With less than two weeks to go before the Whistler Museum would normally start spending the money from its longstanding gaming grant from the Province, there is still no word on whether the money is on the way this year.

With no formal announcement to the hundreds of applicants to date, word is still trickling out to those affected that officials at the Ministry of Housing and Social Development in July decided to “freeze” gaming money pending a widespread review of government spending.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman told the Canadian Press on Wednesday (Aug. 19) that $159 million in gambling revenue is now un-frozen and that non-profit groups in B.C. should receive their money “in short order.” But with more money being sought than available cash, it’s still unclear which groups will receive funding and how much. Coleman said some may get nothing.

Meanwhile, at least 13 Whistler arts and sports groups and parent advisory councils are in limbo, not knowing whether money is coming from the gaming grant applications some submitted as early as May.

“The museum has had these gaming grants for the last eight years,” said John Hetherington, who was named president of the Whistler Museum and Archives Society about six weeks ago. “It was budgeted for.”

The museum was expecting $40,000 — the same amount it received last year. Though the gaming grant represents only one of various funding sources, the money goes toward staff salaries and a variety of museum programs such as the historical summer walking tours, Hetherington said.

“All of those (programs) would have to be curtailed if we cannot replace this money,” he said Monday (Aug. 17).

Jehanne Burns, who works in education services at the museum, said if the gaming money is lost it could also put another anticipated grant of $29,000 in jeopardy. The $29,000 Sea to Sky Multicultural Grant is planned for a special multi-language film project for 2010, but it requires matching funding. The project might not be able to move forward without the gaming grant to help provide the matching funds, she said.

The gaming money pays a large portion of museum staff wages, Burns added.

“It’s really one of the essential pieces.”

Hetherington pointed out that the museum is not the only organization “suffering considerable stress” at the news of the funding freeze. Though many of the grants are relatively small, they’re important to non-profit groups, he said.

“It’s part of a whole group of organizations that rely on this money,” he said. “I think to cut these organizations off so abruptly is really disruptive.”

The Whistler Nordics also applied for gaming money, but the club will function “fine” if it doesn’t receive the money, said the Nordics’ Tom Barratt. The Nordic ski club has received gaming grants in the past, but they haven’t been a regular source of funding, he said.

“It’s a setback but it’s not a show stopper by any stretch of the imagination,” Barratt said. “We didn’t hang our hat on it.”

Still, the club applies for all possible grants and the applications take a lot of effort. The money would help the Nordics to expand their programs and build athlete development during the Olympic year, Barratt said.

The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP) applied for a gaming grant for the first time this year. Executive Director Chelsea Walker said the organization requested $45,000, which will go toward operating costs if it comes through.

WASP doesn’t spend grant money until it’s received and tries to fundraise six months ahead at all times, Walker said. If the gaming grant is denied WASP would pursue other grant programs, or provide programming on a smaller scale, she said.

“It is a bit disconcerting to see another granting source essentially… being put on hold for the time being,” Walker said.

The Whistler Arts Council, Whistler Gymnastics Club, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, WORCA, B.C. Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association and several Whistler parent advisory councils also have pending applications for the money.

During the 2007-’08 fiscal year, the B.C. government directed $146 million of B.C. Lottery Corporation net income to more than 6,800 organizations across the province.

Local MLA Joan McIntyre said that while profits from gaming haven’t dropped off during the economic downturn, many other government revenue sources have. With the government’s goal to protect core services such as health care and education, it may not be able to do all it has done in the past for community groups.

“I know it’s very disappointing for groups who’ve come to rely on grants,” McIntyre said Tuesday (Aug. 18).

She said it’s not clear what the freeze to funding means — whether groups will get some of the funding applied for or if they’ll be asked to “hold off for a year.”

“The most I can say right now is things will be clearer after the budget on Sept. 1,” she said. “Until then we don’t know.”

The government is doing all it can to get through the downturn, and McIntyre said she hopes the public is onside to a certain extent because the Province is trying not to spend more than it’s bringing in. Like households, the government has to contract its budgets, she said.