B.C. government could face lawsuits if it fails to honour gaming grant commitments

Georgia Straight Jessica Werb:

The executive director of Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver says he will investigate the possibility of launching a class action suit should Direct Access gaming grant money be denied. Currently, $36 million in grants from lottery and gaming revenues is on hold while the government conducts a review of discretionary grants, and even those groups that are in the middle of a three-year funding commitment are unsure as to whether they will ultimately receive their grants.

“In our case, we were approved for three years last year,” said Le Centre’s Pierre Rivard, noting that the organization was promised $40,000 each year from 2008-2009 to 2010-2011. “Our fiscal year starts April 1, and we were never warned or told that there could be a freeze whatsoever. We spent that money on our [Festival d’été] festival which is in June....This is a matter of due diligence, and for me, it’s the equivalent of a breach of contract....I mean, we did our share. We did the festival as we promised, and we put the [government] logo everywhere as requested. We did our part, and they cannot renege the funds and go back on their word, and say, ‘Oh, sorry, after all we’re not giving you the money.’”

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Gaming grant ‘essential’: Museum

jmiller@whistlerquestion.com posted: August 19,2009

Whistler – With less than two weeks to go before the Whistler Museum would normally start spending the money from its longstanding gaming grant from the Province, there is still no word on whether the money is on the way this year.With no formal announcement to the hundreds of applicants to date, word is still trickling out to those affected that officials at the Ministry of Housing and Social Development in July decided to “freeze” gaming money pending a widespread review of government spending.Housing Minister Rich Coleman told the Canadian Press on Wednesday (Aug. 19) that $159 million in gambling revenue is now un-frozen and that non-profit groups in B.C. should receive their money “in short order.” But with more money being sought than available cash, it’s still unclear which groups will receive funding and how much. Coleman said some may get nothing.