A funding request from the Canyon Creek Harbour Authority pitted councillors for the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River against their administrators last month – at least in principle.
The authority had come to council on bended knee after the annual tax bill threatened to push it into a sea of red ink, said CAO Allan Winarski.
The group emptied its bank account installing water and sewer to the campground surrounding the harbour last year, he said, and so was caught short when it suddenly received its first-ever municipal tax bill.
Winarski said the group could be construed as a recreation and culture entity, but administrators have no clear definition. In fact, the facility is a benefit to the area, but is separate from the municipality.
“In general we encourage self-sufficiency (of recreation groups) though we must decide where we want to go with this” as several other such groups could see the support as a precedent.
“If we do things in isolation, we sort of open Pandora’s Box.”
Councillor Brian Rosche, however, disagreed.
“I liken this to the (Slave Lake Municipal) airport. The feds have dumped this onto the M.D. and told people to operate it. I don’t see this as a recreation group.”
Agreeing, Reeve Denny Garratt – a member of the group— offered a little history.
“We were the Canyon Creek Community Association and we operated the campsite, but the feds enticed the group to look after the harbour too.
“We’re no authority; we’re just a bunch of people.
“But the most important thing is this is a non-profit community association that used all of its money to put in water and sewer – and then got a tax bill.
“Maybe we need to forgive taxes for non-profit groups living in our communities. How can they continue if they can’t make any money?”
Winarski said he’d told the harbour group that council would look at its request at its September meeting when council begins to create its budget for 2008. But again he reminded council that smaller groups – like the remote control flying group asked for a lawn mower so it could look after its facility.
“But that harbour has to operate; it’s not an optional facility,” Rosche insisted. “They needed sewer and water. What are we going to do about it?”
Winarski warned council to be careful.
“Make sure you don’t hang yourself.”
“I don’t think so,” countered Rosche. “I look at this as part of our transportation system, not a recreational facility.” And just as the M.D. helps fund the airport authority annually, it should step up to the plate for the harbour authority. Agreeing, Reeve Garratt reminded council that “this is he first time in the history of the (harbour) association that we’ve ever asked for help. This is an extraordinary situation.”
And what if the harbour authority decides to relinquish its hold on the harbour? asked Rosche.
“The feds would put someone in there to operate it and collect fees,” offered Garratt. “There would be no campground, etc., and not only our community but the whole area would be worse off.”
Councillors agreed to look more closely at the matter in September.

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