Area municipalities are getting a refund on a portion of their yearly contribution to the area social services board.
Board CAO Bill Bradica tells us it’s because there’s a budget surplus of over half a million dollars since the board didn’t spend as much as planned in a couple of areas last year, namely Ontario Works and staffing.
He notes that’s because they had a number of vacancies at the Board for some parts of 2017.
The surplus means the City of Thunder Bay get over $400,000 back from the board.
The amounts each community receives in a refund depends on the size of its population.
Bradica explains that, for example, Oliver-Paipoonge is getting around $20,000, while Terrace Bay would receive about $3,400.
The money returned represents a portion of what municipalities contribute to the board yearly.
Meanwhile, the board is a step closer to choosing which day care centres will get money to expand.
Bradica tells us six centres have applied for funding, which is the result of a grant from the provincial government last year.
“Because of the timing of when the funds were announced, we weren’t able to spend it all by the end of December, so we were allowed to carry over a portion [into this year].”
He indicates the successful centres will be chosen at a later date. (File Photo)
