Camosun College Receives Funding for Pacific Sports Institute

The B.C. Government will provide an additional $6 million to Camosun College for the Pacific Sports Institute, announced Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell.

• The Institute will be a state-of-the-art facility complete with a double gymnasium, sport science and sport medicine facilities, multi-purpose classrooms and labs, a resource centre, fitness and wellness facilities, student amenity spaces and an all-weather playing field.
• The Pacific Sport Institute will have an estimated economic impact of $24 million annually and the equivalent of 420 full-time jobs.
• In total, the Province is providing up to $24.5 million to Camosun College for this unique project with $18.5 million contributed from the Ministry of Economic Development.

Click for more information.

$6 Million Pledged for Aboriginal ActNow BC Program

The B.C. Government will provide $6 million to help the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health develop an ActNow BC program for Aboriginal communities throughout the province, announced Minister of State for ActNow BC Gordon Hogg.

• The program will build various partnerships within the community and will include an expansion of the Honour Your Health Challenge, a community-based program that raises awareness about health and tobacco misuse.
• This funding supports an action item in the First Nations Health Plan announced by the provincial government and the First Nations Leadership Council in November 2006.
• The program will help close the gap in health between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in B.C. 

Click for more information.

B.C. Film and Production Strong in 2006

Film and television production in British Columbia held strong in 2006, contributing more than $1.2 billion to the provincial economy, announced Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen.

• According to the BC Film Commission, domestic spending in 2006 grew to $278 million, up from $225 million in 2005, and foreign television series spending increased by more than 45 per cent in 2006 to $433 million.
• A total of 230 productions were completed in B.C. last year, including: 53 feature films, 39 television series, 63 movies-of-the-week, 33 documentaries, 18 animation projects, 13 television pilots and 11 short films.
• British Columbia is the third-largest film and television service production centre in North America, after Los Angeles and New York.

Click for more information.