Group questions gaming fund cutbacks

By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 15, 2004


The president of a nonprofit society that operates four group homes in Burnaby and New Westminster is questioning the provincial government's gaming policies after discovering his group is no longer eligible for the funding it has received in the past.

"I'm frustrated," said George Neeson, president of the Pioneer Community Living Association, which operates group homes that care for up to 55 people with psychiatric health disorders.

"They've given us money twice in the past five years, but now, for some reason, they tell us we are no longer eligible," Neeson said. "Nothing's changed with us, so it's all very fishy.

"It bothers me that this (gaming funds) seems to be going more and more into general revenue and less and less for local groups."

While the society's funding request was rejected more than six months ago, Neeson is raising this issue now because of recent media reports that the provincial government is vastly increasing the amount of gaming revenue it is taking in but not giving a corresponding increase to charities or nonprofit agencies.

A Vancouver Sun report published on Nov. 20 indicates that 5,800 not-for-profit agencies in B.C. receive about $136 million annually from the total $727 million of gaming revenue collected by the province. The Sun report also indicates that the total share of gaming profits going to charity is expected to drop from 21.4 per cent in 2001 to about 14.3 per cent by 2006.

Neeson is also angered by the stated reason why his agency was refused new gaming money, as outlined in a letter sent this spring by Gerry Wells, manager of licensing and access with the B.C. gaming policy and enforcement branch, licensing and proceeds distribution division under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

Wells' letter states that the association's application was rejected because the society "does not meet" the government's requirement of having a large enough volunteer base, and that it already receives more than 75 per cent of its funding from federal or provincial funding sources.

"The reason for rejecting our application is inconsistent," Neeson said. "They reject our proposal, yet the PACs (school parent advisory councils) get $20 per student for every student in the province.

"I don't see what the difference is. Schools get more than 75 per cent of their funding from the province."

Neeson noted that his association receives about $2 million annually from a contract with New Westminster Mental Health to operate its group homes, and the gaming fund application was made to pay for "quality of life extras."

"Our clients certainly are able to get food, shelter and clothing, but we wanted things to make them feel better and help them move on in life," he said. "For example, there's no longer any provision for something like bus tickets for our clients. In the past, disabled people were given free bus tickets, but they don't do that anymore. Also, it's coming up to Christmas and we wanted to provide small gifts for our clients."

Neeson was also puzzled by the government's requirement that, to be eligible for gaming funds, an agency must have twice as many valid members as the number of seats on their board of directors.

He said the membership requirements may be suitable for sporting clubs or recreational groups, but they don't make sense for a non- profit agency that provides services to people who are often considered to be on the fringes of society.

Neeson noted that one of the biggest changes in the mental health field over the past decade is that many of the services that used to be provided by volunteers are now done by paid staff in the group homes, resulting in a smaller volunteer base, even though the number of clients may be rising.

If successful, the current gaming application will pay for new Internet-access computers for two of the group homes, cooking and gardening programs, recreation and craft programs, self care groups, bus tickets, new chairs, social outings and special occasion items for times such as Christmas.