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close menu Office of the Premier

B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey

September 12, 2023 10:55 AM
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close menu Agriculture and Food

XY Ranch celebrates 100 years of raising livestock

August 4, 2023 1:15 PM
The Bouffioux family of Fort St. John is being honoured with a Century Farm Award, recognizing its contribution and dedication to agriculture in British Columbia since 1916. 
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B.C., Canada help farmers with climate adaptation, drought

August 2, 2023 2:00 PM
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close menu Attorney General

Sixty-eight organizations receive grants to help shape anti-racism legislation

July 27, 2023 8:00 AM
Sixty-eight organizations receive grants to help shape anti-racism legislation
Racialized people can now share their perspectives in culturally safe spaces as 68 organizations across B.C. receive more than $300,000 to engage community members on the development of new anti-racism legislation.
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New chair appointed to Building Code Appeal Board

August 24, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Children and Family Development

Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities

July 20, 2023 10:15 AM
Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities
More children and youth with disabilities will be able to go to camp thanks in part to a $7-million grant from the Province of B.C.
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Newly named SAJE supports offer youth in care a stronger path to adulthood

May 30, 2023 10:30 AM
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More grant recipients promoting BC Demographic Survey

August 25, 2023 11:15 AM
More grant recipients promoting BC Demographic Survey
More community and Indigenous groups are receiving grants to help their communities participate in the BC Demographic Survey. 
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High-speed broadband access expanded to 6 Kootenay communities

August 3, 2023 10:00 AM
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close menu Education and Child Care

Elementary school expansion provides more classrooms for Nanaimo students

September 11, 2023 9:15 AM
École Hammond Bay Elementary
Students have more space for learning at École Hammond Bay Elementary this fall after the completion of an expansion that added 12 new classrooms to the school. 
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Child care savings make returning to school more affordable for more B.C. families

August 31, 2023 1:30 PM
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close menu Emergency Management and Climate Readiness

State of emergency ends, fire response continues

September 14, 2023 3:43 PM
Based on advice from emergency management and wildfire officials, British Columbia’s provincial state of emergency will expire at the end of the day on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
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Financial assistance for local governments, First Nations affected by wildfire

September 6, 2023 1:50 PM
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close menu Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

Electric planes, motorcycles, boats showcase B.C. clean-transportation innovation

August 2, 2023 8:30 AM
A high-tech revolution is dramatically changing how British Columbia moves people and goods in the air, on the land and over the water, supported by government funding for companies that specialize in inventing and advancing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technologies. 
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Columbia River Treaty talks move forward after constructive Seattle session

August 15, 2023 3:08 PM
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close menu Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Province sets single-use plastic requirements

July 14, 2023 11:15 AM
Province sets single-use plastic requirements
A new provincial regulation will expand B.C.’s efforts to tackle hard-to-recycle single-use and plastic items.
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Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai’xais guardians appointed with park ranger authority

July 25, 2023 2:30 PM
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close menu Finance

Increased BC Family Benefit here to stay

July 18, 2023 10:15 AM
Increased BC Family Benefit here to stay
More than 285,000 families throughout B.C. will see bigger payments in their bank accounts starting this month, thanks to the permanently increased BC Family Benefit.
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Tax-credit lift puts more money in more people’s pockets

July 5, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Forests

Use caution, be fire safe this long weekend

August 31, 2023 2:30 PM
Be wildfire safe this long weekend
Residents and travellers are strongly urged to use caution and remain vigilant this Labour Day long weekend as ongoing elevated drought conditions in much of British Columbia increase the potential for wildfires.
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B.C. acts to protect fish in Koksilah, Upper Cowichan rivers

August 24, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Health

Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey

September 12, 2023 10:55 AM
Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey
People in Surrey are a significant step closer to better access to health care as the Province is breaking ground on a new second hospital in Surrey and new cancer centre.
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BC PharmaCare now covers new drugs for rare diseases

August 18, 2023 12:45 PM
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close menu Housing

B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Safe housing for women leaving violence opens in Campbell River

