VICTORIA - Exceptional service to British Columbians by provincial public service employees in the Lower Mainland and three emerging leaders from across B.C. have been recognized with Premier's Awards, Premier Christy Clark announced today.

"Whether by going the extra mile, or an innovative idea, each of today's recipients has made a real difference in people's lives," said Premier Clark. "Their hard work to deliver programs has made British Columbians healthier, safer, and feel more at home."

More than 90 public servants from the Lower Mainland and other areas were recognized for developing new, more efficient ways of providing services to communities throughout British Columbia. People and projects receiving recognition include:

• A partnership between government, municipalities, school districts and health authorities at two service locations in Surrey is helping refugee children and their caregivers successfully adjust to life in Canada.
• Another team is leading Canada in the creation of innovative programs addressing the needs of Vancouver's homeless through a ground-breaking model for social housing for over 900 residents.
• An outreach team is removing barriers to services for B.C.'s most vulnerable citizens by integrating services and resource delivery and coming directly into communities in need throughout B.C.
• One doctor's vision has established the BC Public Service as a leader in occupational health outperforming other jurisdictions across Canada by supporting employee health and wellness, including an evidence-based smoking cessation program for public servants,
• Three emerging leaders have been recognized for their strong relationship building skills, supporting employee growth while managing complex projects in Fort St. John, Cranbrook and Victoria.

"The employees recognized today exemplify the tremendous and widespread effect the public servants of this province have on communities throughout B.C." Finance Minister Michael de Jong said. "These programs support British Columbians from every walk of life and I congratulate all the recipients on their hard work."

This year's recipients were selected by a group of independent adjudicators and announced via a streaming online video presentation. The three Emerging Leader regional winners were voted for by their public service peers. Similar webcasts held on Sept. 12 and Sept.19, 2013 celebrated Interior and Northern regional recipients as well as recipients on Vancouver Island. The final celebration will take place in Victoria at a provincial awards ceremony.

Videos of the Premier's Awards finalists can be viewed online at: http://www.youtube.com/user/BCPublicService#p/p

Media Contacts:

Sam Oliphant
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
250 952-7252?

Janet Stewart
Communications Manager
Ministry of Finance
250 356-9872

A backgrounder follows.

BACKGROUNDER

Premier's Awards honour Lower Mainland recipients

88 public service employees from B.C.'s Lower Mainland have received awards in Partnership, Innovation, Organizational Excellence and Leadership. Three employees representing each of the three regions have received awards in the Emerging Leader category.

Organization Description

Ministry of Children & Family Development and partners PARTNERSHIP - A diverse partnership between MCFD; Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation; municipalities; school districts and the Fraser Health Authority resulted in the First Steps Childhood Development program, a pilot project helping newly-arrived, government-assisted refugee children and their caregivers prepare for, and adjust to, a new life in Canada. Two Surrey locations provide community outreach, health services, ESL and literacy training and parent support, minimizing the impact of refugee trauma while supporting the growth and development for children and caregivers. Ministry of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing

(formerly Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and Minister Responsible for Housing) INNOVATION - B.C. is leading private-public partnerships (P3s) across Canada with the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Renewal Initiative in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. To protect and upgrade an important source of affordable housing stock for people at risk of homelessness, BC Housing acquired 26 SRO hotels. By bundling the renovation and maintenance of 13 of these SRO hotels, the program will help revitalize the neighbourhood and provide over 900 residents with safe, clean and affordable housing. This program represents a new infrastructure class and is the first P3 to leverage federal funding through the P3 Canada Fund under the Brownfield redevelopment category.

Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE - The Vancouver Coastal Integration and Outreach Team moved beyond traditional service delivery channels by bringing services directly into communities to help those who cannot access services through traditional methods. The clients are those facing multiple barriers - people with a history of homelessness, criminal activity and mental health or addiction issues. The outreach method integrates services and resources from other ministries and community agencies to provide holistic and individual support to clients.

BC Public Service Agency LEADERSHIP - Dr. William Lakey is an established leader in occupational health in the BC Public Service Agency. His evidence-based smoking cessation program, Quittin' Time, was tailored for public service employees and helped many people through the process of quitting smoking. His vision drives the direction of workplace health and safety across the Public Service and has a direct impact on employee disability costs, advocating for a proactive and strategic investment in employee health. His leadership has established the BC Public Service as a leader in the field, outperforming other jurisdictions across Canada in occupational health and disability management.

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure EMERGING LEADER - Peace District Manager, Scott Maxwell is an outstanding leader in Fort St. John whose strong communication and relationship building skills allow him to advocate for his staff while managing a very busy district. Scott has been a key participant in the creation of the ministry's emergency management strategy. By bringing British Columbians together in consultation and applying what was learned from that experience, Scott influenced what is now the ministry's core messaging protocol for highway closures.

Ministry of Environment EMERGING LEADER - Inspector Aaron Canuel, of the Conservation Officer Service in Cranbrook, leads a team of seasoned professionals in seeking operational improvements and achieving corporate goals with the help of partner ministries. Instrumental in the development and negotiation of several Memoranda of Understanding, enforcement protocols, joint forces operations and regional compliance plans for the Kootenay area, Aaron is highly regarded by his team as a passionate leader who engages his staff and fosters strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Office of the Premier - Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat (IGRS) EMERGING LEADER - As a manager with the Federal-Provincial Agreement on Official Languages, Véronique Mercier has built strong partnerships in order to improve the delivery of services to citizens, her work leading to increased publications and resources in French for the public. An exceptional young leader, Véronique's efforts to increase community outreach and form innovative social partnerships has been externally recognized. She is also leading IGRS Lean initiatives, hailed as a model for other ministries.