Government Announcements
1. B.C. families benefit from KidSport funding
More kids in British Columbia will be able to participate in organized sports thanks to $400,000 in new funding from the provincial government, announced Parliamentary Secretary for Non-Profit Partnerships Gordon Hogg on behalf of Bill Bennett, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.
KidSport is a non-profit organization that works to eliminate the financial barriers that can keep kids 18 and under from participating in sport. The program enables youth to participate in a sport of their choice through confidential financial assistance.
The funding will help KidSport assist more than 5,600 children and youth in British Columbia. Each grant averages $200 to $300.
Hogg made the announcement while taking part in KidSport’s annual fundraiser, the Corporate Kids Challenge, featuring an old-fashioned school sports day with participation by Olympians including Ryan Cochrane, Carol Huynh, Denny Morrison and Cindy Klassen.
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2. One-stop to affordable justice for Island families
More help is on the way for southern Vancouver Island residents who need assistance with family and civil legal matters, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond announced today.
The government of B.C. is investing approximately $1.5 million to develop a Justice Access Centre (JAC) at the Victoria courthouse. Work on the former land titles office will begin in November 2012 and it’s expected to be ready to open in the fall of 2013.
The Victoria JAC is the third centre of its kind in B.C. – the others are located in Nanaimo and Vancouver.
Justice Access Centres provide a single front door to the justice system for people with family and civil law problems, such as separation and divorce, housing, income assistance and employment. Centre staff can help people who are pursuing court or tribunal actions navigate the justice system by providing them with information and simplifying the process. It is anticipated many clients will be vulnerable families.
Supporting vulnerable families is one of the three pillars in the Families First Agenda for British Columbians, announced by Premier Christy Clark last month. Services available through Justice Access Centres also contribute to reducing the number of cases that go to courts as clients can find alternatives to solving their problems by using services at the centre.
The creation of the Victoria Justice Access Centre builds on the knowledge and expertise gained through the Nanaimo and Vancouver Justice Access Centres. While services for the new centre will be gradually phased in, initially the centre will include all the services of a family justice centre, such as family justice counselling, mediation, parent education and other resources for families experiencing problems.
Like the Nanaimo and Vancouver Justice Access Centres, which have a number of important legal partners, the Legal Services Society will provide legal advice and the Access Pro Bono Society will provide information through legal clinics at the Victoria Justice Access Centre.
A unique aspect of the Victoria JAC is the co-location of the University of Victoria’s Law Centre, with funding from the Law Foundation. The Law Centre is operated by the Faculty of Law. Each year it provides legal advice, assistance and representation to almost 2000 people who cannot afford lawyers. The co-location will present opportunities for service collaboration.
The Justice Access Centres focus on early resolution mirrors the recommendations of the reports released last week by government and prepared by the Legal Services Society and Geoffrey Cowper, QC, in his report, A Criminal Justice System for the 21st Century.
Renovations to this government-owned building are being funded from a capital budget held centrally by Shared Services BC on behalf of all provincial ministries.
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3. Promoting greater awareness on injury prevention
Dr. Colin Carrie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, today announced on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, support for a physical literacy project that aims to promote greater awareness on how children and youth can avoid injury by playing safely.
“Unfortunately, more than 40% of child and youth injuries treated in emergency departments are sports- and recreation-related,” said Parliamentary Secretary Carrie. “Today’s investment encourages children and youth to develop the skills they need so they participate in a wide variety of sports safely.”
Canadian Sport for Life, with support from Canadian Sport Centre Pacific, will develop the Active and Safe for Life – Physical Literacy project to enhance the skills, knowledge and attitudes of children and youth so they can avoid injury when participating in sport and recreational activities. The project will also create safe sport environments by promoting best practices and using the appropriate equipment and facilities.
“Many sporting injuries can be prevented,” said Richard Way, Canadian Sport for Life. “When children and youth know how to move safely along with the rules of fair and safe play, they can avoid being injured and in the longer term, maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.”
Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe initiative, the federal government supports a number of projects that focus on preventing injuries among children and youth by reaching Canadians in the communities where they live and play. Active and Safe encourages community level action to increase sport and recreation safety awareness.
Check out the Fact Sheet here.