Policy & Positions Manual
Provincial Issues - Justice
Enhancing BC’s Charitable Gaming Policy (2011)
Many communities have been hit hard with the reduction of gaming funds to non-profit organizations and ultimately the community itself.
As we look at what supports the social fibre of all communities and what draws families to these communities; it is obvious that it is what those communities have to offer.
People seek out communities that have family friendly neighbourhoods that offer employment, safe environments, arts, culture, recreation, childcare, and social programming. This in turn builds healthy economic and sound communities.
Gaming funds provide many services that have a huge impact on the quality of life in most communities. The non-profit organizations that receive gaming funding also provide much employment in their respective communities where other government programs are not available due to size and location. Many non-profits are members of local Chambers of Commerce.
Without charitable gaming more and more fundraising pressure will be placed on businesses to support non-profit charitable organizations and their functions and make it harder for those businesses to attract the needed workforce.
On June 17, 1999, the Province, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), and the British Columbia Association for Charitable Gaming (BCACG) signed two memoranda of agreement, formally crystallizing the permanent revenue sharing formula of the three parties with the White Paper on Gaming.
In 2002 the Province enacted the Gaming Control Act. Although the Memoranda of Agreement with the UBCM and the BCACG concerning revenue sharing were not statutorily codified, both the Act and Regulations are consistent with them. No superseding legislation, enactment, or agreement extinguishes the 1999 Memoranda of Agreement between the Province and the BCACG and UBCM.
Charity Share of BCLC Net Income:2000-2010
*Totals for net payout to charities for 2000/01 and 2001/02 are incomplete and do not include independent bingo.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government:
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revisit eligibility criteria for community gaming grants; and consider reinstating grants for three years to provide stability, predictability and consistency;
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honour the 1999 Memorandum of Agreement between BCACG and the Province, which allocated 33% of gaming profits to the charitable sector;
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request that funding levels be returned to those previously established by the government as of 2008 – that is $156 million since 2008; and
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that the responsibility for establishing eligibility for gaming funding to charities and non-profit organizations be reviewed at arm’s length from government.
