BC NDP MLA Stephanie Higginson says funding will support community safety and crime prevention in Ladysmith
LADYSMITH – BC New Democrat MLA Stephanie Higginson says that people in Ladysmith will benefit from provincial funding for community safety projects led by local organizations.
“Strengthening restorative justice programs is essential to building safer, more resilient communities, and I’m pleased to see Civil Forfeiture Grant funding supporting the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association as they expand their capacity,” says Stephanie Higginson, MLA for Ladysmith – Oceanside. “This project will help meet community demand and ensure timelier intake, case management, and victim support.”
In Ladysmith, the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association is receiving $40,000 for their Restorative Justice Capacity Expansion project, which will expand capacity by increasing coordinator hours to meet rising community demand and provide enhanced intake, case management, victim support, and facilitated dialogues for youth, Indigenous participants, victims, and individuals who are precariously harmed.
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.