The Town of High River will be short approximately $1 million dollars with recent Provincial budget cuts to MSI funding and other grants.

Chief Financial Officer for the Town of High River, Kola Oladimeji presented his findings to Council in the regular council meeting Tuesday, November 12.

He says the cutbacks were significant.

“There will be significant reductions to some municipal grants totaling approximately $1 million,” He adds, “This will impact the 2020 operating and capital budget funding. It will also require careful review and discussion as the Town’s 2020 Budget is prepared.”

Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding (MSI) will be cut by 14 per cent in 2020 and following years, totaling a loss of $420,000 per year to the town.

The Province will also be increasing the amount municipalities charge their tax-payers as they increase the Education Tax Requisition by 4 per cent, for an increase of $196,000.

Oladimeji explains in Council, the Education Tax Requisition is a provincial education charge, downloaded onto municipalities, so they have no choice but to collect that money from taxpayers.

Other cuts include funding for the Family and Community Resiliency Programs like the Parent Link Centres, where grants have been cancelled completely.

The Prevention and Early Intervention Operating Grant will leave the town less $440,000 a year, and will have unknown effects on the Parent Link programming.

Deputy Mayor Michael Nychyk says as the budget is created over coming weeks, council and administration will be working together.

"Given the Province’s current financial realities, we have anticipated a budget of restraint in our 2020 budget planning. Council and Administration will work diligently to maintain and deliver essential services, ensure quality of life and provide excellent municipal services."

Though there was many grants cancelled in the 2019 budget, the provincial Government is still encouraging communities to submit proposals for expressions of interests in grant programming that has been cancelled, such as the The Prevention and Early Intervention Operating which funds Parent Link.

Deputy Mayor Nychyk says they will remain diligent and transparent through the budget process.

“We would like our residents to know that we will maintain a focus on providing quality support and programming to families in our community,” adds Nychyk. “Administration will review the new funding process, including potential opportunities that may be presented, and submit an expression of interest.”

Council is continuing to hold special meetings starting Thursday, November 14, to deal with community funding requests and again Monday, November 18 and Tuesday, November 19 to go over the operating and capital budgets.

The public are invited to attend all meetings.

 

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