B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman said Thursday he made no financial commitments to charities in Prince George that gaming grant funding levels would be restored to 2009 levels.
"I can't do that on behalf of government," he told The Citizen.
Coleman said he did commit to come up with a transition plan that will provide bridge funding to groups that find themselves with a cash-flow problem because of changes to the system.
The changes may put some charities in a situation where they could face a funding gap of up to 18 months.
However, Coleman said charities will not be provided increased funding as a result of the bridging.
While Coleman stated he didn't make any financial commitments, he said he did point out that all of the B.C. Liberal leadership candidates have committed to restoring gaming grant funding to a higher level.
Given that, Coleman said he told charities in Prince George he would suspect the candidate chosen as leader would make that happen.
Contributions to charities from gaming grant funding reached $156 million in 2009, but has been reduced to $120 million.
Coleman said maybe in hindsight it shouldn't have been reduced to that level, but it was a tough decision done in reaction to a difficult financial situation. In 2009, B.C. government revenues were impacted by the fallout of a global recession.
Coleman also noted the effort to reduce costs was a good exercise because it identified some areas that should not be part of core funding, such as adult sports.
Prince George charities said they were told by Coleman during a Feb. 3 meeting in the city -- arranged by Prince George Liberal MLAs Shirley Bond and Pat Bell -- that gaming funding would be restored to 2009 levels.
The charities, represented by the Northern Interior Communities Association, said they were also given assurances Coleman would provide interim funding that will fill a gap created as the province changes its community gaming grant system.
The meeting was called to address concerns raised in a Citizen story published in January.
The Hart Pioneer Centre became alarmed when it learned it was not eligible for gaming grant funding in 2011, which traditionally constituted about one third of its $180,000 annual operating budget.
The centre is expecting to find out whether it will be approved for 2012 funding at the end of February.
Centre president Stuart Hayne has said they are hopeful of the interim funding promise, but also remain cautious.
