The Royal Canadian Legion branch in Montreal’s Verdun borough is renting a community center by the hour, less than 500 meters from an elegant brick building it sold more than a decade ago when it became too expensive to maintain. We meet once a week in this space.
After years of rising rents, forced moves, and general instability, members are happy to have a place to gather. But President Darlene Harrison says the question always comes up: “When will I own my own home again?”
It’s a question she doesn’t know how to answer. She recently went to check out a space and learned the rent was $6,700 a month. Expenses such as telephone and internet are not included.
“All of this costs money, and until we can come up with the funds to cover it, it’s not practical to try to rent a place at this point,” she said in a recent phone interview.
Her branch is not alone. While raising money for other community organizations, some corps are struggling to keep their lights on due to inflation and rising maintenance costs.
The Corps in Grenfell, South Carolina, recently made the same decision as Verdun and put its former armory building up for sale.
Volunteers have spent the past eight months knitting and crocheting poppies before tying them to fishing nets. Now poppies are streaming down the flanks of Wellington’s corps. CBC’s Victoria Walton reports on this story.
President Ken Box said it was a matter of “an aging membership and an aging building.” With only about 85 members, many of whom no longer live nearby, it made no sense at all to maintain the building.
“We spend so much time fundraising to pay for buildings that we are not able to do what we are supposed to be doing: supporting our veterans, our community, and promoting our membership.” ,” Box said in a statement. Telephone interview.
He said once the building is sold, the Corps will be able to move into another city-owned space and focus on its “core values.”
Other legions fight to keep the building open, one spaghetti dinner, dance, and bingo game at a time.
Survive through all adversity
Such is the case in the Cape Breton town of Donkin, New South Wales. Corps Hall was heavily damaged by post-Tropical Storm Fiona in 2022, causing extensive roof damage and soaring insurance premiums.
Despite all the adversity, the corps managed to pay off its debts and stabilize its finances. President Wayne Boutilier credits this to the support of the community. He said it was made possible by a weekly darts league, businesses that donated merchandise for the raffle, and former residents from other states who continue to pay their dues. Most recently, the Corps leased its building to the Nova Scotia government for seven weeks for the provincial election.
“I’ve already paid off most of what I owed,” said the former coal miner and former oil field worker. “However, regular bills such as utilities, internet, etc. will still be charged.”
Small rural armies like Donkin may be the most vulnerable, but they are not alone in their struggle.
The chapter, located in East Ottawa’s Orléans neighborhood, has 800 to 900 members and had to resort to crowdfunding in 2020 to raise money to build a new roof. The branch’s president said the 30-year-old building is still dilapidated and has little income. It has not kept up with the rising costs of utilities and maintenance.
“Our main source of income is hall rental fees and we need to update our facilities to attract more renters,” Wynn Fournier wrote in an email. “But I don’t have enough income to spend money on things like that. It’s a terrible cycle.”
The Royal Canadian Legion said in an email that while some of its chapters may be in difficulty, it’s “a very small percentage of the total” and that “it’s important to understand what’s going on provincially and nationally.” It does not indicate that.” He noted that overall membership numbers are increasing and that two new branches have recently opened.
“We’re still living paycheck to paycheck.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced branches to temporarily close, depleting financial reserves and putting many branches at risk of closure. The situation has stabilized since then, but corps members told The Canadian Press they are still struggling to rebuild lost savings and bring people back to in-person activities.
Edmonton’s Kingsway branch, whose finances suffered during the pandemic, is no longer at risk of closing, but Treasurer Ron Wills said it hasn’t fully recovered.
“We’re still struggling financially. We’re still living paycheck to paycheck, so to speak,” he said. He said he hasn’t ruled out the possibility that the Corps will have to sell the building at some point, but he hopes that doesn’t happen.
The Corps’ fundraising rules are strict. For example, funds raised during the annual poppy drive are set aside exclusively for veterans, and the corps must pay its bills from membership fees and fundraisers.
Despite the challenges, the Corps branch says positive things are happening.
Harrison said Verdun’s membership drive has helped it recruit new young members who bring fresh ideas. She is proud of the Corps’ work, including supporting local schools and homeless shelters, as well as organizations dedicated to veterans.
She wants people to know that you don’t have to be a veteran to get involved or offer support, and that more members are always welcome.
“If you’re interested in helping out, volunteering, doing something for the community, we’re here,” she said.
On Monday, CBC News will have special coverage from the National Day celebrations in Ottawa, which can be viewed online, on CBC Television or CBC Radio.
CBC Montreal will livestream the city’s main ceremony at Place Canada in downtown Montreal, starting shortly before 11 a.m. ET. Check your local cbc.ca for other local livestreams from cities across Canada.
