‘This is a problem’: Saskatoon SPCA says it will be forced to shut down without city funding
The Saskatoon SPCA says it may be forced to shutdown unless it gets a boost in funding from the city.
The organization asked councillors for additional funding on the first day of city budget deliberations.
Graham Dickson, the executive director of the SPCA, requested $50,000 per month until the organization negotiates a new funding agreement with the city.
Without the money, which will mainly cover staffing costs, Dickson said the facility will be “inevitably forced to close its doors this time next year.
”Over the past few years, under different management, the SPCA has taken about $430,000 out of its reserves to stay afloat, according to Dickson. “We only have about a year's worth of money left in our reserves to keep us afloat. So, this is a problem,” Dickson said, who became the executive director in March 2020.
“I don't know if there was a an awareness of just how underfunded we were until last year. We're under new management right now.”
Dickson said the city currently covers about 30 per cent, or $620,319, of the SPCA’s $2-million operating budget. He hopes the city funding will increase, to cover the cost of running the city pound – instead of relying on fundraised dollars. Then, the money raised through fundraising would go towards building an SPCA veterinary clinic.
“That’s our real goal right now,” Dickson told CTV News.
With an on-site vet, Dickson said pet medical costs would be reduced.
“We could also potentially provide affordable spays and neuters to the the community at large,” Dickson said.
Dickson said more animals being brought to the pound has contributed to the debt. The city 2022-2023 budget was put forward by administration last week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.