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School fitness program running out of funds
Dec 30, 2006 Canadian Press (By: Gilian Livingston) Unless Ontario’s Liberal government agrees to renew funding at a cost of $1.2 million by the year’s end, the Living School program is at risk of folding. The program, (run by Ophea), provides financial and administrative help to elementary schools to allow them to incorporate physical activities into their schedule. Ophea has been lobbying the province for renewed funding for a year but has bounced between ministries without getting any answers. Although Education Minister Gerard Kennedy and Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson both like the program and are looking into ways to finance it, no decision has yet been made. The program has shown positive results by the 36 schools currently participating and there are more than 170 schools on a waiting list to get in. Living Schools is seeking $53 million over the next 10 years to implement the program in approximately 4,000 elementary schools across the province. A meeting with organizers is expected in the new year. This Canadian Press article rain in the following papers: Niagara Falls Review, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, North Bay Nugget, Windsor Star, London Free Press, Orillia Packet & Times, St. Catharines Standard, Timmins Daily Press, Barrie Examiner, Welland Tribune, Sudbury Star, Brantford Expositor, Kingston Whig-Standard, Kenora Daily Miner and News, Chumtv.com and CTV.ca |
