More than $250,000 is being poured into crime and violence prevention efforts in the North Okanagan.
Funding is on its way for projects in communities across B.C. through the Civil Forfeiture Grant program, the province announced Thursday, June 5.
Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu said the funds will support local projects aimed at advancing public safety, preventing violence and promoting healing.
“Supporting the most vulnerable in our communities has always been at the heart of our work. I’m incredibly grateful for the lifesaving, life-changing work of local organizations who walk alongside those facing unimaginable challenges. I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact they have on many lives,” Sandhu said.
The program takes money obtained from the forfeiture of property related to unlawful activity and reinvests it into organizations that prevent crime or help victims.
“Through the Civil Forfeiture Grant program, we are turning the pain and suffering caused by crime into hope, healing, and opportunity," Sandhu said. "By reclaiming proceeds of crime, we are reinvesting in organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon, Archway Society for Domestic Peace, Okanagan Services Society, and the Vernon Youth Advocacy Centre. Their work, from restorative justice to youth outreach and services for women and families, strengthens the safety, dignity, and resilience of our entire community.”
Five projects in the North Okanagan are receiving a total of more than $250,000 to implement crime prevention and remediation projects.
Here is the breakdown of those five projects and the amount of funding being provided:
• Archway Society for Domestic Peace, Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre — $140,000: The Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre's primary objective is to continue to provide skilled, wrap-around trauma-informed service to children and youth who have experienced abuse and violence. The centre expects to serve about 40 multi-disciplinary team members and 200 children, youth and caregivers throughout the North Okanagan in the coming year. Funding will help the society pursue this objective.
• This Space Belongs To You Society, This Space Believes — $40,000: This project will deliver 10–14 one-hour trauma-informed counselling sessions to 40 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals aged 12–24 over eight months, as well as two six-week peer support groups, building resilience to support recovery from gender-based violence.
• North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society, Family Peace Program — $40,000: This project will deliver programming on preventing gender-based violence and abuse in intimate relationships.
• Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon and District, restorative justice services — $39,867: This project creates a part-time volunteer coordinator position to provide support to victims of crime, individuals accused of crimes, their guardians/supporters, and restorative justice practitioner volunteers, helping rebuild partnerships with justice-related and community services, and explore opportunities to implement a "community concern" model to address non-criminal situations.
• Family Resource Centre for the North Okanagan, sexual assault response — $21,500: This project will deliver counselling, education and resources for male-identified and non-binary victims of sexual assault.
In addition, there are province-wide supports for Restorative Justice as well as Indigenous programs to help victims.
The NDP government is providing $9.1 million in one-time grants through the program, supporting 166 projects across the province. Of that total, $900,000 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 Lapu Lapu festival tragedy.
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.
For a full list of grant recipients, visit the B.C. government website.
