Most of the organizations the City of Kenora supports are seeking an increase in funding next year.

This includes the Muse, the All Nations Health Care Recruitment Committee and the Kenora Public Library.

Marj Poirier is vice-chair of the Library Board and says they are looking for a substantial increase in funding.

“The Kenora Public Library is asking the City of Kenora for an increase in funding from $690,268 to $762,396,” Poirier told city council on Tuesday at their budget meeting.

Poirier says many of the increases are beyond their control, and staffing costs are expected to go up by $56,000.

Overall, the total budget request for both the Library and the Muse is almost $1.5 million, an increase of $112,000  from last year.

Braden Murray is director of the Muse, which includes both the Lake of the Woods Museum and the Douglas Family Arts Center, and says on the positive side the are looking at their best year ever in terms of visitation.

“There have been 13,762 (people) and so with the school classes we have planned…with the parties and rentals that we  have planned…with the art programs we have booked, we will easily pass 15,000 for the year.  So that will be the most we’ve ever had.”

Meanwhile, the All Nations Health Partners Recruitment Committee is also seeking more money from the City of Kenora.

The request for 2024 is $40,000, up from $25,000.

Ray Racette is on the committee and says right now the city is short a lot of doctors.

“It depends on what service, but I think in primary care somewhere from 10 to 12.  In Emerg (the Emergency Room), I can tell you it’s about 40 percent.  So we are relying on locums.”

Racette says they need the extra money for recruitment and site visits for potential recruits.

The other group to seek city funding is Triple Play and coordinator Barry Reynard says they are seeking $12,000 next year, $12,500 in 2025 and $13,000 in 2026.

(File photo)