Third-party community groups are collectively asking city council for nearly $700,000 extra in budget funding for 2023, something council will have to discuss during its budget deliberations.
Council kicked off its 2023 budget talks on Nov. 22 by hearing from 15 groups, ranging from police to seniors to arts and culture to business to environment.
The total operating funding requests the groups are asking for next year is $14,226,010, compared to $13,545,466 this year, an increase of $680,544.
The Moose Jaw Police Service is asking for net operating funding next year of $11,781,059, which is $612,933 more than this year. It also wants capital funding of $235,000, compared to $254,500 this year.
The Moose Jaw Public Library is asking for net funding of $1,259,441, which is $23,509 more than this year.
The Moose Jaw and District Senior Citizens Association is asking for $36,771, which is $1,071 more than in 2022.
The Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Association wants $20,000 to $25,000, compared to the $15,300 it received this year.
Tourism Moose Jaw and the Canada Day Committee want $97,680 and $2,663, respectively, which is $2,845 and $78 more, respectively, than this year.
The Festival of Words is seeking $8,265 next year, compared to the $8,024 it received this year.
The Cultural Centre wants $168,788 in operating funding, which is $4,916 more than this year.
The museum and art gallery is seeking $150,065 in operating funding, which is $9,819 more than in 2022.
The public art committee wants $10,000 in operating funding for next year, which is $3,525 more than this year.
The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre is asking for $6,754 in funding, compared to the $6,557 this year.
Wakamow Valley Authority is asking for a statutory levy of $346,290 for next year, which is $10,086 higher than this year.
The Downtown Moose Jaw Association is seeking funding of $44,290 in 2023, compared to the $43,000 it received this year.
The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority is asking for $30,000 next year — similar to this year’s amount — and an extra $10,000 in cost-share money to develop its site master plan.
The humane society wants $253,282 in funding next year, compared to the $248,610 it received this year.
The Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards are seeking $10,000 in funding next year, the same amount it received this year.
The Moose Jaw Express will continue to produce several more stories from the evening’s presentations.
