Dear <<First Name>>,
It's officially spring! I hope you're all having a chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. It's been a difficult winter for all of us, and I know the new pandemic restrictions are challenging. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel! Vaccines are rolling out as you read this newsletter and as the weather warms we'll be able to enjoy more outdoor activities together.
Stay strong and let's get through this next month together.
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Vaccination Phase 3
This week, we launched Phase 3 of our vaccination plan, with online vaccine registration now open for people who are eligible at gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated. This is a major milestone in our fight against COVID-19. You can follow an easy three-step process to get your vaccine:
Step 1: Register when it is your turn and get a confirmation code. This confirmation code will allow you to book your vaccination appointment when you are eligible and registering helps our health authority request the right number of doses for each community. As of today, those aged 70+, Indigenous peoples aged 18+, or those who are clinically extremely vulnerable can register. Make sure to check gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated for the current eligibility.
Step 2: Book an appointment. You will be contacted by email or text message to book an appointment when you are eligible, based on your age and our Immunization Plan phases.
Step 3: Get the vaccine. Visit the vaccine clinic to get your first dose. People who get their first vaccine dose will be notified by email, text, or phone call when they are eligible to book an appointment for their second dose.
To date, we have administered over 940,000 doses—that means one in six people in British Columbia has been vaccinated. Every person who gets vaccinated makes us all safer. However, we cannot let down our guards just yet, and we need to keep saying no to indoor gatherings and non-essential travel. I hope we will all continue to help our loved ones and community stay safe.
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Skills Training, Education Key to Recovery for Indigenous Communities
I'm so proud to have worked on ensuring that more than 1,700 Indigenous people in communities throughout British Columbia will be able to access education or skills training for in-demand jobs. By improving accessibility of education and training, we are creating pathways for Indigenous people to get the skills they need for family- and community-supporting jobs that will also help to rebuild B.C.'s economy and make our province stronger than ever. These programs represent vital opportunities for Indigenous people whose employment was impacted by COVID-19 to build new skills that boost their employability.
The Province has invested $15 million to support Indigenous communities in managing the impacts of COVID-19 and participate in economic recovery. Training and education opportunities are available in areas such as agriculture, health care, early childhood education, Indigenous languages, office administration, small business management, customer service fundamentals, adult education, forestry, heavy equipment operation, construction trades, land reclamation and mining, as well as digital innovation and literacy. For examples of programs, see the attached backgrounder.
Investing in skills training and education for Indigenous peoples is part of government's economic recovery plan, created to help people upskill or reskill so they can find their place in the post COVID-19 economy. These targeted investments are helping create opportunities through short-term training for in-demand jobs, Indigenous community-based skills training and education, training for health and human services jobs, as well as micro credentials.
You can find more information here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021AEST0025-000642
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Cellphone Coverage along BC's Highway of Tears
I'm thrilled that funding has been announced to provide cellular coverage along B.C.’s Highway 16, a notorious stretch of road known as the Highway of Tears. A lack of consistent cell phone service along Highway 16 has put those who travel the route at risk, in particular Indigenous women and girls.
This historic investment in cell towers along the Highway of Tears will improve safety by allowing people to call for help when they need it. This is something New Democrats have been advocating for years and I’m so proud to see this important step become a reality.
This is another step towards reconciliation and it honours the memory of those who have gone missing, been murdered, or experienced violence along this route.
You can find more information here: https://globalnews.ca/news/7743522/bc-highway-of-tears-cellphone-coverage-funding/
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New Online Mental Health Resource Hub
The pandemic has been extremely tough on people working in tourism, hospitality and social services. We are launching this digital mental health resource so people in these industries can access online tools to help resolve workplace conflicts, manage stress, build resiliency and improve mental health.
This investment in improving workplace mental health is part of our larger strategy to improve mental health and additions supports across the province so people can get the support they deserve.
You can find more information here: https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2021/04/new-mental-health-resource-hub-announced-for-sectors-hit-hard-by-pandemic-in-bc/
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I'm here for you
As always, if you have questions or need any assistance with provincial COVID-19 supports, please reach out. Thank you for trusting me to support you again as your MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake. For constituency-related questions, you can reach me at (604) 775-0565 or Anne.Kang.MLA@leg.bc.ca. For all inquiries about my capacity as Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, please email AEST.minister@gov.bc.ca.
