North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society is one of the local agencies benefiting from the Civil Forfeiture Grants program (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Bolstering Supports and Services

Civil forfeiture grants support safety programs in Vernon, Okanagan

Jun 5, 2025 | 1:06 PM

Vernon and other Okanagan communities are benefiting from a provincial investment into preventing crime, advancing healing, and enhancing public safety.

The B.C. Government is distributing $7.5-million in grants through its Civil Forfeiture Grant program to projects that address crime and support public safety.

Among the investments are over $280,000 for agencies in Vernon and the North Okanagan.

• Archway Society for Domestic Peace: $140,000 to support the Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre’s work to provide supports and services to children and youth that have experienced abuse and violence
• This Space Belong Society: $40,000 for the This Space Believes project, which will deliver counselling sessions to 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals aged 12-24, as well as peer support groups, to support resilience and recovery from gender-based violence
• Vernon and District branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association: $39,867 for the Restorative Justice program by creating a new volunteer coordinator position to support the victims of crime, individuals accused of crimes, and their guardians and/or supporters
• Family Resource Centre for the North Okanagan: $21,500 for the Sexual Assault Response and Support program for male-identified and non-binary victims of sexual assault
• North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society: $40,000 to deliver programming on preventing gender-based violence and abuse in intimate relationships

“Supporting the most vulnerable in our communities has always been at the heart of our work. I’m incredibly grateful for the lifesaving, life-changing work of local organizations who walk alongside those facing unimaginable challenges. I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact they have on many lives,” Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, stated.

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“Through the Civil Forfeiture Grant program, we are turning the pain and suffering caused by crime into hope, healing, and opportunity. By reclaiming proceeds of crime, we are reinvesting in organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon, Archway Society for Domestic Peace, Okanagan Services Society, and the Vernon Youth Advocacy Centre. Their work, from restorative justice to youth outreach and services for women and families, strengthens the safety, dignity, and resilience of our entire community.”

The grant funding is supporting 166 community-led projects throughout B.C. Other area agencies receiving grants through the program include:

• Lake Country Health: $40,000 for an after school program to support at-risk high school students experiencing social isolation
• Child Advocacy Centre of Kelowna Society : $140,000 to assist children and adolescents who have experience abuse, and their non-offending family members
• Brain Trust Canada Association (Kelowna): $40,000 to provide cognitive rehabilitation and advocacy for Okanagan offenders living with a brain injury
• Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Kelowna: $40,000 to deliver support services and counselling for youth who have been impacted by domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, or online exploitation
• New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Canada Society (Kelowna): $40,000 to deliver a full time program for women-identified people who have experienced gender-based violence
• Childhood Connections (Central Okanagan): $40,000 for a program that supports and holds accountable individuals released from prison after serving sentences for sexual assault
• Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society: $40,000 to deliver an Indigenous Outreach Victim Services Support Worker to provide emotion and practical supports, and appropriate referrals, to those affected by intimate partner and sexual violence
• Rise Up Indigenous Wellness Society (Salmon Arm): $40,000 to address intergenerational trauma and reduce violence against Indigenous women
• Penticton & Area Access Society: $40,000 to support people in navigating legal issues, obtaining protection orders, understanding tenancy rights, accessing income supports, and mediating disputes
• Penticton Recovery Resource Society: $40,000 to provide counselling services in support of men in recovery who are at risk of committing crimes or re-offending
• City of Penticton: $39,468 to implement a Restorative Justice Program for students aged 13 to 18

“Community safety is one of our top priorities and a key part of that is ensuring organizations working in our communities have the resources they need to effect change,” Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said.

“Whether it’s helping youth, preventing gender-based violence or supporting Indigenous healing, these investments are empowering communities to implement community-based initiatives that enhance safety.”