In September, the Heritage Legacy Fund of BC Society provided emergency funding to Heritage BC which had shut down after the provincial government denied operational funding for the first time in 20 years.  On November 26 the HLF board considered and approved a further application from Heritage BC for operational support, this time for the whole of 2010.

Without the support of the Heritage Legacy Fund, Heritage BC would be out of business.  Next year will be even tougher, as the last of the Historic Places Initiative federal funding dries up in March, which has provided $20,000 towards Heritage BC’s budget for the past several years.

If we include the BC150 program of earlier this year, the Heritage Legacy Fund has provided almost 150 grants worth over $2 million since start up five years ago.  And the demand is growing:  the 2009/10 grants budget was expended before the year was half over. At the same time, the Fund’s revenues have been diminishing.  As a result of the recession, the Fund’s income is down by 40 per cent this year and reserves are being used up quickly.

Now, with the provincial government’s cancellation of funding to Heritage BC, there is a new demand on limited resources.  The HLF board concluded that keeping Heritage BC going simply had to be a priority.  Further, if Heritage BC went under the HLF society would itself be threatened since Heritage BC makes up half the organization.

Community grants must be curtailed as a result.  With the gaming door shut, where else can heritage projects turn to?  Is this sustainable?