Sincerely,
Anne Kang, MLA
Burnaby-Deer Lake
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SVIA and I proudly present SVIA Student Success Symposium!
Join us tomorrow to have dialogues and story sharing about our educational journey through the lens of a student, parent, or teacher. We will share personal stories on our journey of education. This roundtable discussion will allow us to share our successes and challenges we faced when we are transitioning from a student to the workforce. We hope that we could learn from each other's experiences.
This is the monthly joint event with Swahili Vision International Association (SVIA) and Anne Kang, MLA Burnaby - Deer Lake Constituency Office. It is hosted every 2nd Saturday at 2pm every month.
Sat, April 10th 2:00pm – 3:00pm.
Register at bit.ly/sviasss.
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The Burnaby Board of Trade is pleased to be a partner in "Talent Forward" a special collaboration to connect business with post-secondary talent. Bringing a post-secondary student into your organization can help you innovate, save costs, and increase capacity while building a stronger, skilled workforce for the future.
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Event Details
Date: Thursday, April 29
Time: 11:30am-1:00pm
Location: Online
Cost: Free and Open to All Businesses
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BPL Youth Events
Teen Advisory Group:
-Date: April 14, Wednesday
-Time: 4:30 pm
-Duration: 1 hour
-Format: Virtual (Zoom)
-Registration: None
-Age: All teens
-How to Join: Email teenservices@bpl.bc.ca for the Zoom link
-Description: The Teen Advisory Group is a “diverse and inclusive” group of teens from the Burnaby community working towards improving library services for teens in Burnaby. They advise, plan, create, and promote library services and are the voices of the teen Burnaby community.
For more info on TAG, check this link: https://bpl.bc.ca/people-help/bpl-for-teens/teen-advisory-group
Burnaby Climate Emergency: Across Generations:
-Date: April 15, Thursday
-Time: 6:30 pm
-Duration: 1.5 hour
-Format: Virtual (Zoom)
-Contact Information of Organizer: programs@bpl.bc.ca (email for any questions/concerns, or if you would like to cancel your registration).
-Registration: Register online, at any BPL location or call 604-436-5400.
The registration form is located near the bottom of this website’s page: https://bpl.bc.ca/events/burnaby-climate-emergency-across-generations
-How to Join: After you have registered, the Zoom link will be sent the day before the event. A device with internet connection, audio, and a microphone will be needed for the discussion.
-Description: In this virtual event, the climate change emergency of our planet will be discussed. There will also be a dialogue on how we as a community can take action to reduce climate change. Shades of Sustainability, a community project defining what it means to engage in environmental action as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), will be joining the discussion. They aim to bring together the members of the BIPOC community for intergenerational learning, and address barriers of accessibility and representation of BIPOC communities within mainstream environmental action using digital storytelling and dialogue.
Club QuaranTEEN:
-Date: April 15, Thursday
-Time: 12 pm
-Duration: 1 hour
-Format: Virtual (Zoom)
-Registration: None
-Age: All teens!
-How to Join: Email teenservices@bpl.bc.ca for the Zoom link. A device with internet connection and audio will be needed.
-Organizer: teenservices@bpl.bc.ca (email for inquiries)
-Description: Club QuaranTEEN is a virtual hangout for teens to talk about pop culture, media, and life.
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CTS (Catching the Spirit Youth Society) Youth Camps
Day Camps:
- Purpose: To encourage youth to explore the outdoors and get connected with nature, each other, and themselves. Youth are encouraged to have fun, become better leaders, learn new outdoor skills and learn more about themselves.
- Who This is For: Day camps are for youth between the ages of 12-18 who have a passion for nature, who want to meet new people, and who want to develop their leadership skills.
- What Participants Will Do: Participants will hike, do community gardening, mural painting, invasive species pulls, eco walks, field trips, camp games, and so much more. Please view this link for the 2021 sample itinerary (please note that this itinerary is just an example, not a set plan): https://ctsyouthsociety.com/programs/spirit-steward-program/itinerary/
- Location: The home base of CTS is at Picken House (6825 Cariboo Rd. Burnaby BC). Most day camps start at Picken House, but there are also four camp locations: Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Tynehead Regional Park and Capilano Regional Park.
