NANAIMO – BC New Democrat MLAs George Anderson and Sheila Malcolmson say that people in Nanaimo will benefit from provincial funding for community safety projects led by local organizations.
“There is something powerful about turning the proceeds of crime into support for those who need it most,” said George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville. “This funding will help these organizations continue providing safety, support, and hope to survivors of gender-based violence in our community.”
The Haven Society is receiving $40,000 for a project that will assist survivors of gender-based violence by providing coordinated system navigation that reduces barriers, streamlines referrals across health, justice, and social services, and connects them to trauma-informed supports essential to healing.
Choose Respect in Relationships Society is receiving $40,000 to deliver evidence-based domestic violence prevention and intervention programming.
”We are tackling crime’s root causes, taking the proceeds of crime and putting them to work with Nanaimo’s Haven and Choose Respect in Relationships Societies, preventing domestic violence and helping get people back on the right path,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island MLA.
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.
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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