After lengthy debate, qathet Regional District’s finance committee members made recommendations for 25 grant-in-aid requests.
At the June 7 finance committee meeting, directors heard requests of $261,130 for the $291,479 available for the financial assistance intake. Recommendations from the finance committee have to be affirmed by votes at the June 28 regional board meeting.
The most contentious was the first item, where there was a recommendation that the board approve a grant of $56,543 to Powell River Outdoor Recreation Users Group (ORUG) Trails Society for annual trail maintenance. Directors made motions to decrease and to increase the requested grant amount, but the motions, except for one, failed.
There was a tie vote on issuing $17,000 to ORUG so the motion failed. There is therefore no recommendation going forward to the regional board meeting, but a director could make a motion at the regional board meeting to allocate funds to ORUG.
The committee then considered a grant of $27,168 to Powell River Salmon Society, but the recommendation coming from the committee was for the regional board to approve $15,000.
The committee approved forwarding a grant request for $3,000 to Vancouver Island North Film Commission to the regional board. It also recommended a grant of $5,000 to Powell River Therapeutic Riding Association.
qathet ART had requested $12,000 but the committee recommended $3,000 instead, which passed.
Townsite Jazz Festival Society applied for $4,000, which was forwarded to the regional board.
Pacific Region International Summer Music Association (PRISMA) applied for $20,000 and the committee recommended the board’s approval.
A grant request from qathet Film Society amounted to $2,000 and will be forwarded to the regional board.
Powell River Logger Sports applied for $2,500 and the finance committee agreed.
Myrtle Point Golf Club applied for $7,500 for a cart path improvement project and the finance committee voted to send it to the regional board for approval.
Savary Island Land Trust was seeking $5,000 for the 2023 sustainability events and the finance committee agreed with the amount for the board’s consideration.
Wild Ocean Whale Society had applied for $4,390 for a feral cats project on Texada Island but the committee carried a motion to forward $3,000 to the regional board.
The finance committee agreed with an application for $3,000 for the Texada sandcastle weekend event.
Lasqueti Internet Access Society applied for $1,000, which the finance committee agreed with.
There was a recommendation for $1,000 for the Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy but the committee recommended $2,000 for the board’s consideration.
There was a recommendation for $1,000 to the Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy for the landowner stewardship program but the committee voted to recommend $2,445 toward the project to the regional board.
Also on Lasqueti Island, the committee was provided a recommendation for Lasqueti Community Association’s layered histories – cultural heritage project for $1,000. The project had requested $6,000 from qRD. The committee, however, will recommend a $10,000 grant-in-aid for the project from the regional board.
Lasqueti Island Community Arts Council applied for $2,500 but the recommendation was for $1,000 for a cemetery mural project. The finance committee settled on $2,000 for the project.
Also on Lasqueti Island, the False Bay Parent Advisory Council applied for $1,000 for a school field trip and the finance committee agreed with the figure.
There was a $12,000 request from Texada Arts, Culture and Tourism for summer 2023 events, which the finance committee agreed with and will pass to the regional board.
Lift Community Services applied for $50,000 for the Community Resource Centre but the finance committee did not pass the recommendation to send the request to the regional board for approval.
qathet Community Justice asked for $2,000 for general operating costs and the finance committee agreed to pass that amount along.
Everybody Deserves a Smile applied for $2,500 for operating costs and that amount will be forwarded to the regional board.
Life Cycle Housing asked for $10,000 for the Brew Bay affordable housing maintenance project; the finance committee agreed with the recommendation.
Any approved finance assistance for the first intake will be paid out by August 1.
