FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 03, 2004

Liberals slash Ontario Trillium Foundation funding

Without warning, consultation or public announcement, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government has cut funding to the Ontario Trillium Foundation by $5.5 million, and Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Victoria-Brock is concerned about the negative impact that this will have on her riding.

Buried in the government’s 411 page Estimates document is a single line that decreases funding to the Trillium Foundation by $5.5 million.

The Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture provides grants to charities and not-for-profit groups to support community projects. In past years, the Foundation received a $100 million annual million annual budget for grants.

The Trillium Foundation was set up to compensate charities when their ability to raise funds through bingo, raffles and other activities was hindered by the creation of casinos in the province. The Foundation’s budget flows directly from charity casino profits in the province. Recommendations for funding projects are made by locally based Grant Review Teams who know and understand the needs of their community.

“There are many groups in my community that benefit from this funding,” said Laurie Scott. “I can’t understand why the government would want to take away funding from groups that play such an important role in towns and cities across the province. The volunteers who serve on these review teams know and understand the needs of their communities far better than bureaucrats at Queen’s Park.”

Locally, the Trillium Foundation provided funding to such diverse groups as the Cannington Lawn Bowling Club, the Sunderland Agricultural Society, and the Victoria County Historical Society and the Gamiing Centre for Sustainable Lakeshore Living, Haliburton County Community Radio Association, Victoria County Women's Resources and the Lindsay Riverside Cemetery, and several Legions throughout the riding.

“Cutting funding to the Trillium Foundation should have been the last thing on the government’s mind,” said Laurie. “The Minister of Finance when asked about this said that they were modest cuts. $5.5 million may not seem like much to him, but these grants are very important to small communities, and it was wrong of the government to try to sneak this change through.”

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