Thunder Bay council greenlights $2.5M in funding to community groups

City councillors in Thunder Bay have signed off on how to allocate about $2.5 million in grants to a number of non-profit organizations in the city but not without first acknowledging that more social programs need some of this funding.

Mayor Keith Hobbs raised an "annual concern," over how much of the city'scommunity, youth and cultural funding programgoes tocultural groups, instead of organizations that deal with social issues.

"I'm not believe me not cutting down culture .... but it seems that there's a lot of need for community support for more than what it is," he said.

The mayor noted that nine cultural organizations including Magnus Theatre, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and the community auditorium will receive just over $1.9 million of this year's grant money, but did recognize that social organizations like Shelter House and the Regional Food Distribution Association will also benefit.

"How can we bring that community [funding] up higher when we're looking at our social issues in the city?" Hobbs asked.

Two options presented to the mayor by city staff included increasing the budget for the grant program, or cutting back in other areas, and re-alloacting more money into grants for social programs.

Utility bill breaks?

Coun. Aldo Ruberto wanted to know what other options the city could explore to help social programs, such as breaks on utility bills like hydro and water.

City staff responded that many utility rates like hydro and telecommunications are regulated outside of council, and that any relief in water rates would lead to increases for other rate payers.

That doesn't mean that councillors can't bring their concerns to the annual general meetings for the various utilities, said city clerk John Hannam.

• Thunder Bay city council tentatively approves TBSOfunding relief