The Province is investing more than $200 million in food security to ensure people have better access to an increased supply of affordable, local food.   

More people with complex needs can get improved employment supports on their path to long-term recovery, health and wellness, thanks to an $8.2-million provincial grant to the Canadian Mental Health Association of British Columbia.

Youth who want to help other youth will be able to train for jobs in the health and social services sector as youth peer support workers, thanks to a new $16.2-million provincial grant.

As many as 15 eligible participants will receive skills training to prepare them for jobs as medical laboratory assistants in the Lower Mainland through a new Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project funded by the ministry.

Twelve B.C.-based non-profit organizations will receive provincial grants for as much as $40,000 each to support community-based projects that advance accessibility and inclusion in B.C.

The Province is awarding the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) a $2.5-million grant to expand its employment program dedicated to blind or partially sighted people.

Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and Dan Coulter, Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility, have released the following statement in recognition of Disability Employment Month:

A new investment of $2 million will support the development and growth of British Columbia’s co-operative businesses, while expanding services for people who use them.

A new task force backed by $750,000 in provincial funding will support the Province’s goal to end period poverty and remove the stigma associated with menstruation.