CNIB funding restored by Nova Scotia government
Rachel Ward | CBC News | Posted: December 12, 2015 9:24 PM | Last Updated: December 13, 2015
The Department of Community Services cut the group's funding by 30 per cent last spring
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind has had its full funding restored by the Nova Scotia government, after seeing a 30 per cent cut last spring.
"I can confirm that the 30 per cent that was cut in April of this year has been reinstated," CNIB spokesperson Catherine Kieran said Saturday afternoon.
CNIB received $507,800 from the province through the community services department in the 2014-2015 budget year.
In April, the Liberals cut that to $355,460 as part of a series of cuts to social services and community groups.
CNIB staff met with Health Minister Leo Glavine Friday, she said. The provincial funding will now come through his department instead of community services, which is a better fit, Kieran said.
"He did give a commitment to looking at the longer term situation for sustainable funding in the next fiscal year," Kieran said.
The total amount restored is around $155,000, health department spokesperson Rachel Boomer said Saturday.
"I couldn't tell you what time money will be sent, but it is for this fiscal," Boomer said.
In November CNIB supporters staged a demonstration aimed at convincing the government to better fund vision rehabilitation services, now offered primarily through the charity using provincial money.
Most of the group's funding is determined annually, making it difficult to run the programs it says would cost more than $1 million. CNIB said at the time it had laid off six therapists due to funding cuts.
In the last year the charity also spent thousands on legal action against former lottery kiosk operators over missing funds. The national charity has withdrawn all suits and settled with the operators.