Annual funding asks from community groups higher than normal, says Mayor Brosseau

Several Bonnyville based community groups have made presentations in front of town council vying for annual funding dollars in the latter half of September. 

Town council has had multiple special council meetings to get an estimate from non-profits about what funding they’ll be asking for in the upcoming 2023 Budget. 

This process of having these groups make delegations to council was started a few years ago, as a way to keep contact and see if needs are changing.

“A lot of the ground funding that we provide them, it’s tax dollars, so it’s important that they come and do a delegation to council and tell us how’s it going with their organization to ensure that that money is spent being spent appropriately,” said mayor Elisa Brosseau. 

“We’re really finding that this year, through the last couple of years with the pandemic, it was really difficult on organizations, that a lot of them are volunteer based, and any way to generate revenue has been lost for them.” 

The Jr. A Pontiacs, Primary Care Network, Friendship Centre, and Ag Society made presentations on September 14. 

The next day, the Gear Grabbers, SPCA, the Historical Society, the Riverland Recreational Trail Society, Curling Club, Municipal Library, also made annual funding requests.

On September 28, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Bonnyville Health Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Amateur Football Association, Centennial Centre, and the Chamber of Commerce came forward as well.

“They’re coming back and they’ve got greater than normal asks. So that’s going to be tough for council to take a step back and take a look at all of them and what the asks are. Of course, we have limited funding as well. So how are we going to proceed with that? We will see,” said Brosseau.