Community Gaming Grant Review To Be Released By Month's End Says Ministry

The BC Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development announced on October 31 that Minister Ida Chong has received the independent report from Skip Triplett that examines government’s community gaming grant system for British Columbia.

In making the announcement the ministry stated that “Government will release the report, in full, within the next 60 days – once it has had an opportunity to thoroughly review the document and determine next steps based on the options provided.”

While the Alliance for Arts and Culture has not record of having received that announcement, a media release to that effect can be found on the ministry’s website.

When contacted by the Alliance on Monday, December 12, ministry director of communications Jeff Rudd stated that while he couldn’t yet give a firm date, the report would be released “by the end of this month.”

In July, Premier Christy Clark appointed Triplett to conduct the independent review and develop options for the Province on how to improve the governance and funding formula for gaming grants. In 2010-11, government distributed $135 million – including an additional one-time increase of $15 million – in these grants to approximately 6,000 groups throughout British Columbia.

The review was intended to help the province create a granting process that is equitable, sustainable and transparent and helps create financial certainty for community groups.

Terms of reference for the review were:

• Review existing legislation governing community gaming grant funding
• Conduct public-oral consultations in up to 14 communities in BC
• Receive and review written and social media submissions
• Review and provide options for a funding formula
• Review and provide options for criteria/eligibility for community gaming grants
• Review and provide options for a multi-year funding model
• Review and provide options regarding the processes involved with applying for and receive community gaming grants and,
• Provide options for the future role of government in community gaming grants.

Triplett’s review was extensive and inclusive, according to the ministry announcement. More than 1,700 British Columbians participated in the process. He met with a wide range of stakeholders and heard more than 300 presentations during 19 community and multi-media forums.

The review also received more than 500 written submissions during August and September of this year.