City Council Decision Troubles Friendship Centre

City Council Decision Troubles Friendship Centre

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 15:40

Battlefords Indian and Metis Friendship Centre bookkeeper Laura Ruby Stade is not impressed with a decision by North Battleford city council.

Council has decided not to cut tax exemptions and grants to non-profit groups like the Friendship Centre this year — but it’s planning to eliminate those exemptions and grants to at least some groups next year.

If that happens, the friendship centre will be forced to find money to pay an $8,000 tax bill.

But Stade is unsure where the centre will find that money.

She says the BIMFC can’t touch any money from government grants or from lottery revenues.

Stade also says it won’t come from friendship centre clients, because most of them have low incomes.