Wildlife Rescue Association of BC Denied Federal Funding Again

The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC announced today that it has been denied federal funding for the second consecutive year.

For over two decades, the association has relied on grants from the Canada Summer Jobs program to hire and train student wildlife rehabilitators.

Jackie McQuillan, the Director of the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC, says the loss is a problem.

“We have come to rely on that funding to bring people in to do critical work,” she said.

The lack of funding means that the organization will hire fewer young people who are a big help during one of their busiest times of the year.

“During the course of any year, we are taking 5.000 patients in and the majority of that is during the spring and summer months,” McQuillan explains. “Without those people, it is just a huge impact to us.”

Usually, the Wildlife Rescue Association hires young people over the summer between the ages of 16 and 30 to help answer the phones, help with public inquiries regarding injured and orphaned wildlife, and accept patients into care.

“We have received the grant for so long. And then to all of a sudden not get it and be without these people has been really devastating to us,” McQuillan said.

Lack of funding also deals a blow to young people

The organization is now turning to private fundraising to support its summer staffing needs.

“We have a spring match campaign that is actually happening right now,” McQuillan says. “We have had some generous donors offer to match donations that are made up until June 15.”

Not receiving the funding also deals a blow to the many young people who would work with the Wildlife Rescue Association.

McQuillan stresses that “this type of funding provides critical job skills to youth.”

“You can come out of a summer with your eyes wide open to what it takes to work in a really busy environment, to be able to manage multiple tasks and prioritize.”

She says that some full-time employees currently working for the Wildlife Rescue Association had experience in the Canada Summer Jobs Program, “myself included.”

“We are incredibly fortunate to have volunteers that also support the work that we do,” McQuillan says.

“We are very thankful for them, and we encourage other people who are interested in volunteering to take a look at our website and submit an application.”

— With files from Raynaldo Suarez.