(May 3, 2022) Staffing related costs for Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) are projected to skyrocket this year by a staggering 47% over the projected costs of staffing contained in last year’s operating budget. The costs are outlined in MNBC’s $71.8 million dollar budget for 2022/23 which was finally posted yesterday on the MNBC website just a few days after we questioned why no budget had yet been posted, even though the Board of Directors had apparently approved it back on March 29th.
Staffing and training costs for MNBC are projected to reach $20.5 million in the 2022/23 fiscal year, a huge jump up from $13.9 million in projected salaries and training costs last year. The single budget line does not give any details of how many staff MNBC currently has, nor does it indicate how many more staff are going to be hired this year. As of last year, it is believed that staffing numbers had doubled over what they were just 3 years ago. Given the latest budget figure, the number of staff could triple over what it was 3 years ago.
The operating budget for 2022/23 as approved by the Board of Directors also reveals that a huge $2.96 million will be spent on consulting and professional fees. This nearly $3 million is a jump of $288,695 over what had been budgeted last year. Again, there are no details as to how many consultants will be hired, who the consultants are and what services they will be providing at what rate.
What is missing in the consulting and professional fees line this year is the word “honoraria” – which has been the term used in the past to refer to the salaries of Board members. It was in this line last year, but this year it has been removed, and the word “honoraria” does not show up anywhere in this projected budget. So what budget line includes the cost of Board salaries and why is it not clearly referenced so that all MNBC Citizens and communities can see the cost?
Travel and meeting costs are projected to rise over the projected costs last year by a whopping $500,000 to $2.4 million. The new budget figure for travel and meeting costs is up nearly $2 million dollars or 500% over what it was five years ago.
BC Métis Leader Clara Morin Dal Col said, “This Board is planning to spend a lot more money on increasing staff, hiring consultants, and travel and meetings. There’s something wrong with this picture. The number one priority should be helping our Métis communities – all of them, and our Citizens. How can they justify a 47% increase in staffing costs to $20.5 million, and spending nearly $3 million on consultants and $2.4 million on travel and meetings?” Ms. Morin Dal Col said, “There is no justification for it”.
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For further information:
Contact Clara Morin Dal Col
BC Métis Leader
Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com
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