Access to recreation and transit subsidies increased
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Access has been increased to allow more residents to tap into local recreation and transit services.
On June 28, Strathcona County Council passed a motion to increase the income thresholds for municipal subsidies for such services as transit and recreation through the Everybody Rides and Everybody Plays programs. This week, at the Tuesday, July 5 meeting, elected officials backed up that promise as it approved an updated version of the Family and Community Services’ User Fees, Charges, and Subsidies Policy.
“As a council, we recognize many people are facing tough times. Access to recreation and transit can make a big difference for kids, youth, families, and seniors in our community. It’s important that we make those services even more accessible,” Mayor Rod Frank said.
Previously, families or individuals were eligible for municipal subsides based on the low-income cut-off (LICO), which is the income threshold established annually by the federal government. Typically, that threshold reflected those who septa more of their income on necessities such as food, shelter and clothing than the average family. With the recent changes, eligibility is based at LICO plus 30 per cent.
Bree Claude, FCS director with the county, told council at the June 28 meeting that these small program changes can make a big difference in the community and they will go along way in improving overall well-being and safety.
“As council are well aware, our residents are facing some tough economic times. Challenges with employment, economic impacts from COVID, dramatic increases in the cost of living, and overall challenges of affordability have placed many of our residents under significant stress and distress,” Claude said.
The FCS director argued that subsidies are one of the few levers municipalities have to address issues of access and affordability for its residents. For people living at the LICO income level, they’re focused on feeding their families and paying their rent and there isn’t much money left for anything else, she noted.
“Families functioning at or below LICO are living in acute poverty,” Claude explained.
“Current research as well as recent data from recent engagements with frontline services, community partners and the municipalities all indicate that using LICO on its own as a threshold to qualify for subsidies is not preferred as it would leave many individuals and families who are living in poverty unserved. Many families that have incomes just above the threshold are living in poverty and are further disadvantaged by not qualifying for subsidies that would allow them to fully participate in community life,” she said.
Administration advised council that this adjustment will bring the county in line with other municipalities. Based on an environmental scan of comparable Alberta municipalities, many are implementing a higher income threshold for subsidy eligibility such as LICO plus 10 to 30 per cent.
The policy was last updated in 2018 and it was scheduled for a review in 2021.
The overhaul kept intact guidelines such as: 1) fees and charges for social supports will be determined on an individual, pay what you can afford basis, 2) that the municipality will not offer social supports on a profit-making basis (such as the county cannot impose higher fees on one individual in order to recoup the shortfall from a subsidy provided to another), and 3) the maximum fee will be based on a cost-recovery of administrative costs for the particular service.
For household income calculations, program eligibility is as follows: a one-person household at $29,641 (after tax), a two-person household at $36,075, a three-person household at $44,922, a four-person household at $56,044, a five-person household at $63,817, a six-person household at $70,775, and for households with seven person or more, the threshold is $77,732.
In 2019, almost 5,600 individuals were using the Everybody Rides program on a monthly basis. Obviously, with decreased transit usage throughout the pandemic, those numbers have dropped, but the demand remained at 2,600 individuals.
The Everybody Plays program offers an Active-Plus Pass to access local recreational facilities and instructor-led programs as well as reduced rates for other rec and culture programs.
“This is a small county commitment for a highly leveraged impact,” stated a county document.
“This is one that touches close to the heart,” noted Ward 4 Coun. Bill Tonita. “It makes me think about people who are struggling in their family situations and they’re sitting there with children and the decision is eat or play.”
“We might get a budding pottery artist or somebody who might be the next Olympic champion in swimming all because they have been given access to this program,” Ward 2 Coun. Dave Anderson added.
You can learn more about the change at strathcona.ca/affordableservices. You can also call FCS directly to discuss subsidy options and other supports at 780-464-4044 or visit the department in-person on the second floor of the Community Centre located at 401 Festival Lane.
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