Transportation and Public Works
For immediate release PROVINCE VOICES CONCERN OVER PROPOSED CHANGES TO FEDERAL FUNDING SUPPORTS FOR WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI The Province of Prince Edward Island today voiced concerns over proposed changes to federal funding supports and project guidelines for local women’s organizations.Recently, the federal government announced changes to both funding supports and to the terms and conditions for research and advocacy projects by community organizations. These changes have raised questions about the ability of Island women’s organizations to access necessary funding supports to continue several projects which have been of value to Prince Edward Island. Among the projects that could be affected are ongoing work by the PEI Women’s Network in the area of parental benefits and work by the Justice Options Network on legal aid and family law. “Through the leadership of the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence, we have been taking a community-based approach to addressing women’s issues which has yielded progress,” said Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea, Minister Responsible for Status of Women. “The concerns that I am hearing from local groups is that under these new rules some of the research done by community groups to support this approach may no longer be eligible for funding support.” Shea noted that she will be contacting her federal counterpart, Heritage Minister Bev Oda, to register the province’s concerns over these changes and their implications for Prince Edward Island women and families. Shea also advised that provincial funding supports for family violence prevention services provided by front-line community organizations such as Transition House Association, the PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Crisis Centre and others are unaffected by these proposed federal changes and will continue. - 30 -For additional information, contact Jeff Himelman. | ||||||||
