NOTICE TO MEDIA:
In recent days, a number of announcements have
been made by the Ontario government that affect
Leeds-Grenville. The following is a brief summary
of these announcements and further information
can be obtained by contacting the municipalities
or organizations involved.
Subsidies to increase police services
Brockville, Prescott and Gananoque were presented
cheques totalling over $67,000 recently to cover
half the cost of increasing their municipal
police forces. The Ontario government committed
$131 million over five years under the Community
Policing Partnership Program to put 1,000 more
police officers into service across the province.
The province pays 50 per cent of the cost of
these new officers up to a maximum of $30,000
per officer. Brockville received $35,984.06
(two officers) while Prescott got $19,019.30
and Gananoque $12,292.50.
“Ontario residents have the right not
only to be safe, but also to feel safe in their
communities,” said Bob Runciman, Leeds-Grenville
MPP.
One-time funding of $25,000 provides treatment
to children
The Ontario Early Years plan, under the Federal-Provincial
Agreement for Early Childhood Development, will
provide the Brockville General Hospital’s
Sexual Assault Treatment Centre with additional
one-time funding of $25,000.
The money will support treatment for child
victims of sexual assault/abuse. This announcement
is in addition to other funding the centre received
recently to support victims of domestic violence
and to enhance services for children.
Support for victims of domestic violence
Leeds and Grenville Interval House will receive
$30,000 from the Ernie Eves government to improve
services to victims of domestic violence by
strengthening linkages between community organizations,
MPP Bob Runciman announced today.
“I am pleased the government has provided
this funding to help support the important work
Interval House does in the area,” said
Runciman. “The co-ordination of community
services will help ensure that victims of domestic
violence can access all the help available to
them.”
The grant will help Interval House hire a consultant
to develop and implement a Domestic Violence
Protocol in Leeds-Grenville that meets the rural
needs of the area and also meets the needs of
women with severe and persistent mental illness
and developmental challenges. The primary objective
is to enhance coordination among community partners
and ensure the victims of domestic assault receive
integrated services.
Problem gambling assistance funded
The Ernie Eves government is providing $234,322
in additional funding to expand treatment to
those experiencing gambling problems, and to
provide prevention and awareness activities
in the eastern region.
“Our government is committed to providing
problem gambling services to those that need
them throughout the province,” said Leeds-Grenville
MPP Bob Runciman.
Receiving funding are: TriCounty Addiction
Services, $20,460; Options For Change, $95,560;
Addiction Services of Eastern Ontario, $32,267;
Addictions and Problem Gambling Services of
Ottawa, $67,035; Lennox and Addington Addiction
Services, $5,000; Addiction Assessment and Counselling
Centre, $5,000; and the Renfrew County Alcohol
Drug and Gambling Assessment, $5,000.
Today’s announcement is part of $2.1
million in annual funding and $599,401 in one-time
funding being provided by the government in
2002/03 to 44 problem gambling treatment agencies
across the province. The government’s
total contribution to problem gambling programs
for this fiscal year is $29.1 million.
Proposals welcome for LCBO agency store
Businesses in Rockport that would like to add
a Liquor Control Board of Ontario agency store
to their operation are invited to submit proposals
to the board no later than May 13.
Successful agency stores have opened in the
past year in Mallorytown and Spencerville.
