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Preamble:
WHEREAS the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of civic society for more than two years, and continues to reverberate across rural communities, including volunteer organizations; and
WHEREAS small and medium community halls and facilities form a bedrock of the fabric of our rural communities; and
WHEREAS small and medium community halls and facilities serve as gathering places, cultural centers, youth and family hubs, evacuee reception and emergency operations centers; and
WHEREAS small and medium community halls and facilities are confronted with an existential challenge as they seek to rebuild and return to sustainability in a post-COVID world; and
WHEREAS many rural municipalities lack the capacity to single-handedly shoulder the burden of supporting these facilities and groups;
Operative Clause:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta advocate to the Government of Alberta to enhance its capacity-building efforts and financial investments to ensure that small and medium community facilities and agricultural societies remain viable as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
Member Background:
Many rural municipalities have experienced a significant uptick in the number of operational support requests, as volunteer organizations struggle to return to sustainability in a post-COVID environment.
The Province of Alberta has a critically important bridging role to play in ensuring that the vibrant cultural fabric of our rural communities remains intact and can flourish into the next decades.
RMA Background:
RMA has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.
Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
Alberta’s government has heard the concerns of agricultural societies; we understand that rising costs have put pressure on these volunteer-driven organizations. In response, we recently announced the $2.5 million Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program (ASIRP) to support major facility repairs so agricultural societies can continue serving their communities. The ASIRP funding available to agricultural societies is in addition to the $11.5 million in annual funding that is already provided through the Agricultural Societies Grant Program.
ASIRP is intended to help address issues related to aging agricultural society infrastructure. Funding available through the program is intended to extend the useful life of the facility or infrastructure, address health and safety issues, improve functionality or service delivery and reduce operating costs.
To date, 35 projects have been approved for funding in 2023-24, including major repairs and renovations to arenas, curling rinks, community halls and grandstands.
The Government of Alberta offers additional sources of funding for community organizations and public infrastructure. For instance, the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women (ACSW) works in partnership with non-profit organizations to assist communities with renewal, expansion, purchase and building of public-use community facilities.
More information about these programs – including guidelines, eligibility, important dates, pre recorded online information sessions and department contact information – is available on the Community Grants website at https://www.alberta.ca/funding-for-non-profits.
The Family and Community Support Services Program (FCSS), offered by the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services, is an 80/20 funding partnership between the Government of Alberta and participating municipalities and Metis Settlements to deliver preventive social supports in communities across Alberta. FCSS funding must be used to provide programs and services that are preventive in nature and that enhance the social wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. Budget 2023 includes $105 million for the FCSS program – a $5 million increase from Budget 2022.
A key principle of the FCSS grant program is local responsibility for setting priorities and allocating resources. Under the terms of the program, each municipality or Metis Settlement is responsible for allocating the FCSS funding it receives to best meet the needs of the local community. In 2022, 13 municipalities reported providing a total of $129,569 in FCSS funding to agricultural societies. Full program information is available at alberta.ca/family-and-community-support-services-fcss-program.
Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services
Excerpt from Resolution: “…Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA advocate to the GoA to enhance its capacity-building efforts and financial investments to ensure that small and medium community facilities and agricultural societies remain viable as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19.”
SCSS does not play a direct role in community facilities and agricultural societies but has provided input regarding our Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) program to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation to inform their response to this resolution.
Development:
In the past year the Government of Alberta has taken some steps to support the viability of small- and medium-sized community centres and agricultural societies. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation introduced an Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program that provided $2.5 million in grant funding for major repairs. The next grant round opens in spring 2025 after the 2024-2025 intake closes in February 2025. In summer 2025, the Government of Alberta announced it will fund a study on how the province can support regional agricultural societies. While this funding is appreciated, it does not sufficiently support small and medium sized agricultural societies.
RMA has taken several actions to advocate on this resolution. RMA met with the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS) in fall 2024 to discuss their priorities. The AAAS also participated in a panel on rural volunteerism at the Fall 2024 RMA Convention to communicate the needs and values of these societies. RMA’s Rural Volunteerism Report, released in fall 2024, was designed to meet the intent of this resolution more broadly. The County of Barrhead also participated on the rural volunteerism convention panel, and presented the county’s “Community Hall Strategy.”
As the response indicates the Government of Alberta has made financial investments in small and medium community facilities and agricultural societies, but not addressed capacity building, the RMA assigns this resolution a status of Accepted in Part and will continue advocacy efforts to ensure that small and medium-sized community centres and agricultural societies get the funding and capacity building support that they need to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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