VICTORIA – BC New Democrat MLAs Diana Gibson, Grace Lore, and Nina Krieger says that people in Victoria will benefit from provincial funding for community safety projects led by local organizations.
“Organizations like Restorative Justice Victoria help people find lasting justice and healing,” said Diana Gibson, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “Funding like this helps support the most vulnerable here in our community.”
In Greater Victoria (Victoria, Saanich, and Oak Bay), 15 projects are receiving a total of $728,700. Local projects include:
- Restorative Justice Victoria Society – $40,000 for enhanced restorative justice victim support
- Victoria Brain Injury Society – $40,000 for the Coping Strategies justice program
- Victoria Sexual Assault Centre Society – $40,000 for Indigenous Response Network Counselling
“Victoria is served by so many amazing organizations providing services to victims, survivors, and people at risk of violence or entering cycles of violence,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “We know their work is critical for people in our region.”
The BC New Democrat government is providing $8.23 million through the Civil Forfeiture Grant Program, supporting 173 community-led projects across the province. The funding comes from the seized proceeds of unlawful activity, which are redirected back into making our communities safer.
“Everyone in British Columbia has the right to feel safe — in their home, in their relationships, and in their community,” said Nina Krieger, MLA for Victoria Swan-Lake. “These local organizations are essential partners in our shared responsibility to prevent domestic violence and violence against women, to respond when it happens, and to support survivors. Our government is proud to stand alongside them in that work.”
Projects receiving this funding focus on areas including crime prevention, Indigenous healing, restorative justice, addressing gender-based and domestic violence, child and youth supports, and addressing hate crimes.
This year, the new anti-hate funding stream supports organizations and meeting places for groups that may be at higher-risk of hate-motivated crimes, like LGBTQ2S+, faith-based, or minority cultural groups.
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