Regional library loses nearly $46K in provincial funding

Jul 28, 2026 | 10:54 AM

The regional library has lost some financial support.

The Okanagan Regional Library (ORL), which has branches throughout the region including in Vernon, said it had lost $45,742 in provincial funds that was reallocated away from large urban libraries.

In response to the funding loss, the ORL wrote a letter expressing concerns with the decision to Christine Boyle, Minister of of Housing and Municipal Affairs.

“Public libraries play a greater social and economic role than ever before, serving as heating and cooling centres, and support hubs for newcomers, the unhoused, and other vulnerable populations. The opioid crisis profoundly impacts the operation of urban libraries. Reducing funding now is a blatant downloading of these costs to local governments,” Tasha Da Silva, ORL’s Board Chair, stated in the letter.

“The complete lack of consultation or forewarning is just as disappointing as the funding loss itself. The Public Libraries Branch issued no communication about the per capita funding change prior to dispensing annual grants on June 22. The grant letters themselves provided no explanation. Library directors and boards were left scrambling to determine what had happened, and why. Note that June 22 is halfway through the 2026 fiscal year, and well into the 2027 budgeting cycle.”

Budget Cuts

Regional library loses nearly $46K in provincial funding

10m ago

High Risk of Overdose

Drug alert issued for fake tablets in Vernon

17h ago

Crashout Getaway

Vernon RCMP searching for thief who stole vehicle, broke down fence

18h ago

The letter stated cutting funding for large urban libraries also impacts those located in more rural communities, as they assist those with purchasing and staff support.

The ORL also argued that it serves many communities that would be considered rural based on population, such as Lake Country and Peachland, and so the regional system should not have been lumped in with the urban libraries category.

“I request that the provincial government engage with and supports the needs of local governments,” the letter concluded.

“I further request that provincial per capita funding be restored to large urban libraries for the fiscal year 2026.”

The letter was sent to the province Monday, July 20.

During the Vernon City Council meeting that same day, Councillor Kari Gares, who sits on the ORL Board, also noted the regional library had not seen its provincial funding increase since 2014.

“I really just want to make it public to everybody in our community what is transpiring and hopefully we can make some rough noise for the ministry to say ‘we get it, things are tight,’ but it is imperative to bring us to the table and have these discussions because libraries create their budgets well in advance of when the funding is actually received, and for some library systems this can have some major implications,” Gares stated.

“The way they have [reallocated funds] is not the way we would have recommended.”

Vernon City Council then voted in favour of writing a letter to the province echoing the ORL’s concerns and requesting funding be restored.

by Liam Verster

View Comments