NDP MLA Jessie Sunner says that people of Surrey will benefit from projects that will advance public safety, help prevent violence, and promote healing. 

“Addressing gender-based violence in all its forms means recognizing the unique challenges faced by racialized survivors in our communities,” said Jessie Sunner, MLA for Surrey-Newton on Thursday. “It’s great to see funding support for DIVERSEcity’s Roots of Safety training day, which will build greater understanding and capacity among frontline workers and service providers. This kind of education is critical to ensuring survivors receive culturally safe, trauma-informed care, and will help build a Surrey that’s safer and more inclusive for everyone.”  

In Surrey, the following projects received funding: 

• DIVERSEcity Community Resource Society
  • Project: Roots of safety training day
  • Description: This project will deliver a training day designed to heighten awareness regarding the challenges confronted by racialized victims and survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, in the Surrey community and surrounding areas.
  • Funding Amount: $37,988
• BC Lions Football LP
  • Project: Lions Pride
  • Description: This project will deliver a youth outreach and mentorship Flag Football program for up to 80 high-risk youth in grades 8-12, highlighting the importance of making positive choices and choosing alternative activities to gang involvement.
  • Funding Amount: $75,000
• Espoir For All Society
  • Project: I.A.M. Youths [Innovative. Aspiring. Motivated. Youth]
  • Description: This project will support 40-50 at-risk youth (ages 12-18) in Surrey, focusing on BIPOC and low-income backgrounds by providing tutoring, job search support, certifications, sports engagement, and mentorship from relatable role models, including former gang-involved youth.
  • Funding Amount: $40,000
• Métis Provincial Council of British Columbia
  • Project: Sashing Our Warriors: Grounded in Wahkohtowin
  • Description: This project will call attention to the impact of violence on our otherwise invisible Métis women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ relatives through the power of Métis ceremony, sashing and gifting to another ‘warrior’.
  • Funding Amount: $39,718.20
• RCMP – Integrated Homicide Investigation Team
  • Project: IHIT Family Liaison Victim Services Worker
  • Description: This project will continue to provide for a Family Liaison Victim Service Worker position embedded within the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) to provide support, liaison and coordination of services with victim family members, IHIT investigators and local victim services programs.
  • Funding Amount: $70,000
• Surrey Women’s Centre Society
  • Project: SMART Hospital Accompaniment Program
  • Description: This project will fund the Surrey Mobile Assault Response Team to provide essential support to any survivor of sexual and/or intimate partner violence seeking forensic care from Fraser Health’s Forensic Nursing Service, via support workers who will provide trauma-informed, client-centred practical support to survivors during their forensic exams and coordinate crucial follow-up supports to aid in a survivor’s healing journey.
  • Funding Amount: $40,000
• The Centre for Child Development of the Lower Mainland
  • Project: Sophie’s Place Child and Youth Advocacy Centre
  • Description: Sophie’s Place CYAC has an embedded multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to support for children and youth up to the age of 15 years who have experienced sexual and/or physical abuse. The MDT consists of Sophie’s Place staff, police investigators, Victims Services workers, and MCFD social workers. The funds from this grant will support two key staff to assist the MDT with their work and to support the children, youth and families when they need to be formally interviewed.
  • Funding Amount: $140,000

The government is providing $9.1M in one-time grants through the Civil Forfeiture Grant Program to support 166 community projects across the province. These projects are being led by local governments, community-based not-for-profits, school districts, health authorities, academic institutions, police departments and Indigenous organizations. 

$900,000 of the $9.1M 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 tragedy after the Lapu Lapu festival. 

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 initiatives.