Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender announced today that local governments throughout British Columbia are sharing almost $108 million in provincial funding to support policing and safety measures, as well as community services and projects.

Provided from Small Community Grant, Regional District Grant and Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant programs, the funding allows local governments in B.C. to meet local needs in various ways, including more policing, restorative justice, increased community safety initiatives, infrastructure, administrative support and service delivery priorities.

For a complete list of approved grants, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BG_Jun2016%20GrantPayments-Combined.pdf

Since 2009, funding from these three grant programs has provided over $922 million to help support services that benefit B.C. residents, businesses and communities.

Quotes:

Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender –

“Local governments can direct the funding from the Small Community and Regional District Grants according to their community needs and priorities. These grants help provide local services, programs and infrastructure in smaller and rural communities in every region of British Columbia.”

Public Safety and Solicitor General Minister Mike Morris –

“I have said time and again that I would rather see net traffic fine revenues that are substantially smaller amounts, because it would mean nobody was behaving dangerously behind the wheel. We know there are still people who text and check their emails while driving, people who speed, and people who drink and drive. As long as people continue to accumulate traffic fines, we can continue to share these revenues to support community safety initiatives and local policing priorities to help make B.C. communities safer.”

Quick Facts:

• For 2016, the Small Community Grant, Regional District Grant and Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant funding is allocated as follows:
  • Communities will receive almost $53 million in Small Community Grant and Regional District Grant funding. These grants are specifically meant to help address infrastructure, administration and service delivery priorities. Since 2009, the Small Community Grant and Regional District Grant programs have provided over $437 million to small- and medium-sized communities, British Columbia’s regional districts and the Islands Trust.
  • Communities will receive about $55 million in Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant funding. Traffic fine revenue comes from ticket fines and court-imposed fines on violation tickets. The B.C. government delivers 100% of collected net traffic fine revenues and responsibility for paying for policing to communities with populations over 5,000 people. Since 2009, more than $485 million has been provided to fund policing and community safety.
  • Small Community Grants aid communities with populations of less than approximately 20,000.
  • Communities with populations of 5,000 or greater pay for policing services and are therefore qualified to receive a Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant.
  • Communities with populations between 5,000 and 20,000 qualify for both the Small Community Grant and the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant programs.

Examples of previous years’ unconditional grant funding include: 

• Supporting the addition of two RCMP officers in Chilliwack.
• Providing talks on various topics including Internet and cellphone safety in West Kelowna.
• Contributing towards sewage treatment and disposal capacity by the Sechelt Indian Government District.
• Purchasing of four police cars in Lake Cowichan.
• Planning and flood control in Houston.

Learn More:

For more information on Small Community, Regional District and Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grants, go to: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/policy_research/local_government_grants.htm

Check out the provincial government’s role in supporting communities, sport, arts and culture through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development at: https://news.gov.bc.ca/ministries/community-sport-and-cultural-development