Langley Lodge Care Society will get a $33,000 shot in the arm for the next three years, from Langley Township.

On Monday, council approved a recommendation from a staff report, to approve a contribution to the seniors’ housing society this year, in the amount of $10,000 from the 2009 Community Grants Budget, with another $10,000 from the council contingency fund.

A motion included $33,000 in each of 2010 and 2011, which requires council to increase the base budget for Community Grants by $33,000 in each of those years.

In March, a delegation from the society, led by chair Terry Metcalfe, asked council for a contribution to help the society in a $28 million renovation of the Langley Lodge, at 5451 204 St. in Langley City.

Metcalfe told the council that the society was founded in the 1970s, to develop seniors housing, and at that time the standard for seniors’ housing was primarily double and triple occupancy.

Now, new provincial standards require mostly single occupancy with some double occupancy. Rather than close down as some seniors’ facilities did, the Langley Lodge Care Society embarked on a $28 million rebuilding program, which includes construction of a new tower, and renovation of the existing building, to meet the new standards. The society is also undertaking an $11 million fundraising drive.

Last month, Councillor Charlie Fox proposed a motion to provide the society with $50,000 a year, for 20 years.

Council referred the motion, for a staff report on the Township community grant policy, and for suggestions on innovative ways to fund a contribution to the society.

On Monday, Councillor Bob Long made an amending motion to the staff recommendation for $33,000 for three years, asking that the funding be considered a matching grant to the maximum $33,000.

He said the matching grant sends a “very positive message to the community” to assist in fund raising and the amended motion passed 7-2, with Councillors Fox and Grant Ward opposed.

The main motion, to provide $33,000 annually for three years, passed 8-1, with Councillor Kim Richter opposed.

Richter argued that health care is a provincial responsibilty, which Victoria is downloading on municipalities, and funding the seniors’ lodge would set a bad precedent.

Richter said council should not be using property tax revenues for health care.

“We should be lobbying the provincial government to fund health care properly,” Richter said.