The B.C. government, facing furious public reaction, restored cuts in
gambling-revenue grants made in the provincial budget and went one step
further Wednesday.

From the Press Release:

September 2, 2009

Ministry of Housing and Social Development

 

THREE-YEAR
COMMUNITY GAMING GRANTS FUNDED

 

VICTORIA – The Province is fully funding
organizations that received three-year community gaming grant commitments,
Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman announced today.

 

      This decision will ensure continued
support for the programs and services provided by 540 groups who received
commitments for three-year grants from the Province.

     

      Priorities
for the remainder of 2009/10 grants will be:

 

·        
Programs
that support low-income and disabled British Columbians.

·        
Programs
that provide food, shelter and support to at risk individuals.

·        
Programs
that support community health services.

·        
Programs
that fund nutritional and similar programs in schools for underprivileged
children.

·        
Public
safety programs.

·        
A
limited number of arts and culture activities.

·        
Community
education programs, such as daycares and preschools.

·        
Public
community facilities like community halls and recreation facilities.

·        
Youth
and disabled sports.

·        
Non-sport
youth groups, such as scouts and cadets.

·        
Written
three-year commitments made to community groups.

 

      As
in previous years, demand for community gaming grants significantly exceeds the
available funding. The Province is fully supporting some of the
highest-priority organizations.  Other
organizations will receive less funding than they request so that the maximum
number of organizations receive support from community gaming grants.

     

      To
date, $53 million has been allocated to gaming grants for 2009/10. The Province
considers applications for community gaming grants four times per year.

 

      More information about community gaming grants is available at: http://www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/gaming/

From the Canadian Press article: B.C. budget forecasts $2.8 billion deficit, higher debt, increases medical premiums

The government will spend extra $80 million to combat the H1N1 flu
virus and plans for all-day kindergarten are also back on the agenda.

Although
full-day kindergarten was introduced last year, it was not accounted
for in the budget released in February and the government hinted that
hard times meant it was an unaffordable luxury.

But the Liberals
now say they will spend $151 million this year to ensure half of
British Columbia's five-year-olds can opt for full-day kindergarten
next year, with the remaining following in 2011. It's unclear how the
government will decide which half.

Hansen used full-day
kindergarten as an example of how families will benefit financially
from this budget, an apparent effort to offset some of the anger from
British Columbians over the 12-per-cent HST, a combination of the
provincial sales tax and the federal GST.

From the Vancouver Sun article: B.C. increases budget for welfare, kindergarten and forest fires

Hansen also announced $151 million in funding to start an all-day
provincial kindergarten program. The money will provide spots for half
of the children starting kindergarten in 2010 and all of those starting
in 2011.

“A full-day program, an enriched program for students is
a benefit,” said Connie Denesiuk, president of the B.C. School Trustees
Association. “There was a period of time where all-day kindergarten was
in question and now it’s back on the agenda, and we are glad to see
that.”

The new opportunity also presents new challenges for
schools, Denesiuk said. Not every school will have space available and
school districts will have to find more teachers.

From The Opinion 250 article: Provincial Deficit $2.8 Billion This Year

The Budget Update supports government’s plan to introduce
full-day kindergarten in British Columbia. It commits $151 million to
provide the option of full-day kindergarten for 50 per cent of
five-year-olds starting school next year, and for all five-year-olds in
British Columbia by fall 2011.

From CTV.ca article: B.C. delivers bad-news budget as deficit balloons

The province is planning to spend more in certain areas, including $151
million to allow half of British Columbia's five-year-olds to opt for
full-day kindergarten next year, with the remaining half getting access
in 2011.