BONNYVILLE – On Nov. 28, Bonnyville and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) presented their budget to the Town of Bonnyville council for the upcoming year.
The budget is based on a five per cent increase to the three-year conditional agreement signed in 2023 by the Government of Alberta. Representatives from FCSS provided a detailed breakdown of the revenue sources, with the province contributing $450,900 (80 per cent), followed by a combined total of $113,000 in contributions from both the Town of Bonnyville and the MD of Bonnyville (20 per cent).
Program successes
One FCSS program of note that saw success in 2023 was the Volunteer Income Tax Program, where volunteers helped process tax returns for free. Over the past year, the program processed 538 tax returns which benefited seniors and low-income individuals.
FCSS representatives emphasized their commitment to providing community programs aimed at reducing isolation. Initiatives like 'Party in the Parks' and 'Family Fun Fridays' at the Town Hall square saw participation from 550 community members.
Additionally, programs like ‘Family Room,’ had a January to November attendance of 1,703 people, while ‘Grandma’s House’ had an attendance of 803 people during that same time.
Coun. Byron Johnson praised the rubric created by the FCSS for evaluating programming.
“The higher you score, the more you're meeting the provincial priorities,” said Rhonda Miron, FCSS interim director.
