Bear Clan didn’t apply for provincial funding, province says
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2022 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Brandon Bear Clan missed out on funding from the provincial government because the group, which has been active in the city for five years, did not apply for it.
Last week, the Manitoba government announced $200,000 in funding for the Winnipeg Bear Clan, as reported by the Sun on Saturday. Half of that funding comes from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund as a one-time grant to purchase safety equipment and other supplies.
Meanwhile, $100,000 will be provided to the Winnipeg Bear Clan yearly to support long-term program sustainability and stability, according to a press release.
Members of the Brandon Bear Clan hand out water bottles on a warm day last summer. (File)
The Sun reported on Saturday that the Brandon Bear Clan was left out of the funding announcement.
Before that article was published, the Sun contacted the Brandon Bear Clan for an interview, but was told no one was available to discuss the funding announcement.
Instead, Tammy Hossack, treasurer of the Brandon Bear Clan Women’s Council, said in a text message that “all Bear Clans in Manitoba are deserving of financial recognition from the provincial government.”
“We are hopeful that our elected officials feel the same,” Hossack added.
Though the Sun contacted the Manitoba government to ask about funding for the Brandon Bear Clan, no response was received by press time Friday.
On Saturday, Eric Bench, who had been filling in as acting press secretary for Manitoba Justice, emailed the Sun to clarify why the Brandon Bear Clan didn’t receive funding.
“The distribution of funds from the Criminal Property Forfeiture branch is application-based. Brandon Bear Clan did not submit an application for the 2022-23 distribution cycle.”
Bench said that in 2021-22, Brandon Bear Clan received funding in the amount of $27,400 for the purchase of a used vehicle to assist in transferring individuals requiring safer accommodations and to keep warm in the winter.
“The funds were also used to buy equipment such as flashlights and flashlight belt holsters for their volunteers.”
On Monday, the Sun contacted the Brandon Bear Clan and Hossack again, but was told via the Bear Clan’s Facebook page that there were no staff on hand to discuss the matter. Hossack didn’t reply to the Sun’s request.
After press time on Monday, Bench emailed the Sun to say that the funding for Winnipeg Bear Clan “did not preclude consideration of other requests.”
In regard to the additional $100,000 that the province did not specifically say came from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, Bench said it still came from “the proceeds of crime.”
Bench went on to say that the Manitoba government respects all Bear Clan patrols in the province.
“The Manitoba government highly encourages the Brandon Bear Clan to apply again to the Criminal Property Forfeiture funding.”
Kim Longstreet, a founding member of Brandon Bear Clan, declined the Sun’s request for an interview via email Tuesday morning.
» mleybourne@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @miraleybourne