September 12, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

Annual report updates collective efforts to achieve objectives of UN Declaration

June 28, 2023 12:45 PM
Detailed reporting on progress to improve lives of Indigenous Peoples now available
B.C. is providing detailed reporting about progress to achieve the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) through the 2022-23 Declaration Act Annual Report.
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Ts’uubaa-asatx, B.C. reach reconciliation goal

July 7, 2023 12:00 PM
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close menu Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat

B.C.’s highest honour recognizes 14 British Columbians

August 7, 2023 6:15 AM
B.C.’s highest honour recognizes 14 British Columbians
Fourteen exceptional people who have made an outstanding provincial, national or international impact will be appointed to the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest form of recognition and an official part of the Canadian Honours System.
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Submit a nomination for the Medal of Good Citizenship

July 25, 2023 9:30 AM
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close menu Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

B.C. supports research to protect coastal ecosystem

August 16, 2023 9:15 AM
B.C. supports research to protect coastal ecosystem
New funding for the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Experimental Ocean Climate Change Lab (EXCEL) will support research on the impact of climate change on the environment and the promotion of resilience and sustainability for B.C.’s marine sector.
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Minister’s statement on July Labour Force Survey results

August 4, 2023 8:40 AM
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close menu Labour

Minimum wage increases to $16.75 per hour on June 1

April 5, 2023 12:30 PM
Minimum wage increases to $16.75 per hour on June 1
On June 1, 2023, B.C.'s lowest-paid workers will get a pay raise with the general minimum wage increasing from $15.65 to $16.75 an hour.
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Work continues around improved protections for app-based workers

August 3, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Mental Health and Addictions

B.C. secures measures to ensure families feel safe accessing public spaces

September 14, 2023 9:22 AM
Keeping child-focused spaces safe
To help ensure kids and families feel safe in their communities, the Province has received approval from the federal government to prohibit the possession of illegal drugs at playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools and skate parks.
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New recovery beds will support healthier communities in northern B.C.

September 13, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Municipal Affairs

Chinese communities connected to services on Weibo

August 16, 2023 8:00 AM
British Columbians now have more options to access government information and services with the recent launch of the Province’s verified account on Weibo, which removes barriers for English learners whose primary language is simplified Chinese.
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Stronger services will support healthy communities in northern B.C.

August 18, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

Provincial Tuition Waiver Program expanded to former youth in care of all ages

September 14, 2023 8:00 AM
Provincial Tuition Waiver Program expanded to former youth in care of all ages
People looking to enrol in post-secondary education, who are former youth in care, will benefit from an expansion of the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program, which has launched for the fall semester.
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Expanded graduate scholarship funding will support students

August 22, 2023 12:00 PM
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close menu Public Safety and Solicitor General

New programs, police standards support sexual assault survivors

July 24, 2023 10:45 AM
Stable funding for sexual assault programs, as well as the establishment of new policing standards for responding to sexual assaults, will respect and support the diverse needs of survivors and ensure more effective investigations.
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Supports expanding for people in mental-health, substance-use crisis

July 17, 2023 10:15 AM
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close menu Social Development and Poverty Reduction

More people will get nutritious food with new funding

August 24, 2023 10:45 AM
More people will get nutritious food with new funding
People struggling to put food on the table will have better, more reliable access to healthy food with $15 million in funding to Food Banks BC.
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B.C. helps remove barriers for people with disabilities

July 27, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

B.C., viaSport take steps to make amateur sport safer

June 20, 2023 3:00 PM
B.C., viaSport take steps to make amateur sport safer
The Province and viaSport are improving safety in sports by continuing to provide education about safe sport, and by taking steps toward an independent complaints process for B.C.’s amateur sport sector.
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Submit a nomination for the Medal of Good Citizenship

July 25, 2023 9:30 AM
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close menu Transportation and Infrastructure

West Fraser Road reopens after washout in 2018

August 23, 2023 11:15 AM
West Fraser Road reopens
People in the Quesnel area can now travel a recently completed new section of West Fraser Road after the old road washed out in 2018. 
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Highway 4 reopens two full lanes for travel

August 31, 2023 2:15 PM
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close menu Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Public input will enhance B.C.’s first-ever coastal marine strategy

