Richmond, B.C. Gets $400,000 in Contributions from Casinos

Richmond has received over $400,000 in contributions to school parent groups so far to support extra-curriculum activities, part of a broader Community Gaming Grants initiative in British Columbia

Educational PACs in Richmond Receive Sizeable Gaming Contributions

The British Columbia Community Gaming Grants initiative is paying off as school parent groups in Richmond have received $414,300 from the province’s gambling revenue sharing program.

The money has been used to support extra-curricular activities and the funds are managed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, which collects a part of all commercial gambling revenue in British Columbia and forwards it to support education in the province.

According to official data, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs has forwarded the money to 50 Richmond school PACs, with private schools receiving $12,880 and the bulk going to public elementary school PACs.

Overall, the sum total of $225,860 has been allocated to the latter. Meanwhile, the Ministry has forwarded $173,060 to local secondary parent and alumni groups, the official data revealed, with another $2,500 going to a local district parent group.

The size of the grants varies based on the needs of each individual institution, and ranges between $1,900 and $25,000. The money has been used to bolster various extra-curricular activities and enhance sports playground equipment, writing, drama and music clubs, and more.

PACs and DPACs Continue to Benefit from Gaming

In a statement, Minister of Municipal Affairs Josie Osborne has commended the parent group’s tireless efforts to come up with new ways and keep students engaged with extra-curriculum activities.

The number of contributions is remaining steady despite the pandemic and initial fears that funding would be severely impacted, with 1,300 school advisory councils all throughout British Columbia receiving money from the Community Gaming Grants.

A total of $11.2 million has been distributed to PACs and DPACs in the province. The actual contributions from the Community Gaming Grants amount to $140 million every year, allocated to non-for-profit organizations in the province.

With casino closures introduced earlier this year, however, some reorganization has been necessary for gambling revenue to support educational initiatives. British Columbia continues to operate some of the largest base of casinos in the country with 36 such properties sporting a combined 13,168 slots and 546 tables.

In 2019 in British Columbia, total accumulated gambling revenue amounted to $1.56 billion according to an official filing found on the province’s official government website.