[Dewar demands extension to application deadline]

OTTAWA – A Canada-Ontario infrastructure stimulus fund for the not-for-profit sector is designed to fail due to obstacles imposed by the application process. New Democrat MP Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre) calls on the government to simplify the application process and extend the deadline so that not-for-profit organizations may access the much-needed funds.

“Community organizations need access to these funds to address years of differed maintenance or build much-needed new facilities” wrote Dewar in a letter to Federal Transport Minister, John Baird, last Friday. “However, the existence of the funds has not been communicated to all the organizations that need it. A tight deadline in early August also means that most organizations will not be able to submit an application for the funds”.

Dewar noted that the program was announced on July 28, 2009, however most eligible organizations in his riding were not aware of the existence of the fund. Due to vacation leaves, many of the organizations are under-staffed and find it unrealistic to apply in time for the funds they need. Furthermore, community organizations have contacted Dewar’s office to complain that the application itself is not easily accessible.

“The funding may provide a way for Cornerstone to renovate a shelter that is not accessible, has old and inadequate wiring and poorly designed space for programs to support homeless women” said Sue Garvey, the director of Cornerstone Housing for Women. “But not by August 18th. It’s summer. Everyone is on vacation. And even in normal times, two weeks is unrealistic”.

“If the governments involved in this program actually want the eligible organizations to access these much-needed funds, they should immediately extend the application deadline, provide sufficient information regarding the program to all the organizations that would be eligible for the funding, and make the application readily available on the web” concluded Dewar.