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Art galleries, provincial sports bodies and recreational programs across the province breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday after learning Saskatchewan Lottery funding has been secured for another five years.
Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Gene Makowsky made the announcement with representatives from SaskCulture, SaskSport and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association at the MacKenzie Art Gallery Wednesday morning.
Over the last five years of the agreement 1,200 organizations have received direct funding from the lotteries.
Mike Thomas, Football Saskatchewan’s Director of Operations, said the money is vital for what they are able to do across the province.
“Without the funding, we’re unable to be able to get to certain destinations, be able to leave a legacy in those locales with having equipment that we’re able to purchase or have for a camp or clinic and be able to leave it there,” Thomas explained.
Over the last several years Football Saskatchewan has brought equipment and learn-to-play clinics to rural and remote communities across the province including in La Loche in the aftermath of the school shooting.
It’s also helped establish six and nine-man football teams in communities that can’t support a full-fledged 12-man team because of the size of the school or area and run an effort to get more girls involved in the sport.
“What this has done is it has afforded our groups to be able to get funding to help them proceed each year to give them an opportunity to buy new equipment, to upgrade their facilities,” Thomas said.
“With this agreement, what it allows us to do is plan ahead knowing that we got the funds coming in so we’re not having to sacrifice the product for any of our members across the province.”
Thomas said Football Saskatchewan received roughly $300,000 in funding in the last year – about one-fifth of its total budget.
According to the province, the lottery licence fee will remain at 3.75 per cent of annual sales. In 2017-18 it amounted to $54.2 million to organizations across the province.