Public Eye - July 23

Overdue Library Fees

British Columbia’s public libraries may be forced to reduce their hours if they don’t get the funding they need from the provincial government.

Public Eye has exclusively learned those libraries haven’t yet received their annual operating grants. Nor have they told how much money they’ll be getting—both of which should have usually happened by now.

When asked why, a ministry of education spokesperson said, “Decisions have not been finalized.”

A late notification wouldn’t be without precedent. Last year, libraries received those notices in August.

But the president of the association representing library trustees has said he suspects this delay means cutbacks. And those cutbacks could force libraries to reduce their hours, programs and staff.

In the past fiscal year, according to the association, libraries received $11 million in operating grants.

That may not sound like much money, but association president Andy Ackermann said libraries count on the grants, which can make up more than 10 percent of their budget.

Squamish’s library is one of them, receiving $84,466—10.5 percent—of its budget from that grant in 2008. And the chair of the library’s board of trustees said she can’t make up the shortfall if a similar amount isn’t received in 2009.

“Most of our funds come from the municipal government,” explained Sonja Lebans. “And the municipal governments are strapped right now too. So asking them for any more—or suggesting they do some of these programs—is really a problem.”

As result, Squamish “may start losing some hours or staff.”

Bigger libraries could also be affected.

Last year, the grant accounted for just 2.7 percent of Vancouver’s $43.7 million budget. But, according to city librarian Paul Whitney, Vancouver has already built that funding into its 2009 budget.

Which means, if the government notifies libraries in September that those grants are being cut, “we would be three-quarters of the way into our fiscal year finding out we had a 2.7 percent shortfall in our revenue. And that would be a serious problem.”

Whitney said, as a result of that potential problem and other possible budget pressures, he’s working on contingency plans for about “six possible outcomes”—which could include “reduce hours of access and, in a worst case scenario, you’re talking about reduced service points.”

In other words, actual branch closures.

On June 17, the library trustees association— along with four other groups—requested a meeting with Premier Gordon Campbell and Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid to discuss their concerns.

The education minister’s office has told the trustees she’s willing to meet with them. So far that meeting hasn’t been scheduled.

“We know they’re busy. But, on the other hand, this is a significant issue for millions of people around this province,” said Ackermann.

“We’ve noticed since the economic downturn, there’s been a significant increase in the usage of libraries. So people are turning to libraries for help—not just for getting books free to read but also using the Internet and the computer systems for such things as even applying for unemployment insurance.”

But, if operating grants are reduced, Ackermann said there might not be any help to be had.

Taking a gamble?

A provincial government-funded RCMP team charged with investigating illegal gambling was quietly shut down on April 1, Public Eye has exclusively learned.

The shutdown happened less than a month after the government’s gaming policy enforcement branch reported an “increase in the popularity of illegal gaming and unregulated gambling.”

RCMP Sergeant Rob Vermeulen said the 12-member team—which looked into everything from dog and cockfighting rings, to money laundering and loan sharking—was dissolved because of “funding pressures and other operational and investigative priorities.”

But the ministry of housing and social development, which is responsible for gaming enforcement, offered a different explanation.

According to a ministry spokesperson, many of the integrated illegal gaming enforcement team’s investigations overlapped with local police investigations. As a result, it was decided it would be more efficient for the ministry’s gaming inspectors to work directly with those local forces rather then with the integrated team.

But New Democrat housing and social development critic Shane Simpson questioned that decision.

“It’s not like illegal gaming knows municipal boundaries. It travels across borders,” he said. “And it simply makes sense to have some kind of coordination to bring that kind of activity under control. I suspect this is just another example of the government in panic mode about how to deal with its deficit and its fiscal problems and ignoring the fact it’s going to allow illegal activity to continue to accomplish that reduction in spending.”

Between fiscal 2003/04 and 2008/09, the team received $6.5 million from the government via the British Columbia Lottery Corp.

That sponsorship agreement has been in effect since February 2003, with the government referring to the team as a “key element” of its illegal gambling enforcement strategy.

According to Vermeulen, the decision to shut down the team was made by its five-member consultative board, three of whom are from the government. M

Sean Holman is the editor of Public Eye (publiceyeonline.com) and host of Public Eye Radio, which can be heard 8-10 a.m. Sunday mornings on CFAX 1070.