SPCA will receive town funding of $50,000 a little early

The Bonnyville and District SPCA will receive their money for 2019 a little early.

The SPCA requested the town release their funds before the final budget is passed in April because they need the money fast.

Council approved the $50,000 contribution the SPCA as budgeted in the 2019 Operating Budget.

“The SPCA as we’re very familiar with is in hard times right now. Their previous sources of money through donations and corporate funding has really dried up with the tight times we’re in. As a result of that, they asked the town to release the funds earlier,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski.

Councillors Ray Prevost and Elise Brosseau wanted clarification on if the funding will be reviewed each year.

“Again, some of the concerns from the council was, is this in perpetuity, are we doing this every year? Of course, the answer was no. Like any other committee that’s asking for funding, there are those assurances that the funds are going to spent on operations and where they’re spent, because there is accountability with public funding.

“We do ask for the financial statements and have an opportunity to review them if there’s an application in the future.”

The Bonnyville and District SPCA will receive $60,000 from the M.D. of Bonnyville in 2019 as well.

They presented to each council for operational funding back in November saying they had run out of the corporate funds which had kept them afloat for years.