The Manitoba Government is walking back on funding cuts to its Urban/Hometown Green Team program. 
    
Recently, we reported that many organizations, like summer camps, were caught off guard when their applications for this year were either denied or approved for considerably less than in previous years. 

"We're trying to balance the budget at the provincial level," explained Premier Wab Kinew when asked about what prompted the reduced program support. "We were left quite a significant deficit and we're trying to get a handle on that."

Since then, the Premier says his government has been meeting with the affected organizations and hearing their concerns, and this week announced it is topping off the fund with an extra $300,000. This money, added the Premier, will help address some of those gaps or help ensure there are a few more resources to go around so these organizations can move forward with the worthwhile initiatives that they spearhead over the course of the summer.

"When we talk about camps or we talk about baseball programs, initiatives to get kids and teenagers working, these are things that we know are good investments," said Kinew.

"Our hope is that in responding to the concerns, one, we're showing that we're listening and responding to the things that are being flagged. But I think most importantly that we are going to be able to make sure that there's going to be some resources there to help, whether it's a kid going to camp, a kid out there mowing the grass on a baseball field or doing maintenance at a community centre."

These extra dollars are being made available for this summer, and the Premier says the Municipal Relations department is working to notify organizations and disburse the grants.

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