NDP MLA Rotchford says funding will support crime prevention projects in the West Shore

Posted in: , ,

ESQUIMALT – New Democrat MLA Darlene Rotchford says that people in the West Shore communities will benefit from projects that will advance public safety, help prevent violence, and promote healing.

“There are so many wonderful people working in our community to lead programs that support people of all ages and needs to learn, grow, and heal,” said Darlene Rotchford, MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood. “With these grants, funds are taken out of systems causing harm to support systems creating change.”

In the West Shore, four projects are receiving over $159,000 to implement crime prevention and remediation projects in their community. Local projects include:

  • Pacific Centre Family Services Association
    • $40,000 for group services for individuals referred to address family and gender-based violence
    • $40,000 for educational presentations to be delivered to middle and high school students on healthy relationships and preventing gender-based violence
  • Peers Victoria Resources Society
    • $40,000 for support for sex workers experiencing violence in partnership with the Victoria Police Department
    • $39,977 for healing and community building for Indigenous people involved in the sex trade

The New Democrat government is providing $9.1M in one-time grants through the Civil Forfeiture Grant Program to support 166 community projects across the province. These projects are being led by local governments, community-based not-for-profits, school districts, health authorities, academic institutions, police departments and Indigenous organizations.

$900,000 of the $9.1M will support specialized police equipment and training, $500,000 will support the Anti-Hate Community Support Fund, and $200,000 will support the response to the April 26 tragedy after the Lapu Lapu festival.

The Civil Forfeiture Office was established in 2006 with the purpose of removing the tools and proceeds of unlawful activity and redirecting them back into programs that support community safety and crime prevention initiatives.

Learn More:

Provincial News Release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/32437