The Government Just Gave Themselves a Raise, and Pulled Funding for the Cool Aid Society in Grande Prairie, Affecting Many Vulnerable Kids
The province cut all funding to a youth center that relied on it for 90% of its budget, putting kids at risk—while government officials gave themselves a raise. Their priorities couldn’t be clearer.
I can’t wrap my head around this. The Cool Aid Society in Grande Prairie has been a safe place for kids for 45 years—offering mental health support, learning activities, and a sense of belonging—all for free. Now, the province has decided to cut 100% of its funding, which makes up 90% of Cool Aid’s overall budget. If something doesn’t change, they’ll have to shut down next month.
I’m furious. These are kids we’re talking about—300 families and up to 70 youth who drop in every day—and the government is just pulling the rug out from under them. They’re saying it’s because they’re shifting from prevention to intervention, but that makes no sense. If we’re not giving kids a place to belong now, what do they think will happen later? Prevention IS intervention. If we don’t support kids today, we’re going to see more crises tomorrow.
The Government Found Money for Themselves—But Not for Kids
I said it on social media, and I’ll say it again:
"This is shameful. The UCP gave themselves a raise last month. Perhaps they feel they are extremely busy cutting programs and supports from Alberta's most vulnerable."
I don’t believe for a second that this is about budgeting. The government had no issue finding money to give themselves raises, but when it comes to a youth center that’s actually making a difference, suddenly the funding dries up? It’s disgusting.
And it’s not just Cool Aid. Other programs that help low-income families, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual violence are also being gutted. City Councillor Dylan Bressey is right—municipalities are being left to pick up the slack, and they can’t keep up. The province is dumping responsibility onto local governments, and families are paying the price.
The Community Is Stepping Up—But It Shouldn’t Have To
There has been an outpouring of support for Cool Aid since this news broke. People are offering to run fundraisers, and the organization itself is doing everything possible—they’ve cut costs, applied for grants, and even planned a casino night in March. But let’s be real: this shouldn’t be a situation where we’re scrambling to save a program that should already be funded.
Cool Aid just asked the City of Grande Prairie for $60,000 to keep running until the end of the school year while they search for long-term solutions. They’re doing everything they can, but this isn’t sustainable. They need stable funding, not just a temporary band-aid.
What Happens If We Stay Silent?
If we let this happen without speaking up, what’s next? If they can justify cutting Cool Aid today, they’ll do the same to another essential program tomorrow.
I’m not okay with this, and I hope you’re not either. Call your MLA. Share this story. Contribute to the fundraisers. If we don’t push back, the government is going to keep putting themselves first while the most vulnerable lose everything.
And that’s not something I’m willing to accept.
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