Year-at-a-Glance Highlights

April 2003

Funds for expansion and renovation of child care centres nearly doubled (from $1.5 million to $2.5 million this year). A new formula for capital funding was introduced to assist rural communities to build and renovate child care spaces, and an additional 25,000 child care spaces were made eligible for operational funding.

$35 million in unconditional local government grants were distributed to communities, and $9 million in operating grants to libraries.

$10 million, secured from the federal government to match provincial funds paid in March 2003, was invested in the Downtown Eastside to support revitalization through economic and social investments under the Vancouver Agreement.

$1.2 million in grants was provided to eight heritage-related organizations to support existing and new initiatives.

The ministry committed to funding 91 "green" infrastructure projects to improve drinking water and sewage treatment, investing $68 million of provincial monies into communities throughout the province.

The First Citizens Fund was increased by $9 million to a total of $63 million. Interest from this fund supports Aboriginal friendship centres, student bursaries and economic development programs.

May 2003

A new partnership expanded BladeRunners to provide additional employment opportunities and on-the-job training for youth (80 per cent Aboriginal) in the construction and trade sectors.

The Good Samaritan Society Mountainview Village opened in Kelowna, providing more housing and care options for seniors.

The income threshold for parent child care subsidy was increased, providing financial assistance to more low- to moderate-income families.

A one-year extension of the Agreement for Canada-British Columbia Cooperation on Immigration ensured uninterrupted programs and services, and allowed additional time for new initiatives.

June 2003

FirstVoices.com, an innovative Internet-based computer program designed to preserve Aboriginal languages, was launched.

An 81-unit residential development was opened in the Downtown Eastside, benefiting low-income urban singles who have successfully completed rehabilitation and those wishing to live in a drug- and alcohol-free environment.

The Aboriginal First Youth Urban Program was launched in the Downtown Eastside to assist Aboriginal youth to develop leadership and employment skills.

July 2003

$600,000 was provided through the First Peoples' Heritage, Language and Culture Council to 37 community-based initiatives aimed at revitalizing Aboriginal languages.

A new BladeRunners agreement was signed in the Queen Charlotte Islands to assist Aboriginal youth to train and find jobs in the construction industry.

Management of Emily Carr House, Yale House and the Keremeos Grist Mill was devolved to communities to allow for greater flexibility and creativity in managing these heritage properties.

Vancouver/Whistler won the 2010 Olympic Bid.

August 2003

The Office of the Fire Commissioner coordinated efforts to protect communities from the worst forest fire season in BC's history. Fire apparatus was brought to the Interior and southeast from over 180 fire departments, and more than 50,000 residents were safely evacuated.

$24.3 million in provincial and federal funding was provided for settlement and adaptation services for new immigrants, including basic adult English language training. The funding went to third-party service providers, under the BC Settlement and Adaptation Program.

September 2003

$1.2 million was provided for construction and renovation of 14 child care centres, creating 298 new child care spaces throughout BC.

A Regional Business category was added to the Provincial Nominee Program, which has an expected potential benefit to deliver $45.72 million in new investment and create 220 new jobs in the province.

October 2003

The 2010 Skills Demand Report was released, showing one million job openings in BC between 2003 and 2015.

The Aboriginal Youth FIRST Excellence Program, expected to benefit about 5,000 Aboriginal youth, was created to immerse young Aboriginal athletes in a specialized, competitive training environment.

Under the Violence Prevention Initiative, $240,049 was provided for "Healthy and Respectful Relationships", a violence prevention and awareness initiative with secondary school youth in the Gold Trail and Quesnel school districts.

The federal/provincial/territorial Status of Women Ministers' "Workplaces that Work" document was released, providing employers with strategies to increase the recruitment, retention and promotion of skilled women workers.

Community Transition Assistance of $890,000 was provided to the Village of Tahsis.

November 2003

Two new housing developments in the Downtown Eastside were announced that will provide more than 200 subsidized housing units for low- and moderate-income families, seniors and single adults.

New housing and support for Downtown Eastside women and children combined transitional housing and support with a unique emergency licensed child care centre.

A 15-year agreement was signed for the Friends of Fort Steele Society, a not-for-profit society dedicated to conserving, presenting, and teaching the history of Fort Steele and the Kootenays, to manage Fort Steele on behalf of the Province.

Up to $1.6 million in matching funds were made available to help municipalities and regional districts plan for mosquito control with the anticipated arrival of West Nile virus.

The first ever tripartite self-governance agreement was signed by British Columbia, Canada and the representative organizations for off-reserve and Metis people, the United Native Nations and the Metis Provincial Council of BC.

December 2003

An interim governance board was established to develop terms for a permanent governing board and business plan for historic Barkerville.

564 new non-profit and private assisted living units were allocated under the Independent Living BC program for seniors in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

January 2004

The new Multicultural Advisory Council held its first meeting. The council advises the Minister on issues related to multiculturalism, anti-racism and community action across the province.

The Community Charter (Bills 14 and 76) came into force.

The ministry took on a new responsibility for seniors' issues.

February 2004

Rural communities benefited from a new child care funding formula, reducing their share of the cost of creating new child care spaces.

A mobile drop-in centre was launched to improve safety and increase services for women in the Vancouver sex trade.

March 2004

Local governments received $36.5 million in unconditional grants, an increase of $400,000 from 2002/03.

Four agreements, bringing the total to seven, were signed under the Aboriginal Employment Partnership Initiative to increase training and job opportunities for Aboriginal people. The partners are: the Vancouver Island Health Authority, Royal Roads University, the City of Dawson Creek, the Royal Bank, London Drugs, the Vancouver Police and Duke Energy.

The Railway Safety Act was amended to modernize safety regulation for provincially regulated railways by: harmonizing with the federal rail safety regime; repealing outdated railway safety legislation and regulations; and delegating administration of railway safety to the BC Safety Authority and Transport Canada.

"Planning for Housing 2004" was published to assist local governments to develop and adopt policies and practices that encourage the development of affordable and special needs housing.

A $2-million grant was provided to the Union of BC Municipalities to assist local governments to develop innovative, local solutions and strategies to better meet the housing and support needs of BC's aging population.

$55 million was provided to the Legacies Trust and $51 million for venue construction to create a lasting legacy from the Olympic Games, with funding to be matched by the federal government. Three million dollars was used to create an Aboriginal Youth Sports Legacy.

The ministry provided $1 million to the Union of BC Municipalities for implementation of a sprinkler program to increase homeowner self-protection, consistent with the Filmon Firestorm Report recommendations.