Prince Albert city councillors during budget deliberations on Wednesday.  (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Budget 2021

Request for increased funding for special needs transportation not granted

Jan 8, 2021 | 2:12 PM

For the second year in a row, the non-profit that provides special needs and seniors transportation in Prince Albert has not had its budget ask met by city council.

But Community Service Centre CEO Bill Powalinsky said the organization may be able to manage within the current amount alloted to it, because of decreased costs due to the pandemic.

Powalinsky told paNOW the budget asks he submitted (which included a total increase of $64,130) were based on a return to full service in the spring. He’s hopeful if that happens, the city will consider granting additional funding then.

“If COVID runs on until September or October, we’re likely not going to be looking for an increase,” he explained. “If COVID disappears and we’re back in business in April or May then yes, we could be coming back to the city and asking for a supplementary request.”

For his part, Mayor Greg Dionne said the city just can’t afford to grant the full request for funding in this tight financial year.

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“We have no money. We’re not going to go with a six per cent increase of taxes,” he said, referencing the hike in the proposed budget. “So we’re cutting everything, we’ve cut staff, we’ve cut this, it’s just part of our cutting process.”

Council approved $653,410 for special needs transportation and $69,500 for seniors transportation as part of Wednesday’s budget deliberations.

The budget is not final until it’s passed at a regular city council meeting.

Future funding for special needs transit

During last year’s budget deliberations, funding for special needs transit became a flashpoint. When councillors elected not to grant the Community Service Centre the increased funding it had asked for, Powalinsky accused them of “playing with people’s lives,” saying the decision would mean cuts to the service.

In the months following, Powalinsky explained the organization struck a transportation committee and met with the city to attempt to reach a resolution. In the end, transit did end up being reduced, but by virtue of COVID not funding constraints.

Powalinsky said the Community Service Centre has had good discussions with the city, which they look forward to continuing. They’re hopeful in the future special needs transportation can be brought under the umbrella of the city’s transportation budget or a multi-year operating agreement can be reached.

“We would like to see us get into an agreement where annually our wage increases are indexed with the wages the city negotiates, so every year we don’t have to go cap in hand and, you know, beg for the money.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom