NORTH COAST – North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice says multiculturalism grant funding will help local organizations fight systemic racism throughout the North Coast. This year, priority was given to projects addressing anti-Indigenous, anti-Asian and anti-Black racism.
“Everyone in our community has the right to feel safe and respected here in the North Coast,” said Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast. “These projects will help people of all ages in our community build up trust and understanding in order to speak out against racism and discrimination.”
Multiculturalism Grant funding is provided to non-profit and charitable organizations for projects that build intercultural interaction, trust and understanding, or challenge racism, hate and systemic barriers. MLA Jennifer Rice said that through these projects, people across B.C. will soon have improved access to tools and resources to help them learn about the diverse culture they live.
Projects in the North Coast receiving a grant include:
- Change Makers’ Education Society: $10,000 – A project to honor traditional Indigenous Ts’msyen teachings and promote łoomsk: respect.
- North Coast Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society: $5,000 – Bob Joseph, a hereditary chief will do a community presentation as well as smaller group workshops in schools.
- Qqs (Eyes) Projects Society: $9,000 – Covid-safe, youth led project to design a series of posters and public art to elevate the HaiÌ É«zaqv (Heiltsuk) cultural values.
For 2020/21, the Province is providing a $944,000 one-time boost to the grant funding as part of anti-racism initiatives through Stronger BC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan.
This grant program is just one way the BC New Democrat government province is working to subvert systemic racism and protect human rights. The province has taken further action to tackle racism including: reinstating the B.C. Human Rights Commission after it was dismantled by the former BC Liberal government, launching an investigation into allegations of racism in B.C.’s health-care system, and developing a comprehensive, multi-year anti-racism action plan for B.C.’s K-12 education system. A special committee of the legislature is currently undertaking a review of the 45-year-old Police Act to modernize it, with a specific focus on addressing systemic racism. The BC New Democrat government is also committed to introducing a new anti-racism act and legislation on race-based data collection.
Learn More:
For a full list of grant recipients:
For more information about the BC Multiculturalism Grants program, visit:
www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=05BC37ECB1AC4C87AF86BC303937F6EF
For more information about Resilience BC, B.C.’s Anti-Racism network visit: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/multiculturalism-anti-racism/anti-racism/resiliencebc