Funding increases for some of the Sunshine Coast Regional District’s (SCRD) community partners were recommended by its finance committee at 2024 budget Round 1 review on Dec. 4. Discussions on others were delayed until the Jan. 22 Round 2 session.
Decisions in response to all requests, which total over $2 million, are to be finalized by the board in budget adoption, scheduled for February.
Discussions moved to Round 2
A staff report on the Round 1 meeting agenda detailed that Sechelt Public Library’s submission, which seeks an increase of $12,871 over last year’s funding level, was being held until Round 2. That adjustment would bring the SCRD’s annual contribution for that service in 2024 to $329,821.
At the meeting, the committee referred all proposals related to youth services from Sunshine Coast Community Services Society and area community schools to Round 2. That was done so that additional information on addressing what staff characterized as “mis-alignments” on how such programs are delivered and funded in different areas of the Coast can be brought forward for committee consideration.
A request from the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization for $5,178 more next year was also referred to Round 2 debate. While a delegation from that organization presented details and answered committee member questions at the meeting, a 2024 contribution of $190,145 is to be discussed after the organization’s operational plan is presented to SCRD directors.
Funding increases supported
Gibsons and Area Public Library’s ask for an additional $39,616 over the 2023 regional government contribution received the committee’s nod. That followed a presentation from the library’s director, Heather Evans-Cullen and board chairperson Rob Bennie that outlined a plan to keep that community hub open to the public 47 hours each week in the coming year in the face of high costs for employee benefits. To maintain operations, they said they would be dipping into funding provided by the province that was intended for service enhancements, in addition to requesting the SCRD funding level for next year rise to $798,135.
Also recommended were increases of $500 in annual funding to the Roberts Creek Community Library bringing the 2024 total to $17,000 and $221 for the Pender Harbour Reading Centre, moving that contribution amount to $3,910.
The addition of $10,000 in the SCRD's allocation to the Pender Harbour Health Centre was recommended, with the annual support for that entity projected to move up to $175,040 in 2024.
The regional district’s three heritage resource partners each applied for and received support at the committee level for increased funding in the coming year. The regional contribution to the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives in 2024 is recommended to rise to $99,800. An annual funding bump up for Sechelt Archives to $24,745 and a $50,000 annual contribution to Skookumchuck Museum/Egmont Heritage Centre have been recommended for the coming year.
Requests holding at 2023 levels
Development of three-year partner funding agreements to start in 2024 with the Coast Cultural Alliance at $8,000 per year and with Sunshine Coast Tourism at $20,000 annually, were recommended by the committee. Those amounts are consistent with 2023 contributions from the SCRD.
No changes were made to 2023 regional district funding levels for either the Pender Harbour or Gibsons and District Chamber of Commerce. The committee recommended in Pender the amount stay at $28,000 and in Gibsons at $9,000 in 2024. This could be the final round for these funding arrangements with both entities committed to becoming part of a Coast-wide chamber.
Also unchanged over the past two years were committee funding recommendations for area search and rescue organizations. The 2024 ask from the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue Association moved forward to board consideration at $19,000. Applications from Sunshine Coast Marine Search and Rescue Stations 12 (Halfmoon Bay), 61 (Pender Harbour) and 14 (Gibsons) each saw recommendation from the committee endorsed at $5,100 in 2024.
