réseau sans but lucratif de l’Ontario et d’autres organismes exhortent les électeurs à faire pression sur leurs députés provinciau­x et sur le ministre du Tourisme, de la Culture et du Sport pour qu’ils renversent la décision.

 ??  ?? La nouvelle année commence sur une note positive pour Nancy Hanna de Hawkesbury. Elle a de bonnes raisons de célébrer le début de 2019 après avoir gagné 100 000 $ à la loterie Mme Hanna a acheté son billet gagnant au comptoir de loterie du près de la rue Cameron dans le centre commercial Country 17.
La nouvelle année commence sur une note positive pour Nancy Hanna de Hawkesbury. Elle a de bonnes raisons de célébrer le début de 2019 après avoir gagné 100 000 $ à la loterie Mme Hanna a acheté son billet gagnant au comptoir de loterie du près de la rue Cameron dans le centre commercial Country 17.

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