The Royal Canadian Legion branch in Montreal91裸聊视频檚 Verdun borough meets once a week in a community centre space it rents by the hour, less than 500 metres from the elegant brick building it sold over a decade ago when maintenance costs got too high.
After years of rising rents, a forced move and general instability, its members are happy to have somewhere to meet. But president Darlene Harrison says one question keeps coming back: 91裸聊视频淲hen are we going to have our own home again?91裸聊视频�
It91裸聊视频檚 a question she doesn91裸聊视频檛 know how to answer. She recently went to check out a space, only to find out the rent was $6,700 per month 91裸聊视频� not including costs like phone and internet.
91裸聊视频淎ll of these things cost money, and until we can generate the funds to cover it, it91裸聊视频檚 really not feasible at this point in time to try to rent a locale,91裸聊视频� she said in a recent phone interview.
Her branch isn91裸聊视频檛 alone. Even as they fundraise for other community organizations, some legions are having trouble keeping their own lights on amid rising inflation and maintenance costs.
The legion in Grenfell, Sask., recently made the same decision as Verdun and listed its building 91裸聊视频� a former armoury 91裸聊视频� for sale.
It91裸聊视频檚 a matter of 91裸聊视频渁ging membership and aging buildings,91裸聊视频� president Ken Box said. With only about 85 members, many of whom no longer live nearby, keeping the building just didn91裸聊视频檛 make sense.
91裸聊视频淲e spend way too much of our time fundraising to pay for the expenses on the building, and that takes away from what we91裸聊视频檙e supposed to be doing, which is supporting veterans and the community and promoting our members,91裸聊视频� Box said in a phone interview.
Once the building sells, he said, the legion will move to another space owned by the city, allowing it to focus on its 91裸聊视频渃ore values.91裸聊视频�
Other legions are fighting to keep their buildings open, one spaghetti dinner, dance and bingo game at a time.
That91裸聊视频檚 the case in the Cape Breton town of Donkin, N.S. The legion hall was hit hard by post-Tropical Storm Fiona in 2022, which caused extensive roof damage and sent insurance rates shooting upwards.
Against all odds, the legion has managed to pay off its debts and stabilize its finances 91裸聊视频� something president Wayne Boutilier credits to community support. He said the weekly dart league, businesses that donated goods for a draw, and former residents who continue to pay their dues from other provinces made it possible. More recently, the legion rented its building to the Nova Scotia government for seven weeks to use for the provincial election.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e got everything pretty much paid off now that we owed,91裸聊视频� the former coal miner and retired oilfield worker said. 91裸聊视频淏ut you still get your regular bills, like your lights, your heat, your internet.91裸聊视频�
While small, rural legions like Donkin91裸聊视频檚 may be the most vulnerable, they91裸聊视频檙e not the only ones that struggle. The branch in the eastern Ottawa neighbourhood of Orleans has 800 to 900 members, but it had to turn to GoFundMe to raise money for a new roof in 2020. Its president says the 30-year-old building is still showing its age, and income has not kept up with the rising cost of utilities and maintenance.
91裸聊视频淥ur main source of income is hall rentals, and we need to update our facilities to attract more rentals,91裸聊视频� Wyn Fournier wrote in an email. 91裸聊视频淗owever, we don91裸聊视频檛 have the income to spend money on that. It91裸聊视频檚 a nasty circle.91裸聊视频�
The Royal Canadian Legion said in an email that while a few of its branches may be in trouble, they represent 91裸聊视频渁 very tiny percentage of the whole91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渨ould not be indicative of what91裸聊视频檚 going on provincially or nationally.91裸聊视频� It noted that overall membership is growing, and that two new branches have recently opened.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced branches to temporarily shut their doors, depleting their financial reserves and putting many at risk of closure. Since then, the situation has stabilized, but the legions that spoke to The Canadian Press say they91裸聊视频檙e still struggling to rebuild lost savings and lure people back to in-person activities.
The Kingsway Branch in Edmonton, whose finances suffered during the pandemic, is no longer at risk of closure, though financial chairman Ron Wills says it hasn91裸聊视频檛 fully recovered.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e still having financial difficulties. We91裸聊视频檙e still living paycheque to paycheque, so to speak,91裸聊视频� he said. He said the legion doesn91裸聊视频檛 rule out having to sell its building one day, though he hopes it doesn91裸聊视频檛 happen.
Rules around legion fundraising are strict. The money raised by the annual poppy campaign, for example, is reserved exclusively for veterans, leaving legions to pay their bills from membership dues and fundraisers.
Despite the challenges, legion branches say there are positive things happening. In Verdun, Harrison said, a membership drive has helped recruit new, younger members who bring fresh ideas. She91裸聊视频檚 proud of the work the legion does, which includes supporting local schools and homeless shelters in addition to organizations dedicated to veterans.
She wants people to know they don91裸聊视频檛 have to be a veteran to join or to offer support 91裸聊视频� and that more members are always welcome. 91裸聊视频淚f you have an interest in helping and volunteering and doing things for your community, here we are,91裸聊视频� she said.
