After years of begging and scraping together the funds necessary to host such events, and in some cases still taking a substantial financial loss just to offer the celebrations, it is time for the local merchant association to get back on track, says chamber president Tony Janssen.

"The chamber is going down the wrong path, we're not doing our members any justice with Canada Day and the Santa Claus Parade," says Mr. Janssen.

Instead of taking money from membership dues and pouring those funds into the two popular Scugog events, the chamber should be using the proceeds for the betterment of its constituents through meetings and seminars, he continues.

"We're a business association, not events co-ordinators," says Mr. Janssen.

Despite hefty grants from the municipality, some of the membership dues and donations from the business community and those who take in such events as the Canada Day fireworks -- which cost an estimated $10,000, says the chamber president -- the merchant group still takes a loss most years.

In 2007, the chamber posted a "very small" profit, but took losses ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 in recent years, says Mr. Janssen.

"We don't get a golden pot from the Township," he says, estimating the chamber receives about $4,000 each year from the municipality to organize the two major events. "I'm not saying we're not happy with that, but it's about time we stop going to our members for money."

As for the Santa Claus Parade, Mr. Janssen says simply that the chamber doesn't make any money to cover its costs.

"It's great and the town is happy with it... but it seems to feel like there's more benefit to the BIA and the Township than for the chamber," says the president, noting the chamber represents businesses across the township while the BIA focuses mainly on the downtown area.

"We've been going in the wrong direction for years," he says.

Ideally, he continues, the chamber would like to hand over responsibility for the events to the Port Perry Downtown BIA, or at least have the downtown merchants come onboard as equal partners.

"I'd like to see a joint effort, so at least the money is not always coming out of our pockets," said Mr. Janssen.

So what lies ahead for the 2008 events?

"If we don't see funds come in, we may have to pass on this year," he says, noting the chamber's budget is already tight.

Asked to choose one event over the other if he had to, Mr. Janssen takes a moment and then admits Canada Day might get preferential treatment.

"That's a tough one. Both play a very important role in the community. The Santa Claus Parade is one of those things we've done every year but Canada Day pulls in more of the community and the Santa Claus Parade is more of a (downtown) BIA thing."

Mr. Janssen admits there would likely be some vicious feedback from the public if either or both events are cancelled. But he points out again that organizing and hosting such events are not supposed to be his group's primary goals.

"We're cash-strapped, that's the bottom line and we need to take care of what a chamber needs to do. It's sad to say and we'd hate to take (these events) away.... there's going to be some bad vibes," says Mr. Janssen.

For his part, Stewart Bennett, the BIA's president, agreed both business groups have been thrust into a role that neither are actually supposed to be responsible for.

"The unfortunate part is that neither group, their role is not to run events. We're here for the business community, we're here to maintain the streets and make it a pleasant place for visitors and locals alike," he said.

And, Mr. Bennett points out that while he hasn't been approached directly and formally by the chamber regarding the future of the events, the BIA president reluctantly admits that taking over sole responsibility for Canada Day or the Santa Claus Parade is not something his group could do.

"Having someone take over the events to lose money is a tough sell," says Mr. Bennett.

Perhaps one possibility to keep the events alive is to have the Township come on as either the lead agency or as an equal partner, says the BIA president.

"Maybe that's an option we can look at. I think the Township has to come to the party," he says. "We can't continue to give and give and sometimes we don't get the credit and appreciation the chamber of commerce and the BIA deserve. I believe it's hard (for the chamber) to keep going when they're losing money."

At Monday evening's council session, Scugog councillors directed staff to look and see whether the municipality could provide the chamber with $6,000 through its grants program. In a letter to council, Mr. Janssen asked for $12,000.

Discussing the matter, Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce said that the Township could "look at" providing the merchant group with $6,000 and "then work with them to see how we can assist them with the rest."

Ward 3 Councillor Lynn Philip Hodgson noted that the July 1 event "takes care of itself" and that the holiday parade "is a big, big thing around here, big, big crowds come out and there's no need to jeopardize it."