ELORA – Centre Wellington council was dishing out the cash on Jan. 31 during its first council meeting this year.
Council approved seven Community Impact Grants and five Art, Culture and Heritage Grants totaling $93,140.
The intent of the community impact grant is to provide financial assistance to organizations that enhance the quality of life for residents of Centre Wellington.
Grants go to not-for-profit organizations connected to arts, culture, social and environmental activities.
This year’s recipients include:
- Children’s Foundation, $5,000;
- Community Resource Centre, $3,000;
- Elora Environment Centre, $5,000;
- Elora Fergus Arts Council, $5,000;
- Elora Festival, $4,400;
- Elora House, $1,000; and
- Grand Celtic Pipe Band, $5,000.
The township also gives out Arts, Culture, and Heritage grants.
These come from payments the townships receives from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation for being a host municipality for a casino.
Chief administrative officer Dan Wilson said the OLG payment has decreased because casinos have largely been shuttered during the pandemic.
The township’s policy is that five per cent of OLG funds received in a year be allocated to arts, culture and heritage organizations the following year.
The township received $1.2 million in 2021, meaning there was $64,750 to give away.
Wilson said the township received five applications totalling $79,279 and staff recommended a proportional allocation.
Each of the applicants will receive 81% of their request. They include:
- Fergus Scottish Festival, $13,600;
- Wellington County Historical Society, $1,225;
- Elora Centre for the Arts, $34,405;
- Fergus Agricultural Society, $11,436; and
- KIPP Elora, $4,084.
Councillor Stephen Kitras noted that online gambling has been on the rise while in-person gambling wasn’t allowed and he wondered if that could “undercut” the annual OLG payment and put the grant program in jeopardy.
Mayor Kelly Linton said there is an association of municipalities that host casinos, “and there will be a lobbying effort to ensure we get a share of the proceeds,” he said.
Wilson added, “If we do see a reduction in OLG funding in the future, our plan should be to increase our internal funding.
“I would suggest discussion on this as part of 2023 budget deliberations, especially around how growth is spent.”
