The following is a letter written by Huntsville resident Dr. Ian Hastie, and sent to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.
To The Premier, Kathleen Wynne,
I am writing to bring to your attention a problem with the LCBO. Currently its stores raise money for charity, for instance through money boxes, by allowing tag sales and “Just Ask” at the checkouts. And despite their stated mission of putting money back into the community [1] the bulk of that money goes to hospitals and charities other than our local ones.
In 2016/2017 fundraising totaled $13.3 million across all the LCBO stores in Ontario, of which a mere $733,000 or 5.5 per cent went to local charities in communities across Ontario. MADD Canada, Ontario’s four regional children’s hospitals, the United Way and the Red Cross were beneficiaries of $12.2 million. These are very worthwhile charities but they do not help support our desperately needy local ones.
Huntsville charities, if approved by the local Municipality, are each allowed one day a year to sell tags outside the LCBO store, as well as displaying donation boxes in the store on selected weeks. At no time are checkout employees allowed to ask for donations for our local charities, only for regional or national ones. Clearly these rules for collecting donations for local charities are quite ineffective.
Huntsville’s resident population is less than 20,000, relatively elderly and relatively poor. It boasts three dollar stores, two food banks, a men’s shelter, one LCBO, five Tim Hortons, seven pharmacies, a Walmart, and many boarded up shops in the downtown. On the demand side its poorer and aged population mean disproportionately higher needs for hospital and nursing home care. On the supply side, Huntsville has a $3 million a year hospital budget deficit and needs tens of millions of dollars for hospital reconstruction; Fairvern, a not-for-profit nursing home, needs up to $3 million for redevelopment amenities; and the men’s shelter is now desperate for funds. These needs are in addition to funding hospital medical capital equipment such as new beds, monitors and CT Scanners.
By contrast, Toronto and surrounding areas such as Oakville and Vaughan have large populations and very wealthy residents who are best able to support SickKids and other Ontario children’s hospitals and charities. Some of these wealthy people also have seasonal residences in Muskoka and make 6,000 to 7,000 visits a year to Huntsville’s Emergency Department. The existence of our hospital is essential to the enjoyment of their seasonal homes, and asking them (and richer local residents) to support it with a few dollars when they are shopping in our local LCBO is not inappropriate.
I am asking your government, the owner of the LCBO, to ensure that the LCBO walks the talk. Local communities need to have more, effective opportunities to raise funds at LCBO stores.
I look forward to hearing from you very soon.
Yours truly,
Ian G. Hastie, MD FRCP
Huntsville, ON
[1] “Involvement in the community and fundraising for registered charities have always been important to LCBO. Through the commitment of our employees and the generosity of our customers, we continue to help countless Ontarians in communities throughout the province.”
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My main donations go to the Salvation Army, where the money and goods stay in the community and work for the community. Too often, generous donations received are used up in administrative costs (salaries, etc) of the organization and do not get to the required need. The Salvation Army has never been one of those.
I have never given at the LCBO or any other store when they ask for money because I have no idea where it will go. I give my money to the Hospital, food bank, shelter , library, etc. That way I know it stays in our community.