This grant, created in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, the Government of Canada and other community foundations in Southern BC, provided $1,562,140 to support projects that counteracted the negative impacts of COVID-19 on community by creating safe and vibrant public spaces, improving mobility options and providing innovative digital solutions to connect people and improve health.

When to Apply

Applications are now closed- see below for the recipients that were funded!

Funding Recipients

The BC Southern Community Foundations supported the following projects as part of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative (South Okanagan Similkameen projects are highlighted in bold):

Round 1 Recipients:

• $55,000 was invested to fund the Rotary Club of Nakusp Society for The Nakusp Natural Adventure Park project.
• $20,000 was invested to fund The Sharing Farm for the Growing Food, Growing Community project. (Richmond)
• $99,000 was invested to fund the Sqilxw Apna for the N’sis’ooloxw Pathways project. (Vernon)
• $66,000 was invested to fund the Pedal Foundation for the Oppenheimer Bicycle Repair Clinics project. (Vancouver)
• $64,251 was invested to fund the District of Mission Parks, Recreation & Culture for the Youth/Community Centre project.
• $88,000 was invested to fund the Wildsight Elk Valley for the EcoGarden – Learning & Growing Space project. (Fernie)
• $74,958 was invested to fund the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre for the Welcome to Nikkei Garden project. (Burnaby)
• $72,000 was invested to fund the Friends of Okanagan Rail Trail for the Okanagan Rail Trail: Northern Gateway Welcome/Way-finding Station project.
• $43,000 was invested to fund the Canadian Society Promoting Environmental Conservation for the From local farms to our connected tables, Food for everyone project. (Vancouver)
• $42,647 was invested to fund the Oliver Parks and Recreation Society for the Get out and Play: Oliver Racquet Sport Court Development project.

​Round 2 Recipients

• Helping Out People Exploited – $59,525 was invested to fund the App for vulnerable Women project. (Kelowna)
• Kimberley Wellness Foundation – $61,048 was invested to fund the Swan Ave Park project. (Kimberley)
• Walk Around Lake Country – $98,097 was invested to fund the Lake Country Trail Mapping, Signage and Wayfinding project. (Lake Country)
• Township of Langley – $74,000 was invested to fund the Grief & Bereavement Symposium, Community Outreach, and Website Collaborative project. (Langley)
• Stalew Arts and Cultural Society – $86,150 was invested to fund the Grounding Langley: Sharing the Language of the Land and Water project. (Langley)
• Pacific Parklands Foundation – $12,000 was invested to fund the Kanaka Creek Regional Park Interpretive Art Murals project. (Maple Ridge)
• Kootenay CarShare Cooperative – $56,250 was invested to fund the Air Carshare expansion to the Kootenay Region project. (Nelson)
• City of Nelson – $25,000 was invested to fund the Rosemont Multigenerational Park project. (Nelson)
• The Lower Mainland Purpose Society – $84,350 was invested to fund the Digital Inclusion Hub project. (New Westminster)
• Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre Society – $33,765 was invested to fund the Digital Lending Library project. (Oliver, Osoyoos, Okanagan Falls)
• Erris Volunteer Fire Association – $39,900 was invested to fund the Erris Outdoor Recreation Area project. (Princeton)
• James Gilmore Elementary School – $9,180 was invested to fund the Gilmore Community Gardens project. (Richmond)
• Spuzzum First Nation – $82,830 was invested to fund the Spuzzum Village Community Infrastructure Initiative project. (Spuzzum)
• NightShift Ministries – $74,468 was invested to fund the Beyond Our Walls (community outreach) project. (Surrey)
• Society for Children & Youth of BC – $22,491 was invested to fund the Play Streets: Child-and-Youth Centered Public Space Activation project. (Vancouver)
• Windermere Secondary School, Vancouver School Board – $68,246 was invested to fund the Windermere Community Fitness Park project. (Vancouver)
• Individualized Funding Resource Centre – $49,984 was invested to fund the Accessible Nature Wellness Program. (Vancouver)

Round 3 Recipients

• Sher Vancouver LGBTQ Friends Society – $100,000 was invested to fund the Peer Support, Intake, Information and Referral project. (Surrey, Delta, Vancouver)
• Okanagan College Foundation – $63,360 was invested to fund the Kalamalka Indigenous Garden project. (Kelowna)
• SuperChefs Cookery Society – $76,204 was invested to fund the SuperChefs Virtual Cookery & Pop Up Community Depot project. (Surrey)
• South Country Trails and Recreation Association – $100,000 was invested to fund the Jaffray Trail System project. (Jaffray)
• Hives for Humanity – $18,540 was invested to fund the Astoria Urban Farm – Pollinator Parklet project. (Vancouver)
• North Okanagan Cycling Society – $71,170 was invested to fund the NOCS Trail Improvement Project. (Vernon)
• North Slocan Trails Society – $100,000 was invested to fund the New Denver All Wheels Park Proposal project. (New Denver)
• Fresh Roots – $96,240 was invested to fund the Growing Communities: Animating Schoolyard Farms for Connection, Fun and Learning project. (Lower Mainland)
• Elevation Outdoors Experiential Programs Association – $76,240 was invested to fund the Knox Mountain Bike and Adaptive Equipment Rentals project. (Kelowna)
• DRS Earthwise Society – $46,240 was invested to fund the Earthwise Community Courtyard and Connections project. (Delta)
• Osoyoos Farmers’ Market – $21,715 was invested to fund the Public Faces – Safer Spaces project. (Osoyoos)
• South Okanagan Similkameen Pride Society – $17,340 was invested to fund the Digital Solutions for South Okanagan Similkameen Pride Society project. (Penticton)
• Kaleden Community Association – $88,740 was invested to fund the Pioneer Park Paths and Accessibility project. (Kaleden)
• Independent Living Vernon – $28,364 was invested to fund the ILV Digital Solutions project. (Vernon)
• Vancouver Chinatown Foundation – $76,153 was invested to fund the Light Up Chinatown: A Community Revitalization project. (Vancouver)
• Naramata Seniors Community Services Society – $98,740 was invested to fund the Spirit Park: Creating an uplifting and vibrant community park project. (Naramata)
• House of Omeed – $100,000 was invested to fund the House of Omeed Food Refuge Distribution Centre project. (Coquitlam)
• Arts Council of the Central Okanagan – $92,037 was invested to fund the Light Up Kelowna project. (Kelowna)
• Learning Disabilities Society of Greater Vancouver – $100,000 was invested to fund the “LDS Access” mobile classroom: transforming disabled children’s lives through learning project. (Vancouver)
• A Rocha Canada – $33,231 was invested to fund the Farm & Forest: Ecological Literacy, Social Connections and Food Security project. (Surrey)

Visit canadahealthycommunitiesinitiative.ca to learn more!