When the Alberta government announced its decision to eliminate the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) in 2013, many of the people who relied on the funding thought the move would be temporary.
The funding did not return this year and several summer camps are struggling to pay the wages of their summer staff.
STEP, a program started in the 1970's, provided non-profit organizations and other small groups with funding to pay their temporary summer staff
Easter Seals Camp Horizon, which focuses on children with illness or disabilities, is facing mounting staffing costs after the group committed to hiring summer staff under the assumption provincial funding would return.
The operators of the specialized camp, located near Bragg Creek, have been forced to ask for donations to help cover their operating costs.
“A typical camp could run at a camper-staff ratio of six campers to one staff or higher,” said Anna Garcia, Easter Seals Camp Horizon. “Our rations remain at two-to-one or three-to-one at the most."
“That makes our camp a bit more expensive to run but we don't want to pass that extra cost to the families. They have so many obstacles they already have to overcome.”
The province says it plans to install a new grant program in the next few months. The program is being reworked to focus on assisting people who struggle to find long term employment including Aboriginal Albertans and people with disabilities.
With files from CTV's Chris Epp
