There has been little or no increase in funding since the start, 10 years ago. Given increases in the cost of living, the reality is that we are working with approximately 20% less money than at the start. Consequently, as my colleague Robert mentioned, we cannot hire as many staff as previously. Rent is also more expensive. Everything is getting tougher.
In Alberta, we have entered into partnerships with other organizations in an attempt to make up the difference. In so doing, we have developed our entrepreneurial spirit. That moreover is what we preach: we want people to become entrepreneurs. We have established services and partnerships that have generated nearly an additional $100,000. We have managed on our own, but we nevertheless need an increase in the enabling fund and in other funding sources.
I would like to emphasize one interesting point. One of our funding agencies wanted to penalize us for doing a good job of managing the funds advanced to us. We put the funds in a bank account that paid little interest, 1% or 2%. It wanted to penalize us because we were thus able to earn about $1,000 more in interest over a one-year period. I find that absurd. We adopted good financial practices by investing the money, making sure that we generated a little more profit on the government's advances, and they wanted to penalize us. We ultimately negotiated and they accepted it. The fact remains that the contribution agreements provide that any interest we receive on the funds advanced may be deducted from the amount granted to us. I find that a bit ridiculous.