SAANICH – BC NDP MLAs Nina Krieger, Diana Gibson, and Lana Popham say people living in Greater Victoria will have better access to essential community services, thanks to funding for capital projects that help not-for-profit organizations improve and expand their facilities and programs.

“Our community is fortunate to be home to strong and caring organizations, which are especially important during these challenging times,” said Nina Krieger, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. “Whether it’s providing access to nature, improving community accessibility, supporting newcomers to the region, supporting people in recovery, or promoting the arts, these organizations make a key difference locally.”

The following grants were awarded to support capital projects in Greater Victoria, totalling an over $568,000 investment:

• Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association (Saanich) – $50,000 for Sound of Change project. A new OAE machine; another fully equipped audiology space in Victoria, a new wheelchair accessible booth in Nanaimo.
• Our Place Society – $250,000 for a project to build an industrial-grade kitchen for a women’s recovery program, accommodating 30 people per meal, with accessible design features for residents with mobility challenges.
• Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence Society (Saanich) – $29,000 for a project aiming to enhance the accessibility and usability of PISE’s indoor/outdoor dome by installing energy-efficient heating and sound baffling, addressing underutilization during colder months and improving acoustics for participants with hearing challenges.
• Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society (Saanich) – $86,000 to improve an Accessible Community Amenity for Nature Conservation. Including three aspects of renovation: a new concealed kitchen; transformation of underutilized spaces; animal room upgrades.
• TLC The Land Conservancy of BC (Oak Bay) – $38,120 for the Abkhazi Garden Accessibility Project: transform the 180 foot driveway into a mobility-friendly walkway. Gravel grid will be installed and gravel will be added to the grid and bike racks.
• Victoria Conservatory of Music – $99,502 for Heritage Gates: Community Revitalization Through Music.
• Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society – $16,000 for Empowerment Through Education: Expanding Training Capacity for BIPOC Newcomers. This project involves the purchase of high-quality training tables, ergonomic chairs, and state-of-the-art computers to convert an underutilized multipurpose room into a fully equipped training classroom.

“People across the South Island benefit from the work of organizations like these,” said Lana Popham, MLA for Saanich South. “With this funding, their work and projects can make progress for the community.”

Across BC, 54 capital projects are receiving a total of $5 million through the Community Gaming Grants program. The grants allow non-profit organizations to acquire essential equipment or undertake renovations.

These grants are part of the work your BC NDP government is doing to ensure British Columbians have access to programs and services that improve their quality of life, support local needs, and build vibrant communities.

“Organizations like these receiving funding serve locally to make life better for people, share the arts in our community, and nurture the plants and animals that make this place home,” said Diana Gibson, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “This funding will help them continue to do this work that makes our community better every day.”

Quick Facts:

• Community Gaming Grants also fund projects and initiatives in the arts and culture, sports, human and social services, public safety and environmental conservation sectors, as well as parent and district parent advisory councils in B.C. schools.
• The Community Gaming Grants program distributes up to $140 million each year.
• Program funds are provided from general revenues via provincial commercial gambling revenue in partnership with the BC Lottery Corporation.