WHEREAS the length and complexity of provincial and federal grant applications has become patently onerous and unreasonably time consuming for all local governments; AND WHEREAS smaller rural communities especially suffer from significant budget, staff and workload constraints: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the federal and provincial governments immediately undertake an overhaul of their grants application forms to realistically accommodate for the capacities of all communities so all may have reasonable and equitable opportunity to access these vital funds; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that recipients be advised of the status of their applications within 90 days.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES There is recognition by both the Province and the federal government that smaller, rural communities often suffer from a shortage of resources and capacity in dealing with infrastructure grant applications. However, it is equally important to recognize that both the federal and provincial governments are mandated to deliver these programs, meeting identified goals and objectives. There are mandatory information and data requirements that must be met in order to evaluate applications and allocate the funding in a fair and equitable fashion. It is understood that a balance must be achieved. During the current discussions surrounding the development of the Building Canada Fund, a contribution program identified in the 2007 federal budget, this issue was acknowledged and work has been done regarding the evaluation of past application processes, and how the application process can be simplified and streamlined. It is anticipated that the new federal-provincial program will be able to address some of the difficulties smaller, rural communities face with the application process. In addition, the provincial Towns for Tomorrow Program was developed to address the unique challenges faced by smaller communities in British Columbia with respect to meeting their infrastructure needs. Recognizing that resources are often limited in smaller communities, the Program has been designed to meet these challenges, from ease and simplification of applications to efficient and effective administration processes. Finally, it is recommended that any community that is having difficulty with the application process contact program area staff. MCS program staff maintains expert knowledge of all infrastructure programs they manage, and can act as an additional resource by providing support, guidance and advice.