Thunder Bay city council tentatively approves TBSO funding relief

Thunder Bay city council has signed off on a request by the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra to provide it with more of its 2016 grant prior to municipal budget talks.

Ordinarily, grant recipients are eligible for a quarter of their funding prior to the budget being finalized, but councillors allowed the orchestra to receive up to half of its roughly $295,000 funding, prior to the ratification of the city budget.

City administration recommended the forwarding of the additional installment, subject to a review of the symphony's finances by city staff.

Symphony officials say they are facing a cash flow crisis due to decreased federal and provincial dollars.

Meanwhile, the symphony is continuing its own fundraising efforts — and has already raised about half of its $225,000 goal.

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