Yukon NGOs push for more government funding
NGOs involved in health and social services say their funding has been frozen at 2017-18 levels
Some Yukon non-governmental organizations (NGOs) say they're struggling to stay afloat — and they want the territorial government to offer more help.
"When this government came in two years ago, we let them know that if there was no new money, that we were going to be in a crisis," said Barb McInerney, executive director of Kaushee's Place, a women's shelter in Whitehorse.
She said her shelter has not had a funding increase since 2011.
"I can't put less than one staff on for two buildings. I can't do it. I can't turn the heat down anymore. I'm running out of options, and I will not, we will not make the [next] fiscal year. We will not do it."
Other NGOs involved in health and social services say their government funding has been frozen at 2017-18 levels, and it will now be renewed annually, rather than every three years.
About 60 demonstrators from various NGOs gathered at the Yukon Legislative Assembly on Thursday — when premier Sandy Silver delivered his latest budget — to protest the changes, and push for more funding.
"These are long-standing organizations ... they need to be funded with sustainable funding year after year, not just a little bit here, a little bit there," said Robert Wills, who came out to show support for workers at Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services.
Opposition leader Stacey Hassard also spoke out after the government's latest budget was tabled.
"How do those organizations plan for the future if they don't have any certainty in their funding agreements?" Hassard asked.
"The problem is, if those organizations fail — which some of them very potentially could — that puts it onto the government to look after those people or deal with those particular issues. And I certainly don't believe that government is in a better better position to deal with those issues than the NGOs."
With files from Nancy Thomson