OTTAWA -- After months of pinching pennies and launching viral campaigns to save its gathering spaces, the Royal Canadian Legion is slated to get an influx of funding that could save hundreds of halls from permanent closure.
Bill C-4, the federal government’s latest COVID-19 aid package, allocates $20 million for veterans' organizations that is expected to be distributed prior to the end of year. While the funding is available to a wide variety of veterans groups, one source within the Prime Minister’s Office says a “lion’s share” of that money is expected to flow to the legions.
“We are pleased and thankful to know that Legion Branches are on the verge of receiving some much-needed financial help,” The Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion President Thomas Irvine told CTV News.
“While we don’t know how the funds will be administered yet, we understand they can be used for operational costs and that’s what we’ve been waiting for. We are hopeful this will all happen soon, in time to save some Branches that are set to close, or to help those that still can’t reopen.”
Forced closures during the early stages of the pandemic, as well as restrictions around indoor dining, cut off crucial income streams for many legion branches, including venue rentals and food and drink sales. While some government funding was available at both the provincial and federal level, the Royal Canadian Legion said a very little of that funding could be used to pay off mounting operational costs including utilities and rent.
According to the national headquarters, 130 branches received some type of government help, including repayable loans, while 13 others were denied.
"If we get this money, with no strings attached, it will be very beneficial to our branches because there are several right across Canada that need financial help," Irvine said. "This money that we get, every single penny, will go to the branches and the Dominion Command will not keep any."
When CTV News first covered the story in June, the Royal Canadian Legion warned about 124 of its 1,381 Canadian branches were likely to close permanently because of COVID-19, and another 357 were facing serious financial hardship.
Since then, at least 21 branches have closed permanently or are in the process of closing. Another 625 Legion branches have joined a $20-million lawsuit against insurance provider Aviva. The legions argue they were denied insurance claims for loss of business income over a debate about the policy’s definition of an outbreak.
"It will absolutely make a difference," Irvine said. "If they get the money, they stay open and if they don’t get the money, they could close."
The Department of Veterans Affairs is in communication with the Royal Canadian Legion about the funding, which it says should be made available in the near future. So far it is unclear what the funding will look like and in what form it will be delivered. The legion hopes the money is provided in the form of non-repayable grants.
“We’re very grateful for the work that our community partners do for veterans, especially as they’ve continued their important work throughout the pandemic. Our goal has always been to ensure that they have the assistance they need,” said Cameron McNeill, a spokesperson for Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay in a statement to CTV News. “The funding allocated in Bill C-4 must be distributed prior to the end of the year, but our expectation is that it will be provided to veterans organizations sooner than that.
