The City of Belleville has received a donation to help offset some COVID-19-incurred costs for supporting vulnerable populations.
Additional safety precautions have added extensive expenses to the city’s operation costs.
The city applied the $11,500 donation from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Vulnerable Populations to the summer cooling centre’s operating expenses.
Summer 2020 was an extremely hot one and locations typically available to those looking for a place to escape the intense heat were closed due to the province’s COVID-19 orders.
The City of Belleville was able to create access to a section of the Sports and Wellness Centre but it meant that additional evening and weekend staff and security guards were needed along with physical distancing signage, protective face masks, hand sanitizers and cleaning supplies.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk says, “To receive this kind of direct funding from an organization like the CMA Foundation is a testament to the great work Belleville and other communities across Canada have been doing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Municipalities have been working hard to keep Canadians safe during these trying times and this funding helped us to continue to provide vital services to our residents.”
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Vulnerable Populations is a joint effort between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Medical Association Foundation.
The CMAF has made a $10 million donation which the FCM is allocating to 73 municipalities across the country.
