Several summer camps in Manitoba were surprised to learn that they would not be receiving funding from the Manitoba Government through the Urban and Hometown Green Team Program. This program helps organizations, such as Camp Assiniboia, pay for staff wages. The denial of funding has left many camps worried about how they will afford to pay their summer staff, many of whom are university students relying on this income to save up for their education. The Manitoba Camping Association reported that eight accredited camps were completely denied funding, while others received only a portion of what they were expecting.
Camp Assiniboia, for example, used the green team funding to pay staff the Manitoba minimum wage, a cost they can no longer afford without the government grant. This has left them and other camps in a difficult position, with the options being to keep programs and take on debt, or make cuts to their staff or programming. The sudden cut in funding has come as a surprise to many camps, especially considering that the grant has been regularly received by camps across the province. There is uncertainty surrounding the reasons for the denial of funding and a lack of communication from the government regarding the decision.
Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, Ian Bushie, did not provide a clear explanation as to why some camps did not receive the usual funding. He did mention an increase in applications for the grant, with over 800 applications received and over 500 projects funded. Bushie reassured that no camps would be closing this year and expressed a commitment to keeping programs like those offered at Camp Assiniboia running. The Minister is scheduled to meet with the Manitoba Camping Association to discuss how to support camps facing financial difficulties.
Kim Scherger, executive director of the Manitoba Camping Association, hopes to re-evaluate the green team grant process with the minister to avoid similar funding issues in the future. She suggests starting the application process earlier in the year to align with camp staffing timelines. Despite the uncertainty and challenges posed by the denial of funding, camps like Camp Assiniboia are determined to find a way to make things work for the upcoming summer season. The importance of providing camp experiences for children and ensuring the livelihood of camp staff are key considerations for these organizations.
Overall, the unexpected denial of funding has caused significant stress and uncertainty for summer camps in Manitoba. The financial impact on staffing and programming is a major concern for organizations like Camp Assiniboia, which rely on the government grant to support their operations. While Minister Bushie has assured that no camps will be closing this year, the future funding landscape remains unclear. Camps are left to navigate the challenges of the current situation and are hopeful for a positive outcome from discussions with the government to address the funding shortfall.
