About 90 school playgrounds in Vancouver alone require upgrading, but provincial gaming grants won't be funding the work. (CBC)

Charities that depend on gaming grants are considering legal action against the B.C. government following word this week of extensive funding cutbacks.

The government announced there would be no gaming grants this year for adult sports, culture, environmental groups or school playground equipment.

The B.C. Association for Charitable Gaming is ready to work with the government to restore the funding eventually, according to association president Susan Marsden, but she's not optimistic.

"Major arts and culture groups [are] now being literally put on the verge of having to close their doors," Marsden said. "The only thing the government has left us is some sort of legal response."

The only question now appears to be what type of legal action the charities will pursue, Marsden said.

Issue dominates question period

The issue of cuts was front and centre in question period in the B.C. legislature Tuesday, as the opposition focused on playground funding.

About 90 Vancouver schools have equipment that must be replaced but now there's no hope of that, said B.C. NDP MLA Jenny Kwan.

"As a result tens of thousands of children will not be able to play at their school playground," Kwan said.

But the government said other funding sources could be tapped.

The $20-per-student grant to Parents Advisory Councils that it cut in half last year has been restored, said B.C. Social Development Minister Rich Coleman.

Kwan said that despite that change, the Parents Advisory Council at one Vancouver school had been fundraising for months to replace a condemned playground and now had no chance of reaching its goal.

The minister was unapologetic, saying the government was facing unprecedented economic hardship.

"I know you don't like to admit that being prudent and fiscally responsible is good for the future of our children and our grandchildren," Coleman said.