Premier Campbell Honours B.C. Teachers for Excellence
Premier Gordon Campbell marked the beginning of Education Month by honouring 20 teachers from around the province for their dedication to students and student learning, including beginning and veteran teachers, and those who teach environmental awareness, literacy and healthy living.
- Lt.-Gov. Steven Point and Premier Campbell presented the winning teachers with a certificate of achievement during an official ceremony at Government House to honour their commitment to excellence in education.
- In addition, each award winner will receive a $1,500 award for professional development.
- The award winners are currently working directly with students within the B.C. K-12 public, independent or band school systems.
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$209 Million to Enhance B.C.’s Arts and Culture
The Province is investing $209 million to support arts and culture across British Columbia, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today. The $209 million in provincial funding will support three initiatives: $150 million to create the BC150 Cultural Fund; $50 million for an expansion of the Vancouver Art Gallery; and $9 million to restore and revitalize the Vancouver East Cultural Centre.
- The $150-million BC150 Cultural Fund will provide long-term, stable funding for a wide range of arts and cultural activities in communities across the province.
- Funding for the Vancouver Art Gallery will contribute to establishing a new facility. This is in addition to $603,000 in operating funds provided by government through the BC Arts Council in 2007.
- The Vancouver East Cultural Centre, known locally as “the Cultch,” will put $9 million in provincial funding towards restoration and revitalization, and to establish an endowment to help with ongoing operating costs.
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$31.8M Breathes New Life Into First Major UBC Building
The oldest academic building at the University of B.C., serving students for over 80 years, has been transformed into a world-class chemistry research and teaching facility with the help of $16 million from the Province, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced this week.
- The chemistry building, originally completed in 1923, is one of 10 projects being funded through UBC Renew, a $120-million cost-sharing partnership between the Province and UBC.
- Space has been reconfigured to create large, open and flexible labs that encourage researcher collaboration.
- The new finishes in the $31.8-million project are low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) and green materials, further reducing the environmental impact of the project.
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B.C. Establishes New Clean Air Research Fund
Environment Minister Barry Penner announced this week that the government of British Columbia will be investing $600,000 over three years to advance air quality research through the new B.C. Clean Air Research (CLEAR) Fund.
The B.C. CLEAR Fund will:
- Support diverse and innovative research to address the challenges of air quality protection and the need to reduce the negative effects of air pollution;
- Provide a forum for members of the scientific community, environmental organizations, government and industry to advance the science of air quality management by fostering the creation and strengthening of cross-sector partnerships; and
- Help identify air pollutants at their source and provide realistic solutions to reduce emissions.
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