Youth organizations around Newfoundland and Labrador are pinching pennies this week, after the surprise news that their budgets have been axed.

While politicians debated in the House of Assembly if the cuts affected core funding or involved extra money, the impact is clear, according to the St. John's Boys and Girls Club.

The group said Wednesday that its grant will go from $72,000 to just $34,000.

"We found out just this past Monday through a letter in the mail," Executive Director Jason Fleming told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show. "It's definitely a big blow to us at this point in time."

Fleming said the cuts are contained in grants that his organization applies for each spring.

Normally the club learns in August or September what its budget will be. This year, it was told there would be a delay, but had no reason to expect cuts.

The Boys and Girls Club of St. John's is losing 53 per cent of its funding. (CBC)

The Boys and Girls Club runs after-school programs in Buckmasters Circle and in Mundy Pond for more than 700 kids.

"With no notice, this puts us in a deficit this year," said Fleming. "That's an impossible position to make up this time of year."

He said the club will have to meet to talk about options, such as reducing staff or hours of programming.

Government 'lied,' says Steve Kent

Other Boys and Girls Clubs around the province are being cut as well, on Bell Island, in Norris Arm, Buchans and St. Anthony.

The $5,000 budget for the Pools Cove community youth centre is being eliminated. Other groups, such as Allied Youth, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the YMCA and 4H are also affected.

Scouts Canada's grant in this province goes from $38,000 to $25,000, according to information from the Office of Public Engagement.

Steve Kent accused the government of lying to youth organizations. (Peter Cowan/CBC)

"Why did you not consult with these youth organizations prior to making these drastic cuts," asked Mount Pearl North MHA Steve Kent in the legislature Tuesday.

He said ministers had promised earlier in 2016 that core funding to youth groups was safe.

"Six months passed without a sound, and now these organizations find out that they were lied to by government," Kent said. "How can the Liberal government justify their decision to cut funding?"

David Brazil leads off QP accusing government of misleading community groups who were told funding was stableand now has been cut <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nlpoli?src=hash">#nlpoli</a> —@PeterCBC

Premier Dwight Ball said the provincial government had $1.5 million in requests for funding and had to make choices, giving money to 30 organizations.

"The Boys and Girls Clubs around the province receive over 20 per cent of the funding this year," he said.

"What was committed to earlier this year was core funding ... This is not core funding. This is [project] grants to youth organizations."