The exceptional efforts and dedication to the BC Public Service of provincial public-service employees in the Lower Mainland have been recognized with Premier’s Awards, Premier Christy Clark announced today.

“These outstanding public servants continually strive for new, innovative ways to deliver the services British Columbians depend on,” Premier Clark said. “Each of them found a way to make a difference in their community, and I admire their dedication.”

More than 190 employees and teams from the Lower Mainland were recognized for developing new, more efficient ways of providing services to communities throughout British Columbia.

• A partnership of organizations saw a gap in health-care services for high-risk Abbotsford youth and created a clinic that has grown steadily to meet the needs of the community.
• A Surrey project team took an innovative approach to a correctional facility expansion, which created 130 new permanent jobs and enhanced staff, inmate and public safety.
• An animal- and plant-health organization in Abbotsford created a new system that significantly reduced turnaround time for clients and improved their cost-recovery.
• A deputy warden applied her project-management and leadership skills to ensure the $90-million Surrey correctional facility expansion project was on time and on budget.

“Reducing costs to British Columbians, creating new jobs and empowering colleagues are just a few of the results from the efforts of today’s recipients,” Finance Minister Michael de Jong said. “I’m proud of all of our nominees and recipients today.”

This year’s recipients were selected by a group of independent adjudicators and announced via a streaming online video presentation. Webcasts held on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 honoured public servants from the North, Interior and Vancouver Island regions. The final celebration will take place in Victoria at a provincial awards ceremony.

The nominations go through a two-part judging process. Initially, all Premier’s Award nominations are considered at a provincial level and reviewed by external adjudicators who evaluate the nominations on a category-by-category basis. Adjudicators select the regional finalists, including regional Premier’s Award recipients. The adjudicators also produce a short list for the judges to review for provincial consideration.

To be considered at the provincial level, the project or person have to demonstrated significant impact or implement procedures widely adopted across multiple regions of the province. A panel of external judges then reviews the shortlisted provincial nominations and selects the provincial finalists.

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

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

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

Jamie Edwardson
Director of Communications
Ministry of Finance
250 356-2821

BACKGROUNDER

Lower Mainland Premier’s Award Regional Ceremony
Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014

196 public service employees from B.C.’s Lower Mainland have received awards in Partnership, Innovation, Organizational Excellence and Leadership.

Organization: Ministry of Children and Family Development, and partners
Description:
PARTNERSHIP - A new partnership has resulted in an innovative approach to providing health services to underserviced, high-risk youth. After identifying a gap in youth health services, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Fraser Health, Abbotsford Community Services, Impact Drug and Alcohol Services, Abbotsford school district, and the Division of Family Practice came together to collaborate and pool resources to redistribute key resources from within their community. The Abbotsford Youth Health Centre opened its first clinic in the fall of 2010 and offered youth health-care services by one doctor for three hours a week. The initiative expanded over three years to include several doctors, interns, residents and two nurse practitioners offering comprehensive primary health-care services four days a week. By combining their individual strengths and dividing tasks to fit each partner’s resources, the clinic has grown steadily, helping over 320 youth access much-needed health services and handling over 1,150 appointments since its inception.

Organization: Ministry of Justice
Description
INNOVATION - The Surrey Pretrial Services Centres (SPSC) is one of the most innovative and technologically advanced correctional centres in Canada. Its 216‐cell expansion and renovation project was completed in November 2013. It is the centrepiece of the Province’s historic $185‐million capital investment to address increasing inmate populations and improve correctional centre operations. The expansion includes state‐of‐the-art security features to further enhance the safety and well‐being of staff, inmates and the community. The centre project has also created jobs - 250 positions during construction and more than 130 permanent full‐time correctional staff. The improvements achieved through the SPSC have created a new benchmark in how future provincial correctional centres will be designed, constructed and operated. The end result is an expansion project delivered on time and within budget while achieving a more streamlined justice system and increasing public safety.

Organization: Ministry of Agriculture
Description:
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE - The Plant and Animal Health Branch in Abbotsford has taken a proactive and client-centred approach to business resulting in improved financial sustainability, significant time savings and increased cost recovery of almost half a million dollars for the 2013-14 fiscal year. Staffed by 50 highly trained veterinarians, technical and administrative staff, the Branch is responsible for maintaining animal and plant health in the province and responding to critical disease outbreaks. The operational changes made after taking a LEAN approach have had positive effects on clients, including a significant reduction in turnaround time for clients awaiting results of diagnostic services. The LEAN-inspired culture of continuous improvement is growing and staff are realizing savings in time, taxpayer dollars and resources as they continue to take proactive steps toward greater self-sufficiency and financial sustainability.

Organization: Ministry of Justice
Description:
LEADERSHIP - As the youngest deputy warden in the Corrections Branch in Surrey, Karyne Steele exudes leadership, integrity, enthusiasm and passion. With over 20 years of experience, Steele has survived challenging times, leading by example and increasing staff engagement. Her energies have resulted in her team being named one of B.C. government’s “Top Work Units” while winning a coveted “Top-10 Employer” designation. Even more telling of the high esteem in which she is held is the positive feedback she receives from both staff and inmates. Committed to lifelong learning, Steele is always coaching, motivating and developing staff. She ensures people feel empowered - providing recognition, appreciation and a work environment where people feel valued. And when the Surrey Pretrial Services  Centre underwent a $90-million expansion, Steele stepped into the complex role of project manager, a key role in what would eventually become B.C.’s highest-capacity correctional centre

Media Contacts:

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

Jamie Edwardson
Director of Communications
Ministry of Finance
250 356-2821