One-third matching grants is a term that refers to the direct relief program in 1930s which resulted from the struggle of Maritimers through the Maritimes Rights Movement of 1919-1927.
It occurred in 1930s during the second decade of recession. The one-third matching grant involved giving grants to through social programmes developed by the central government.
In this program, the poor received grants in terms of unemployment insurance, old age pensions, and mothers’ allowances.
The three Maritime Provinces had to share the relief by cutting into three equal parts. This caused inequality because there was already equality in wealth of the three provinces.
Therefore, the program caused inequalities of relief structure and inability to alleviate economic disparity between among the municipalities within their provinces. The Maritimers received only a third of the total national grant.
The disparity in federal relief funding also replicated in the smaller amounts paid to the recipients of direct relief. One-third Matching Grants is significant in the study of the history of Maritimes because it indicates the magnitude of disparities of the maritime region and the Maritime Provinces and how the disparity affected the historical groups of the Maritimes; and the possible solutions of the Maritimes region.
History students need to learn from the historical problems of the Maritimes in the past to be able to address the current issues of the present effectively. One-third matching grants enable learners to understand how inequality of economic benefits can impact negatively on the economy.
