Community youth programs and family and community support services were severely hit in the deficit provincial budget last Thursday.
One of the major blows for businesses, students, Heartland Youth Centre and local organizations is that the government has “temporarily suspended” the Summer Temporary Employment Program for students.
Heartland Youth Centre
“It will have a big impact on us,” said Winnie Bissett, executive-director of Heartland Youth Centre in Stettler.
“It has affected us by over $10,000.”
That’s the figure the HYC would have received to hire two STEP students for summer programs.
“It’s frustrating that we were not informed before that this program would be cut,” Bissett said.
HYC also loses funding from the Community Spirit program, which was cut and had provided $6,971 annually for operation expenses, she said.
Stettler and District FCSS
“FCSS programs and the non-profit sector will be significantly impacted by cuts in the provincial budget,” said Wendy Rhyason, executive-director of Stettler and District Family and Community Support Services.
“The Community Spirit Program and the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) provided much-needed operational funding to several Stettler and District FCSS programs and their elimination will affect their ability to continue some local services.”
STEP subsidized the wages for students to operate summer programs for children and complete other worthwhile projects.
“Without this program, non-profits will be unable to operate the same valuable local programs they have in the past,” Rhyason said.
“While the need for social services is increasing, funding is decreasing. As a result of these cuts, non-profit organizations will have to make some difficult decisions and the impact will be felt locally.”
Stettler Board of Trade
By removing STEP, businesses will also feel the impact.
“Some businesses and organizations may be affected by the cancellation of the STEP program,” said Aubrey Brown, executive director for Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development.
“It will be difficult for local students to find jobs at home.”
He said businesses are probably happy that the province didn’t introduce a provincial sales tax or payroll tax.
Community Spirit Program
Launched in April 2008, the Community Spirit Program was designed to increase individual charitable giving to help support Alberta’s non-profit and charitable organizations, Rhyason said.
The program is donor-driven, meaning it recognizes and encourages Albertans to make cash donations.
“Monies received from Albertans stay in Alberta to support Alberta-based non-profit and charitable organizations,” Rhyason said.
“The intent of this grant is to partner with individual Albertans who donate monies to eligible non-profit organizations by providing these organizations with a proportional grant based on the amount of eligible cash donations received.”
Health care
Health care got a shot in the arm, with slightly more funding for operations, as the provincial government committed to capital funding to try to improve health-care facilities, hospitals, family-care clinics, supportive-living and longterm care. No specifics were given locally.