At their meeting on March 13, Athabasca County council expressed concern that they might take a hit when it comes to Greater North Foundation (GNF) funding now that the boundaries of Lac La Biche County have shifted.
GNF is a management body that handles low-income and senior housing, both lodges and senior apartment buildings. GNF receives funding from the provincial government, which it supplements through municipal tax requisitions.
That’s where Athabasca County comes in. The county, and GNF’s other supporting municipalities, are accountable for the portion of the GNF that focuses on senior lodges. The requisition process involves an assessment per municipality.
Lac La Biche County, which is another GNF funding partner, recently had its borders redrawn to no longer include the Primrose Air Weapons Range.
As a result, Lac La Biche County also loses the assessment income associated with it.
Local councillors are concerned that they will have to pick up that slack.
Athabasca County manager Gary Buchanan said that loss of income could tremendously impact the GNF.
He noted that this would not necessarily affect this year’s assessment, because it is based on 2011, but for 2013, it could have significant impact on how much Athabasca County has to put forth, given that if one partner in the GNF loses a significant amount of their assessment base, the other members need to step up to cover the costs.
County Reeve David Yurdiga said he isn’t sure the province took the GNF into account when they agreed to the boundary shift and he wants to make sure Athabasca doesn’t become accountable for Lac La Biche’s loss.
Lionel Cherniwchan, local GNF board member, said he believes this won’t directly affect the GNF and their assessments for requisitions in the future.
“It is our understanding that the government is working on making sure that the assessment loss from Lac La Biche remains accessible by the GNF, and so it would not affect Athabasca County at all (nor) the money allocated to the GNF,” Cherniwchan said. “This means that the County of Athabasca, the Town, and the Village of Boyle or any other part of the assessment will not be affected or impacted.”
Both county council and Cherniwchan are waiting on official confirmation in writing as to whether or not the GNF and its supporting municipalities, including Athabasca County, will be affected by the loss of the Air Weapons Range.
The county is currently waiting on the official ministerial order from the government, as is Cherniwchan.
