Arts programs and evacuation management in Greater Victoria are getting a boost in funding.
Local MLAs Dana Lajeunesse, Ravi Parmar and Darlene Rotchford have expressed their excitement about the funding's impact in the West Shore and Juan de Fuca region.
In Sooke, Esquimalt, Colwood and Langford, 12 organizations received more than $300,000 in funding through the B.C. Arts Council (BCAC) for 2024–25. These include Medicine Wheel Education, which received $16,450; Songhees Nation, which received $30,000; and the Sooke Region Museum, which received one grant of $105,000 and another of $33,600.
"Arts and culture help us build and grow community," said Rotchford, MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood. "This funding helps our local artists and arts organizations keep making an impact at home and across the arts world."
It's a sentiment echoed by Langford-Highlands MLA Ravi Parmar.
"People of all ages, backgrounds and experiences can be united in their love of the arts," said Parmar. "Our artists and arts organizations are bringing people together through their creations."
Across B.C., more than $37 million in grant funding was distributed to 1,303 arts organizations, events and individual artists through the BCAC.
"Our region has amazing museums and organizations keeping arts and culture alive locally, many of which are largely volunteer-run and operate thanks to the hard work and care of a group of dedicated volunteers keeping the doors open year after year," said Lajeunesse.
Meanwhile, in the Juan de Fuca region, new funding for evacuation planning, announced July 24, means communities in the area will be better prepared to stay safe and informed when disasters occur.
“When emergencies arise, it’s crucial that the right information gets to people as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Lajeunesse, MLA for Juan de Fuca-Malahat. “With this support, our communities can take the necessary steps to ensure they are prepared and ready to manage emergencies in a timely manner.”
First Nations and local governments receiving funding include the Capital Regional District, which received $40,000 to review and update its evacuation planning guides and develop evacuation maps for Salt Spring Island, the Southern Gulf Islands, Pacheedaht First Nation and Juan de Fuca.
Metchosin also received $40,000 to develop a public notification plan that integrates the Earthquake Early Warning system, multi-channel alerts, stakeholder coordination and exercise testing.
Across B.C., 51 communities will receive $2 million for 42 projects. The funding is intended to help communities develop and update their plans through public notification and evacuation route planning projects. These include mapping routes, improving evacuation and public notification plans, and running training exercises to test them ahead of an emergency.
