The city approved more than $600,000 in funding for a variety of the municipality's "non-core agencies and committees" during this week's operating budget deliberations.
Most agencies receive funding from the city each year, with some bringing larger funding requests – and others smaller – than in previous years.
The Downtown Orillia Management Board and Orillia Museum of Art and History received the most funding of the 12 requests presented during the two days of deliberations, coming in at $289,446 (a two per cent increase) and $150,000, respectively.
The Orillia and Area Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee will receive $50,000 this year – an increase of $20,000 – while Information Orillia was approved for $45,000 in 2023, up from $35,000.
The physician recruitment committee, which sought a $20,000 increase in funding over last year, hopes to recruit 12 doctors by the end of 2024.
“We're effectively in a crisis of sorts … in terms of physician recruitment, and the amount of physicians that we need to meet demand,” said committee chair, Dr. Matt Miller, at Monday’s budget deliberations.
The Lighthouse was approved for $31,500 in funding to expand access to the Orillia Overnight Warming Centre, up from $17,000 in funding in 2022, while the Mariposa Folk Foundation received $30,000 for 2023, down 50 per cent from 2022.
With the approved funding, the warming centre can likely lower its threshold for opening from -15 degrees Celsius to -10.
“So far this year, we have had 185 people actually access the warming centre, whether it be just to get connected with someone else. grab a coffee, (or) warm their hands,” said warming centre coordinator Tasha Flemming.
The Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Simcoe Muskoka received $20,000 in funding to help support its work in child and youth abuse response, investigation, and prevention, while Sustainable Orillia received $11,500 to support its work in sustainability and battling the impacts of climate change.
Rounding out the list were city committees, including the Municipal Heritage Committee, which received $4,230, the Waste Management Advisory Committee, which received $1,895, the Accessibility Advisory Committee, which received $1,750, and the Commemorative Awards Committee, which received $1,600.
The funds approved for 2023 total $636,921.
All decisions made during budget deliberations are subject to ratification at a special meeting later this month.
