Local sports groups are scrambling to make adjustments to their operating budgets, as they learn how deep the cuts are to the government grants they had come to rely upon each year.

The provincial government, which administers the direct access grants program, lifted a freeze on the funds late last month. Applications from sports groups are now being processed, and they are now learning how much – if anything – they will receive.

Arts, culture and sports groups received more than $35 million worth of direct access grants in 2008-09, but will get nowhere near that total this year. Citing “unprecedented global economic challenges,” the province has advised applicants changes to the program will result in annual grants being reduced or eliminated.

“We’re worried this is the beginning of the end, that the government will continue to roll it back,” said Jamie Allen, president of Surrey Minor Hockey, after learning his association will continue to receive funds pledged in a three-year community gaming grant, but had its request for a direct access grant rejected.

“We have 1,100 kids in Surrey Minor Hockey, and we use a lot of access money. The gaming funds covered about a quarter of our registration fees. We were charging $400-450 for registration, but we’re looking at $600 now.”

Surrey Minor Hockey received a direct access grant of $34,275 in 2008-09. Their application for a similar amount was rejected.

The Surrey Knights Swim Club had its grant application approved – but for far less than the $33,000 it received last year. The 107-member club applied for a similar amount this year, but received only $9,900.

“Equipment and administration will take a hit,” said Colleen Gilmore, president of the Knights club. “And the head coach and the assistant coach will be coaching more groups for the same amount of money, which is like a pay cut.

“If the grants completely disappear, fees will go up. Eventually, equipment has to be replaced.”

Also hit hard was youth soccer. The Surrey Breakers, which runs female teams from the under-10 to women’s age groups, saw their grant of $47,640 cut by 77 per cent.

“It was a huge hit to us as we have had to scale down and in some cases cut completely the programs we offered the girls,” said Breakers president Jeff Jacobsen. “We as a club will get through this but it has made things very difficult for  not only us to budget, but for the girls who will lose out in the end.”