Communities play such an important role in our lives. Whether it’s the everyday services we count on or the support and solidarity in times of crisis, when our communities are stronger and more resilient, we all benefit.

Over the last week we’ve taken several steps to support communities across B.C., so they can better support people.

 In order to support people experiencing homelessness, our government is providing $100 million to the Strengthening Communities’ Services Program. Local governments, First Nations, and regional districts will be able to apply for grants to meet people’s immediate health and safety needs on the ground, including temporary shelter spaces, outreach teams, and peer-based clean-up activities. This builds on our investments in housing and our response to homelessness throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to addressing homelessness in every community across the province, so that people are safe and have the housing, resources, and support they need.

We know that rural communities are unique, and when it comes to economic recovery, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That is why we are helping rural businesses and communities to find the route to economic recovery that works for them. Thanks to an investment of $4.5 million, advisory services will be launched in rural communities across the province, to provide economic advice and support to businesses and communities. Local businesses will be able to get professional advice on how to pivot their operations, and communities will have access to resources to plan their economic recovery. This means people in rural B.C. can continue to enjoy strong communities and the local businesses they love.

With spring around the corner, we also announced over $8.5 million in funding to help local governments across the province to mitigate flood risks. Each community will be using the funding according to their local needs, for projects such as mapping flood plains, training staff to set up emergency operations centres, planning evacuation routes, or structural flood mitigation. These projects mean people will be safer if flooding occurs in their community.
Sincerely,