NDP MLA Toporowski says funding will support crime prevention projects in the Cowichan Valley

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COWICHAN –New Democrat MLA Debra Toporowski says that people in the Cowichan Valley will benefit from projects that will advance public safety, help prevent violence, and promote healing.

“Our community members know we need to support each other to be our best and create better futures for our youth,” said Debra Toporowski, MLA for Cowichan Valley. “These organizations receiving funding are doing important work in our community to support people to repair and rebuild when they need it, in a local setting, so we can make our community better now and into the future.”

In the Cowichan Valley, six projects are receiving over $295,000 to implement crime prevention and remediation projects in their community. Local projects include:

  • Cowichan Women Against Violence Society – $140,000 for the Raven’s Nest Child and Youth Advocacy Centre to bring an Indigenous elder or knowledge keeper to offer culturally relevant supports for Indigenous Youth in the program.
  • Municipality of North Cowichan – $12,046 for the Crofton Youth Room, a free drop-in centre for youth 12-18 in the community offering support, recreation, skills training, and food.
  • Warmland Women’s Support Services Society – $39,999 for an Indigenous-informed culturally competent outreach program for street-entrenched Indigenous women survivors of violence.

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