August 15, 2023 2:00 PM
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Children and Family Development

BC Early Years Centre expansion to benefit families

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Honourable Mitzi Dean

Honourable Mitzi Dean

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Email: MCF.Minister@gov.bc.ca

close menu Children and Family Development

Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities

July 20, 2023 10:15 AM
Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities
More children and youth with disabilities will be able to go to camp thanks in part to a $7-million grant from the Province of B.C.
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Newly named SAJE supports offer youth in care a stronger path to adulthood

May 30, 2023 10:30 AM
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BC Early Years Centre expansion to benefit families

https://news.gov.bc.ca/08621

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Friday, June 12, 2015 8:30 AM

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Information Bulletin

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Friday, June 12, 2015 8:30 AM

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The Government of B.C. is taking the next step toward its goal, under the BC Early Years Strategy, to expand the network of BC Early Years Centres in communities throughout the province, Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux announced today.

In August 2014, BC Early Years Centres were launched at 12 test sites. An additional 14 sites began opening this spring. Applications for the next round of BC Early Years Centres are now being accepted. The goal is to create up to 16 new centres, for a total of up to 42 centres provincewide.

The vision is to have BC Early Years Centres in a diverse mix of urban and rural, as well as First Nation, Métis and Aboriginal communities. Working with various service providers, BC Early Years Centres offer an integrated range of programs and services through a single point of access for families with young children. Available supports may include:

  • Parent and child drop-in playgroup programs.
  • StrongStart BC programs.
  • Public health clinics.
  • Advice and referrals from early-years professionals.
  • Parent education workshops.
  • Licensed child care for families.
  • Child-care resource and referral information.
  • A mobile bus to provide outreach to families in rural communities.

A cross-ministry selection panel, with representation from the ministries of Children and Family Development, Education and Health, will review applications and establish an eligibility list for the next round of centres. Successful proponents from that list will receive $52,000 from the Provincial Office for the Early Years for this fiscal year as part of a $5.5-million provincial investment over three years.

Information sessions will be held on June 23 and Sept. 16. Communities interested in registering can contact the Provincial Office for the Early Years for further details: EarlyYearsOffice@gov.bc.ca.

The deadline for completed applications is Oct. 28, 2015. To apply, visit: http://www.bcbid.ca/open.dll/

Quick Facts:

  • Children’s experiences early in life have a profound and long-lasting effect on their future development and well-being. Studies show that positive early-years experiences lead to better social, economic, and health outcomes, while chief economists have noted that the wide-spread and long-lasting benefits of investment in the early years far outweigh the costs.
  • The BC Early Years Strategy aims to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early-years programs and services for families with young children.
  • The strategy builds on the $1 billion per year government spends on early learning and childhood development initiatives, services and supports, including:
    • Success by 6®, Children First and Aboriginal early childhood development programs.
    • Full-day kindergarten.
    • Programs that support healthy pregnancy, birth and infancy.
    • Early childhood development care and learning program investments, including public health nursing, Ready, Set, Learn programs and StrongStart BC early-learning programs.
    • A variety of programs, services and supports to address the specific needs of children and youth with special needs.
  • To make child care more affordable for families, government introduced the B.C. Early Childhood Tax Benefit in April 2015. The benefit will provide $146 million annually to approximately 180,000 families with children under the age of six years (up to $660 a year per child).
  • Since Nov. 2014, the Province has invested a total of $15.2 million to support the creation of more than 2,400 new licensed child-care spaces throughout B.C., building on the approximately 107,000 spaces that government currently supports.
  • The ministry has committed $323.5 million for child care in 2015-16, a 53% increase since 2000-01.

Learn More:

BC Early Years Centres: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_years/centres.htm

BC Early Years Strategy: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/pdf/FamiliesAgenda_EarlyYearsStrategy_web.pdf

Provincial Office for the Early Years: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_years/index.htm

Early childhood development programs funded through the Ministry of Children and Family Development: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/index.htm

Early Learning programs funded through the Ministry of Education, including full-day kindergarten and StrongStart BC: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-0543

https://news.gov.bc.ca/08621

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