London seeks $183K from city reserves for Canada 150 celebrations

As London prepares to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation, a funding shortfall from the federal government could mean organizers will have to dip into city reserves to ensure everything happens as planned.

There are 10 proposed celebrations as part of London’s Passport to Canada, a celebration looking at where Londoners were 50 years ago and where they aspire to be in the future.

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The total cost of all the events is $481,925, with $238,655 in funding secured before a grant application was completed. London has submitted over 13 different applications to the Celebrate Canada Fund, but this year the process was changed, requiring the city to submit only one grant application.

Event organizers submitted a funding request to the Department of Canadian Heritage for $243,270 on Nov. 21, 2016. A total of $60,000 in grants were approved on March 24, only to be used for entertainment for five of the 10 events.

To make up the $183,270 shortfall, Mayor Matt Brown and Coun. Josh Morgan have put forward a motion requesting a one-time allocation from the Community Investment Reserve Fund to cover the costs.

If funding isn’t secured, it could mean celebrations hosted by the Chippewa of the Thames, London Children’s Museum, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, London Heritage Council and the Hyde Park Community Association may have to be altered, all which were denied funding by the feds.

Events that were approved for federal funding include Eldon House, East London, Museum London, Harris Park and Ivey Park.

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The City of London has also committed up to $75,000 in funding for SesquiFest, $3,000 for the Optimist Club of East London, along with $19,000 for London Celebrates Canada at the Forks of the Thames Canada Day celebration.

Brown and Morgan’s request will be reviewed at Tuesday’s Corporate Services Committee meeting, starting at 12:30 p.m. at city hall.