Lethbridge City Council has approved modifying the Fee Assistance Program which provides financial help to residents for recreation and culture activities.
City Councillor Jeffery Coffman says the economic recovery committee heard from City staff that something better could be done with this program temporarily to help out more people.
It wasn’t used at all between mid-March and mid-July because of COVID-19 restrictions.
The changes being made are expected to help in addressing concerns and meeting the needs of the community in the best way possible.
Eligibility for the City’s Fee Assistance Program now includes:
- Those people on the federal government’s Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB),
- Replace “Be a minimum of four classes in length or a membership” with “Classes or membership at an organization that offers recreational or cultural activities” The offerings of many organizations have changed because of the risks of COVID-19
- The maximum amount for eligible residents will increase by $50 to $200 a person.
“As we start to get more requests, we are hearing a lot of the same concerns about the limitations of the Fee Assistance program in the new COVID world,” says Lori Harasem, Recreation and Culture Development Manager. “These change will really help in addressing these concerns and best meeting the needs of our community as well as the organizations and businesses offering programs.”
These changes will be in place until the end of 2020 or until the program funding for this year has been fully used up.
(Files from City of Lethbridge)