VANCOUVER – NDP MLAs Brenda Bailey and Niki Sharma say multiculturalism grant funding will help local organizations fight systemic racism throughout Vancouver. This year, priority was given to projects addressing anti-Indigenous, anti-Asian and anti-Black racism.

“Everyone deserves to be safe, respected and free from racial discrimination. These grants will go far to support each of the local organizations in my riding that are all doing exceptional work and making a direct impact on turning the tide against the plague of racism,” said Brenda Bailey, MLA for Vancouver-False Creek. “We thank them and stand in allyship with their integral work to fight racial bias and create a more accepting community.”

“Our city is one of the most diverse in the world and it is inspiring to see the work being done to fight racism and make our community more inclusive,” said Niki Sharma, MLA for Vancouver-Hastings. “Organizations like Frog Hollow Neighborhood House, the Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre Society, and Zee Zee Theatre play an important role in this work, and these grants will support their tireless efforts to combat racial inequity 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. MLAs Bailey and Sharma 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 in which they live.

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, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/multiculturalism-anti-racism/multiculturalism-grants/2020-21_bc_multiculturalism_grant_recipients.pdf

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