Schools, police agencies and community groups that are working to combat bullying can now apply to share in the up to $1 million in grants from civil forfeiture proceeds that were announced last week.

This expansion of the grant eligibility criteria follows yesterday's anti-bullying summit in Vancouver, where parents, educators, police, student safety experts and other attendees received an update on B.C.'s ERASE Bullying strategy and shared their ideas about additional counter-measures.

Bullying prevention is the latest high-profile community safety goal to receive timely support from civil forfeiture proceeds. Earlier this year, government responded to a spike in deaths linked to the use of Ecstasy, supporting five police- and community-led projects to help raise awareness among youth about the drug's dangers.

In the current round of grants, government will also consider projects focused on preventing youth involvement in crime, combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation, preventing family violence and violence against women, and community crime prevention. Applications are now open, as of today, and more details are at: 

www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/grants/index.htm

Since 2006, B.C. has sought the forfeiture of an array of cash sums, cars, helicopters, properties and other assets with alleged links to unlawful activity - predominantly drug and organized crime. Most of about $28.7 million taken in to date has gone to support the self-funding program, while about one-third has gone to fund grants to local crime-prevention programs in communities throughout B.C., and to compensate fraud victims.

Under B.C.'s Family Agenda, government is committed to ensuring communities and families feel protected and safe. British Columbians are encouraged to learn more and provide feedback at: www.familiesfirstbc.ca

Quotes:

Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond -

"In recent weeks, and in the course of yesterday's anti-bullying summit, it has become clear to us that civil forfeiture proceeds could be used to protect young people in yet another important way - that is, by supporting community-led efforts to combat bullying. Given the current round of grant funding is now open to applications, I encourage any group interested in this vital public safety issue to consider applying.

"Civil forfeiture is, first and foremost, a way that we can make our communities safer. It helps to deter unlawful activity directly, and its proceeds have helped efforts to keep our children and youth safe from gang influences, sexual exploitation, violence, deadly Ecstasy and now bullying."

Quick Facts:

• The B.C. government's ERASE Bullying strategy is designed to help prevent, identify and stop harmful behaviours by children and adults - whether online, at school or in the community.
• The strategy includes anti-bullying training for about 15,000 educators and community partners over the next five years.
• Civil forfeiture's core goal is deterring and interrupting unlawful activity by taking away the tools and proceeds of that activity.
• Civil forfeiture can be pursued after the criminal forfeiture process has been exhausted or if a decision has been made not to pursue criminal forfeiture. The process begins with the referral of a case file to the Civil Forfeiture Office by a policing or public safety agency.

Learn More:

Read more about yesterday's anti-bullying summit in Vancouver: www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/11/culture-change-needed-to-erase-bullying.html

Log on to the new erase bullying portal at: www.Erasebullying.ca

View the Nov. 5 news release announcing the latest round of civil forfeiture grants: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012JAG0267-001709.htm

Read more about the Safe Communities, Strong Families pillar of B.C.'s Family Agenda: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2012JAG0111-000887.htm

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961