Nawican Friendship Centre receiving $40K for community safety

Front entrance to the Nawican Frienship Centre (Nawican Friendship Centre - Facebook) — Front entrance to the Nawican Friendship Centre (Nawican Friendship Centre – Facebook)

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The Nawican Friendship Centre in Dawson Creek is receiving $40,000 from the province to support people experiencing gender-based violence.

The money will be used for the centre’s Nawican Safe House project for vulnerable Indigenous women and girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, elders and youth experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.

The funding comes from B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Grant Program, which supports community safety-related projects across the province.

As part of the 2022 to 2023 cycle, $9.7 million will support 197 community projects and fund police equipment and training, with $3.7 million collected from forfeited recoveries and $6 million from provincial funding, according to the provincial government.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General said the Civil Forfeiture Office was established in 2006 to remove the tools and proceeds of unlawful activity and redirect the money into programs that support community safety and crime-prevention initiatives.

For more information about victim services, visit the province’s website.