Some summer camps in Manitoba lose funding, feel ‘panicked’ as spring fades

Some summer camps in Manitoba are facing an unknown season as they lose funding from a provincial grant they expected to be more secure.

Late last week, a handful of summer camps in Manitoba learned they would not be as financially sound as they anticipated this season.

Those like Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba responsible for Camp Assiniboia, found out they wouldn’t be receiving any funding from the Manitoba Government through its Urban and Hometown Green Team Program. The program is a grant initiative helping organizations, like Pahl’s, pay for help.

“It was quite a shock,” he said. “We’re relying on that, like a lot of other camps, to supplement our wages for our summer staff.”

Kim Scherger, executive director of the Manitoba Camping Association (MCA), said eight accredited camps have reported being completely denied that funding — usually receiving $30,000 to $90,000 per organization.

11 others told the MCA they’ve received about a third to half of what they’re accustomed to.

“They were panicked, they were worried, they were scared. Their gut reaction was, ‘How are we going to survive not having the money and the funding to pay for our staff,” Scherger said.

Camp Assiniboia said the green team funding helped pay staff Manitoba’s minimum wage. Now they can’t afford that and worry about the staff they’ve already hired.

“Many of our staff are university students, and they’re looking not only for meaningful work through the summer working with kids, but they’re looking to save some money up for university in the fall. This is going to impact them the most directly,” Pahl said.