The Prince Edward Learning Centre has secured funding from Prince Edward County council to continue its services through October 2022.
The funding allows PELC to continue its services while seeking longer term more sustainable funding through the federal and provincial governments.
County council granted PELC $17,873.84 in 2020, enough to cover approximately four months of operating costs.
Of the multiple services it offers, PELC’s tax clinic has proven to be very valuable in the past year. In 2020 the tax clinic helped 334 county residents file taxes netting total returns and ancillary benefits of $1,038,744 in tax revenue. Further, PELC helped 149 people secure emergency funding through the Ontario Electricity Support Program and the Low-Income Energy Support Program to assist with utility bills.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Councillor Bill Roberts remarked that the money people received as tax returns with help from PELC is not only money back in people’s pockets, but money back into the community in a time of economic recovery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I see this as much more than simply, very importantly, but simply assisting people with tax returns. I see this connected to affordable housing and I see this connected to our community’s COVID recovery. By that I see the $1,038,000 coming back into our economy as a tax return to residents as part of COVID recovery.”
Moving forward, PELC is looking at federal and provincial funding options including the federal government’s Prosperity Gateway granting stream which offers funding to expand financial empowerment programs.
PELC is also exploring mobilizing the tax clinic service to reach further into the county outside of its location in Picton.
