2020 Discretionary Grants Awarded

The City of Fernie is pleased to announce the award of the City’s 2020 Discretionary Grants.

Each year Council allocates $18,000 as grants-in-aid to community groups for events, projects, or programs that support local arts, culture, environment, heritage, recreation, or health activities.  In 2020 Council received a total of $43,300 in funding requests to this program. 

“There are so many groups doing excellent work in the community and having the opportunity to support them through this funding stream is very important,” explained Mayor Qualizza. “The biggest challenge is determining how to distribute the funds between so many worthy initiatives.”

he Discretionary Grants Committee’s recommendations were approved by Council at their February, 10 Regular Meeting.

The 2020 funds have been allocated to thirteen community groups:

Association Francophone Des Rocheuses Du Sud – $2,500

Funds will be used to hire a Francophone musical band for the June 2020 Francofest.  

Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy –   $1,050

Funds will be used to support the Drop-In Learning Place, a local out‐reach program supporting literacy skills.  

Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network – $600 

Funds will be used to support the program Wild Voices, providing presentations and field outings for students to learn about their local environment.

CWA Foundation Fernie – $3,000

Funds will be used to purchase trishaw bikes so that volunteers may provide bike rides for people with limited mobility.  

 Elk Valley Gymnastics Club – $1,500 

 Funds will be used to assist with the costs of hosting the Rocky Mountain Tumble, a large-scale gymnastics meet.

Fernie Heritage Cemetery Restoration Society –   $1,000

Funds will be used to research the life of internees buried in the old section of St. Margaret’s Cemetery, host presentations on St. Margaret Cemetery internees and maintain an interactive public website.  

Fernie Mountain Film Festival Society – $750

Funds will be used to assist with the costs of hosting the film festival.  

Fernie Nordic Society – $500

 Funds will be used to assist with the costs of renting a shuttle bus for the Fernie Flying Viking Challenge event.

Fernie Pride Society – $1,500

Funds will be used to provide information and resources for local families, programming for local youth and to assist with the costs of community events.   

Fernie Youth Action Network – $1,000  

Funds will be used to support the 2020 Community Engagement Project, an initiative to increase youth community engagement.  

Ghostrider Adventure Camp Foundation – $2,000

Funds will be used to cover the costs of camp attendance for four children from Fernie. 

Reel Canadian Film Society – $1,300

 Funds will be used to assist with the costs of hosting the festival in its first year as an independent organization.  

 Senior Citizens Club of Fernie & District – $1,300

 Funds will be used to assist with the costs of participation in the BC 55+ Games in Richmond, BC.