WINNIPEG – Provincial Government once again gives a $500,000 grant for the Enhanced Youth Recreation Programs to the City of Winnipeg. However, the province said they will transfer the funds administratively to its unconditional Municipal Operating Grant Basket, Minister Jeff Wharton said in a news release.

“This is part of our new basket funding model for Winnipeg and other municipalities that streamlines the delivery of grants administered by our government,” said Wharton. “It reduces red tape, increases fair say and provides the City of Winnipeg with the flexibility to allocate funding to address its service delivery needs and emerging priorities.”

The transfer of funds increases the City of Winnipeg’s unconditional Municipal Operating Grant to $116 million in 2018-19. Since 2008-09, the provincial government has provided annual funding of $500,000 through a conditional Enhanced Youth Recreation Programs Grant to support specific recreation activities in Winnipeg.