BURNABY – New Democrat MLAs Janet Routledge, Katrina Chen, Anne Kang and Raj Chouhan say that funding through the province’s Community Gaming Grants (CGG) program will support local learning opportunities and extracurricular activities for children in schools.

“Access to extracurricular activities and programs helps students to thrive,” said Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. “This funding will give students more opportunities to laugh, play, and learn, both in and out of school.”

Funding for Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) and District Parent Advisory Councils (DPACs) supports a variety of extracurricular activities and programs, including field trips, sports equipment, music, and writing and debate competitions. Through the CGG, the province provides annual funding to PACs and DPACs to support their work.

“As a mom with a child in Burnaby schools, I know the importance of investing in younger generations,” said Katrina Chen, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed. “Giving our children the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom is one of the ways we can build strong, resilient communities.”

In Burnaby, a total of $445,300 is being distributed to 49 groups. Across the province, more than 1,300 PACs and DPACs are receiving over $10.7 million in funding for the 2021-22 school year.

Schools receive funding each year through PACs and DPACs to fund activities that benefit the health, social and cultural well-being of students.

QUOTES

Anne Kang, MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake

“It’s important for children to find connections within their communities as they grow up. By investing in activities that benefit the well-being of students, we will be encouraging them to explore their interests through learning.”

Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds

“One of my favourite parts of being a grandparent is watching my grandchildren explore the community they are a part of. Funding extracurricular activities and programs for students is one of the ways we can grow stronger together.”