Ottawa funding cut affects Strathmore, Wheatland County

Times Reporter

 

In early April an announcement was made in Ottawa that affects libraries and community centres across the country. 

The federal government announced on April 6 that they are cutting funding for the Community Access Program (CAP). The announcement will have a direct impact on Marigold member libraries.  

“The CAP fund has allowed us to maintain technology standards so that no member library falls behind with their computer infrastructure. CAP enables Marigold to efficiently support a robust IT network,” said Michelle Toombs, Director of the Marigold Library System.

“This current technology infrastructure is very much needed and used by people who live in the Marigold area. They use the computers at the library to find information, to study and take exams, to search for jobs and work on skill development, to research health and wellness, to fill out government forms, and much more. Having access to great library service with current technology, helps individuals succeed and communities to be sustainable.”  

Last year the Strathmore Library used CAP funding specifically to purchase two brand new computers. The previous year the funding was used to partially purchase the assisted workstation.

“CAP funding for us, and for other libraries in Marigold, was a technology purchasing line really,” said Jesse Traquair, Director of Library Services with the Strathmore Municipal Library.

CAP was first brought into place in 1995 to help provide Canadians with Internet access. The economy is being partly blamed for the cut, and Industry Canada feels the service is no longer required. According to Statistics Canada fewer than 54 per cent of households in the lowest income bracket, $30,000 or less, have Internet access at home, which is where libraries come into play.

“We’re here to help the people who need help and when funding is cut it makes it difficult to help those people,” said Carmen Lefebvre, Assistant Director of Library Services with the Strathmore Municipal Library.  

“I think essentially what the government was thinking was (the) Statistics Canada Internet use survey in 2010 came out and said that 79 per cent of Canadian households have Internet access. But I think what they didn’t really take into account (is) 21 per cent of Canadians don’t have access, that’s millions of people. 

“So who is going to look after those 21 per cent, and also still out of those 79 per cent of Canadian households how may of those people are still on dial-up Internet access. I think that’s something the government hasn’t really thought about.”

With everything being online, including unemployment applications, losing the ability to go to your local CAP centre to access the Internet could be detrimental to many. Without Internet at home, there needs to be a facility that can provide it to you. 

“If Canada is supposed to be an economically competitive country, and if all of this is based on technology, then cutting out a full fifth of your population from that technology is a ridiculously shortsighted action,” said Traquair. 

The Strathmore Library has seen steady use of their computers, and on any given day all the computers are being used, whether it’s students completing homework or adults browsing, or grandparents connecting with their grandchildren. Without CAP funding it is going to be a struggle to replace and maintain computer equipment, which can often wear out quickly. 

The CAP Youth Initiative funding is not being affected. That is the funding where they received the grant to bring in CAP coordinator Jessie Bach, who taught the technology classes earlier this year. The hope is to apply again for a CAP Youth Initiative because of the success of the previous program. It was a huge success and it’s one thing that shows that type of CAP funding is beneficial, said Lefebvre.   

“It was a very sad day when I heard that Ottawa decided to cut CAP funding. I understand times are tough, but I think this is going to affect quite a few people,” said Lefebvre. 

“The best thing we can say to the community is, if they believe that Ottawa should maybe reinstate CAP funding they need to speak to their local MP (Kevin Sorenson) and let them know how important this funding was and how important it still is and maybe Ottawa should consider reinstating this funding.”