Should the city revisit its policy that prevents it from providing grants to certain faith-based organizations?
It’s a discussion some members of council want the grants committee to have.
During this week’s council meeting, grants were approved for five organizations, but two had their requests denied.
The Orillia Cricket Club had asked for $1,500 “to subsidize the cost of renting the grounds for the event, purchasing equipment and trophies.” It was turned down because sporting groups are ineligible.
The second request that was denied came from Catholic Family Services of Simcoe County, which was seeking $1,500 “to help offset program expenses incurred with the remote delivery of the in-school youth mental wellness program.”
The grants committee did not provide a reason for denying the request.
“Although the committee recognizes and appreciates the benefit the group is providing through the youth mental wellness program, the committee’s recommendation was not to fund the request at this time,” it wrote in a report to council.
Mayor Steve Clarke suggested the grant was turned down because Catholic Family Services of Simcoe County is “seen as a religious or church organization.”
“I do want to assure you that, as much as they have ‘Catholic Family Services’ in their name … they may provide a religious aspect to (services) if requested, but I do know that they do a lot of mental health counselling in our community,” he said.
City policy states “faith-based organizations where services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith” are ineligible for grants.
The initial concern might have been that churches are “exclusive to their members,” Coun. Tim Lauer said, but added, in Orillia, “all of them have programs that benefit the entire community in a big way.”
He suggested the grants committee discuss whether those organizations should be ineligible.
Council approved the following grants this week:
- Orillia Silver Band ($1,500) “to support ongoing expenses while continuing to perform ‘at home’ video and audio selections being shared with the community.”
- St. Andrew’s-St James’ Cemetery ($500) “to help with the cost of replacing the entrance flagpole and base, a prominent part of the entrance and highly visible to the road.”
- Born to Read committee ($750) “to aid in the costs of purchasing books to provide two new books to each baby born at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital in 2020. Along with the new books, pamphlets providing information about library programs and services will be given to the new parents as well.”
- North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network ($1,500) “to increase awareness of the services offered through the Orillia program. Funds will assist in reaching more members of the community through service clubs, print media and advertising.”
- Canadian Federation of University Women Orillia ($1,500) to “go directly to the Scholarship Fund which in turn is used to award scholarships to local students who are pursuing further education.”
