Kids in B.C. will benefit from participation in a wide range of school activities thanks to Community Gaming Grants funding that is going to more than 1,300 school advisory councils.

“We’ve been through so much over these past couple of years, and parents have been champions in our schools, working hard to keep kids connected with safe and rewarding extracurricular activities,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “Activities like these provide tremendous benefits for children’s health and well-being, and they help keep students active and engaged in learning.”

In total, nearly $11 million in Community Gaming Grants is supporting parent advisory councils (PACs) and district parent advisory councils (DPACs) in the 2021-22 school year. Schools in British Columbia receive funding each year through PACs and DPACs for activities that benefit students’ social, cultural and physical health.

“Extracurricular activities are so important for students so they can connect with their friends and maintain their physical, social and mental health,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education. “Through Community Gaming Grants, PACs and DPACs across the province provide a wide range of extracurricular activities for students, allowing them to build new friendships, develop life skills and share more experiences together.”

Schools offer many extracurricular experiences for K-12 students, including sports and playground activities, drama, writing and music programs, and graduation ceremonies with support from Community Gaming Grant funding. PAC groups use the funds to put on music, dance and theatre performances, purchase computers for extracurricular activities such as robotics, yearbook and photography clubs, and holding social gatherings such as movie nights. 

“The ongoing pandemic has severely limited the ability of parent advisory councils to raise funds in support of numerous school programs,” said Andrea Sinclair, president, BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. “Parents are grateful that Community Gaming Grants will be distributed to PACs throughout the province, thereby ensuring that the students' experience at their school will continue to be enhanced while reducing the burden on families.”

The Community Gaming Grants program has put British Columbian’s health and safety first by requiring that all grant funding complies with the provincial health officer’s orders, while continuing to provide flexibility for those organizations whose programs and services have been affected by the pandemic.

 Quick Facts:

• Every year, commercial gaming revenue funds essential government programs and services, including health care, education, justice and social services and the Community Gaming Grants program.
• Each year, 5,000 organizations in communities throughout B.C. benefit from as much as $140 million in gaming revenue from the Community Gaming Grants program.
• Community Gaming Grants provide funding to arts and culture groups, sports, environment, public safety, human and social services, as well as PACs in B.C. schools.

Learn More:

View the full list of PAC and DPAC sector recipients: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/2021-2022_PAC-DPAC_Recipients.pdf

For more information on how Community Gaming Grants is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling-fundraising/gaming-grants/cggupdates

Stronger BC: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/

B.C.’s COVID Action Plan and other government resources and updates: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19