Madam Chair, the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association was going to use their summer jobs funding to hire two downtown ambassadors to work with struggling small businesses with a system of signage and pamphlets, educating the public regarding social distancing, directing them to use ten washing stations and providing masks. They have received Canada summer jobs funding for years and have been a tremendous service to our community.
I have been in communication with the executive director over the past months. I told her that based on their history and past funding and how important their work is, especially during this time of COVID, I was confident they would receive funding; we just had to wait and wait.
How in the world is it possible, Madam Chair, that the government has money for private jets but no money for a non-profit that is trying to help struggling small businesses improve public health and safety?