The Rural Physicians for British Columbia incentive aims to fill 20 pre-designated family physician and specialist positions. The incentive will provide each physician with a one-time payment of $100,000 when they commit to a three-year return of service in 17 designated rural communities.

Additional information:

• Participating physicians will receive $50,000 when they begin working in the community and the remaining $50,000 will be paid once they have completed one year of service.
• The Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues, comprised of the government and the BC Medical Association, worked with health authorities to select 17 underserved communities based on those in most urgent need.
• The 17 selected communities are Bella Coola, Burns Lake, Chetwynd, Clearwater, Cranbrook, Galiano Island, Hazelton, Kitimat, Nakusp, Pemberton, Port Hardy, Port Alberni, Princeton, Quesnel, Terrace, Tofino, and Tumbler Ridge.

For more information:

• On Rural Physicians for British Columbia and other programs to support rural health care in B.C., please visit www.health.gov.bc.ca/pcb/rural_jsc.html

Download the performance schedule.

Location: Ship Point, Inner Harbour, Victoria B.C.

Time: Monday, February 11^th 11:00am – 7:00pm.
Note: Due to nearby parking lot closures, we recommend families take public transit to our event. However, there will be free parking at the Library Parkade, 745 Broughton Street on Family Day.

The province is also supporting BC Family Day events in seven regional centres. Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Vancouver and Victoria will each play host to free special events featuring activities for families and kids of all ages, with crafts, interactive activities, and celebrations of our province’s cultural heritage and natural beauty.

In addition to community-based events, the province has worked with a variety of partners including municipalities, tourism associations, the BC Restaurant Association, the Canada West Ski Area Association and other private and public sector participants to create affordable opportunities for families to enjoy a special day together.

Details are posted on the BC Family Day website.

Additional Information:

• Four of five British Columbians live within a 50-km radius — or a one-hour drive — of one of the seven regional centres hosting BC Family Day activities.
• Canada West Ski Areas Association – up to 50 per cent discounts at 20 B.C. ski resorts.
• B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association – many restaurants offering Family Day specials.
• BC Ferries – offering free travel for kids 11 years and under weekend of February 8-11.
• Why the second Monday in February? Following the largest consultation of its kind during May 2012, British Columbians cast more than 31,000 votes, with the majority saying their preference was for B.C. to have its own Family Day on the second Monday in February.

Join the conversation:

Have a great tip on a hidden gem in your community other B.C. families might like to hear about? Share your ideas on Twitter about how to spend BC Family day or your thoughts on what family means to you by using hashtags #mybcfd, #bcfamilyday, or by posting to the Government of BC Facebook page.

During his career as a peace officer and in his retirement Andy has served his community in a number of volunteer roles with a variety of service groups such as:

Oak Bay Volunteer Services, BBB of Vancouver Island, BC Fruit Testers Assocation, Thrifty Foods Sendial Program, RCMP Veterans Association, Rotary International, Sidney Lions Food Bank, Tourist Information Office and Shoal Centre.

Andy Anderson is a recent recipient of the 2012 Valued Elder Recognition Award (VERA) through the University of Victoria.  The award recognizes and honours individuals who have given exemplary service to helping others in the Capital Regional District.

They met by chance and fell in love some three decades ago on a whitewater canoeing expedition in Canada’s sub-arctic. A few months later as newlyweds photographing elephants and guar in the Ghat Mountains of southern India they decided to turn their mutual enjoyment of their hobby, photography into a shared profession – one that has brought them international recognition.

Her interest in education came at a time when post-secondary learning was deemed illegal for “Status Indians.” Undaunted, she graduated from high school in 1952 (as one of the first Aboriginal students permitted to attend a BC provincial school) and set her sights on a teaching degree.

She refused to give up her Aboriginal status and identity in order to attend a Canadian university, and chose instead to leave her Tsartlip community and move to California to obtain her BA in education.

After returning home, she was instrumental in developing Native Indian Education in the Greater Victoria School District, became a critical link between the Saanich Indian School Board and the Saanich School District, and coordinated the first Native studies program at Camosun College.

She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Victoria where she continues to be a driving force behind strengthening relationships between UVic and the Coast Salish people of southern Vancouver Island.

• Saanich Inlet Lifeboat Society-$22,100
• Salish Sea Marine Rescue Society-$10,000
• Salt Spring Island Search and Rescue Society-$11,000
• Gulf Islands Marine Rescue Society-$30,000
• Saanich Marine Rescue Society-$41,900

Additional Information:

• Community Gaming Grants allow non-profit organizations to apply for provincial gaming revenues.
• Last fiscal year, in 2011/12, government distributed a total of $135 million in gaming grants for eligible community programs and services.
• About 5,300 community groups benefited from funding during 2011/12.

 For More Information:

Full application information is available online at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/gaming/.

Quick Facts:

• This funding is from the fifth call for FNCEBF applications. The next intake of applications closes on Feb. 28, 2013.
• The First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund promotes increased First Nations participation in the clean-energy sector through:
  • Revenue-sharing from eligible clean-energy projects based on revenues derived from water rentals and land rents
  • Equity funding of up to $500,000 for First Nations to invest in clean-energy projects and to help communities attract further investment
  • Capacity development funding of up to $50,000 to support First Nations with community energy planning, feasibility studies or engagement with private-sector proponents of clean-energy projects
• A percentage of land and water rentals generated by eligible projects will be returned to the fund with the goal of becoming self-revenue-generating in the future.

Additional Information:

• Community Gaming Grants allow non-profit organizations to apply for provincial gaming revenues to support direct delivery of a program that benefits the broader community.
• Last fiscal year, in 2011/12, government distributed a total of $135 million in gaming grants for eligible community programs and services.
• About 5,300 community groups benefited from funding during 2011/12.

For more information:

Full application information for B.C. Community Gaming Grants is available online at:

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/gaming/grants/forms-guidelines.htm