SRD considering insurance for non-profits

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District is looking into the possibility of offering community-focused non-profits access to insurance. Robyn Mawhinney, Regional Director for Area C, brought the idea forward at the April 12 Board meeting.

“I've been asked repeatedly if there would be a way for the Stratcona Regional District to offer access to more reasonably priced insurance for nonprofit groups. I wonder if there are other areas within the S R D where nonprofits have highlighted this concern, and if we might as a board be interested in inquiring with the Municipal Insurance Service of BC (MIABC) to consider offering a product accessible to community minded nonprofits in support of the valuable work they do and I do have a proposed motion when it's the right time,” she said.

Senior Manager Thomas Yates responded, “The Municipal Insurance Association has for quite some time had a program, called the Associate Member Program, whereby, nonprofits that do not wish to or can't afford their own insurance can apply through the Regional District. The kicker is that they must be providing a regional district service in order to qualify under the rules that have been in place for a long time. I don't believe those rules have changed, but if it is the wish of the board, we could certainly check that out.”

Gerald Whalley, Regional Director for Area A, brought up an alternate route, “Not to detract from your upcoming motion, but in Sayward we have a nonprofit society, Sayward Futures, that works as an umbrella group for every other little society who can't afford their own insurance. They are insured underneath the umbrella of that one. So that might be a model that you could look at.”

Mawhinney moved, “I would like to propose this motion, whereas the costs of insurance are continuously increasing and are a costly impediment to community nonprofit organizations, and whereas community nonprofits often rely on grant and aid funding from the regional district to support their operations in the face of rising insurance rates, that the Stratcona Regional District send a letter to MIABC inquiring under their framework for capturing ideas about the possibility of offering access to insurance for community focused non-profits.”

The motion was seconded by Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch and carried with no opposing votes.