ON - Bingo ‘crisis’ under survey
Sonja Puzic, Windsor Star, Friday, December 01, 2006
Members of a community services committee are hoping a survey of organizations that depend on Windsor’s declining bingo industry will convince the provincial government to provide emergency funding for the region.
Save Our Community Services (SOCS) group and the City of Windsor are surveying affected organizations to analyze the impact a sluggish economy and the provincewide smoking ban have had on social programs and services.
The results of the survey will be presented to city council in early 2007.
"We will quantify, for the first time, the social impact of the bingo industry crisis," said Raymond Roy, vice-president of the Sandwich Teen Action Group and SOCS member.
"We have to let (the government) know that these effects are real."
Charities have seen a 50 per cent decrease in revenue from bingos since last year — a drastic change that folded the Windsor Family Forum, contributed to program cuts and could result in a major social crisis in Windsor, said Bob McGuire, Family Forum’s former executive director.
"The provincial government is being completely irresponsible and callous," he said. "I expect them to be embarrassed enough to come to the aid of the community."
The Sandwich Teen Action Group also had to cancel its summer programs to use the money for operational costs.
"The stories go on and on," Roy said. "What we’re looking for is transitional funding to fend off these long-term results."
Charities can visit the survey at www.citywindsor.ca/survey/charitablebingosurveyregistration1.asp.
© The Windsor Star 2006
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