More vulnerable and low-income people will have access to essential identification documents that will help them access critical government services with the new funding to the Community Social Planning Council of Victoria.

“We all want people in B.C. to have access to the identification documents are necessary for them to get the vital supports and services they need,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill, on behalf of Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “This funding will ensure more vulnerable people have proper identification documents that will give them access to the critical services they need to live better lives.”

Supported by a $200,000 funding, the council will help more people from underserved populations by helping them obtain personal identification documents that range from birth certificates and health-care cards to B.C. Services Cards.

"Almost half of the individuals experiencing homelessness in the most recent Victoria point-in-time survey said they needed personal identification,” said Diana Gibson, executive director, Community Social Planning Council. “We are grateful for this recognition by the ministry of the importance of the ID services program to our communities. This grant empowers us to continue offering these indispensable services to the most vulnerable and underserved members of our community, opening doors for them to independence and financial empowerment.”

The program is a community collaboration with ID clinics and ID bank storage to help people acquire and safely store key identification documents to ensure they have access to their personal identification documents.

"We are elated that the ID services at the Community Social Planning Council will continue for another year,” said Kira Lagadin, program co-ordinator, Pro Bono Students Canada, University of Victoria chapter. “Acquiring an ID can dramatically change an individual's life, enabling them to secure a job or apply for housing. Our volunteers have found deep satisfaction in collaborating with the CSPC, witnessing the profound positive impact these ID services have on individuals.”

The Co-ordinated ID Services Program is one of the ways CSPC supports individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Greater Victoria, including single mothers, Indigenous women, women exiting situations of violence, individuals transitioning out of correctional facilities, and those experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Learn More:

For more information on the point-in-time count report, visit: https://communitycouncil.ca/victoria-point-in-time-count-2023/

For more information about the CSPC, its programs, and services, visit: https://communitycouncil.ca/program-areas/