ST. PAUL - A review of the operations of the St. Paul Abilities Network (SPAN) by Alberta Community and Social Services has been concluded but little information is forthcoming from the province as to what the review says about the organization’s operations which came under scrutiny late last fall. For many years, SPAN has been contracted by the province through Persons with Development Disabilities (PDD) to deliver disability programming and services to individuals and families in the St. Paul area.
Responding to questions from the St. Paul Journal last week, Diane Carter, the ministry’s press secretary, would state only that “as a result of this review, a request for services is currently open, and all eligible providers are welcome to apply. Ministry staff will objectively assess all service provider proposals based on the terms and requirements outlined in the ministry’s request for services.”
Whether or not this signals SPAN’s contract renewal is in jeopardy is anybody’s guess at this point.
Carter would only state that SPAN’s contract was set to expire in March 31, 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and “to ensure continuing care for clients, a decision was made to extend SPAN’s contract by six months. SPAN’s contract is now set to expire Sept. 30, 2020.”
In November, SPAN’s board of directors announced it was undertaking its own “complete financial and operational review” of the organization but has said little more since that time other than to officially announce in February of this year that long-time executive director Tim Bear was no longer with the organization, although that was widely known three months prior. It also revealed that SPAN was re-focusing on the delivery of services to persons with disabilities while divesting itself of business ventures that do not support its core mission.
“Over the next 12 months SPAN will exit non-disability related businesses, but we will do this in a way that is least disruptive to SPAN and the community of St. Paul,’’ the board explained in a public statement.
In an emailed response to a Journal request for information on steps the board had taken since that time, chairperson Amelia Harmse indicated only that the board would be in a position to provide an update at the end of June.
SPAN is St. Paul’s largest not-for-profit organization, established in 1964, and provides programs and services to an estimated 200 people with disabilities with much of its funding coming from the province.
In recent years, under the direction of its former executive director, SPAN began exploring opportunities in social enterprise as a way to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to shore up its operations to insulate against government funding cuts.
In May of 2018, under the umbrella of Charity Developments Ltd., SPAN opened the doors to the Hampton Inn by Hilton – it’s largest business undertaking. Other business ventures have included home construction, plumbing and heating, transportation and property management.