Registration Link: https://ctsyouthsociety.com/register-for-programs/
Spirit Steward Program:
This is a FREE 3-day overnight camping experience for youth. These camps run every weekend during the summer months. In these camps, youth will develop important camping skills such as tent building, knot-tying, and cooking. In addition, participants will participate each weekend on a Stewardship Projects organized with the Partner organizations of CTS. These projects are great opportunities to give back to the community and learn about the environment that surrounds us.
- Purpose: The purpose of the Spirit Steward Program is to connect youth with our land, each other, and themselves. One of the main goals of these camps is for youth to have fun while developing their leadership skills and personal growth.
- Who These Camps Are For: These camps are for youth between the ages of 12-18 who have a passion for nature, who want to meet new people, and who want to work on their leadership skills.
Registration Link: https://ctsyouthsociety.com/register-for-programs/
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Junior Youth Program (Ongoing)
Closest location: 3823 Henning Dr, Burnaby, BC V5C 6P3
Meetings:
- Weekly meetings for 1-2 hours
- Group size: 10-15 members junior youth ➔ lead by animators (facilitators of junior groups). Facilitators are called animators because they add joy and fun to group activities.
- Groups meet in a common space (e.g., community centre or library)
Benefits:
- In Junior Youth, participants read a variety of stories to develop various valuable skills, such as powers of expression, critical thinking skills, and comprehension skills.
- The stories are intended to help junior youth make positive decisions through exploring concepts like kindness, justice, and honesty.
- Other activities, such as arts, drama, and sports are also included in the program.
Age range for program participants: 11-14 years
Registering for the program: to register for the program, one must contact one of the following according to the closest location:
Vancouver
shawyun@junioryouth.ca
Vancouver Island
island@junioryouth.ca
Surrey-Delta-White Rock
surrey@junioryouth.ca
Tri-Cities
tricities@junioryouth.ca
North Shore
northshore@junioryouth.ca
Organization’s Website: https://www.junioryouth.ca/home
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Youth Mentor (Ongoing)
The junior youth program trains teens and young adults (15-18) to mentor younger peers aged 11-14. The program helps 11-14 olds develop their language abilities, helps them excel in school, and encourages them to make positive changes in their communities. Youth mentors will create joyful environments and will guide the mentees using the curriculum designed by the program. This will be done through stories with meaningful themes, activities, arts, drama, and community service projects. This is a great opportunity for teens aged 15-18 who want to be involved in their communities. Each week, mentors will meet with their mentees for 2 hours. In these meetings, the mentors and mentees will go through lessons and activities, and build friendships.
How to Apply: Please fill out this form https://forms.gle/5SaSsAG4NaW8HCt6A
Additional details:
- Organization: Edmonds Youth
- Organization’s Contact Information: edmonds@junioryouth.ca
- Work Location: Edmonds Neighbourhood Burnaby, BC
- Type of Work: Virtual (through Zoom)
- Time Commitment: 4 hours per week
- Time of Day: daytime, evening, weekdays
- Number of Volunteers Required: 10
- Position Start/End Date: April 1st 2021
- Age: 15-18
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Volunteer Burnaby Virtual Series Volunteers
Type of Work: Virtual
Position Start/End Date: Feb 3 2021 - May 1 2021
Organization: Volunteer Burnaby
Organization Contact Information:
Who the Position is Suitable For: 13-18, student, adult, senior, all ages, families, groups, English as a second language (ESL), people with disabilities, people with intellectual disabilities
Work Location: Burnaby, BC
Time Commitment: 1 hour total
Position Type: Project
Position Description: The Volunteer Burnaby Virtual Series is a virtual community consisting of tutorials, webinars, and performances created by volunteers uploaded to the Volunteer Burnaby YouTube channel. To provide entertainment and create a sense of connection during these isolating times, the Volunteer Burnaby Virtual Series was created. This project aims to give volunteers the opportunity to be involved in their community and showcase their skills and talents. Volunteer Burnaby is looking for volunteers to participate in the Series. Volunteers are asked to embrace creativity when filming their videos. Multiple videos may be recorded. All videos must be under 15 minutes long and friendly for all ages.
Deliverables/Duties of Volunteer:
- Fill out an online application form before filming the vide0
- Record volunteer hours
- After completing the video, send it to Volunteer Burnaby by email or share it on GoogleDrive
Qualifications:
- Must be at least 14 years old. Those under 16 must have parental consent.
- Must have access to computer
How to Apply: Please fill out this form
Volunteer Website:
https://www.govolunteer.ca/centres/burnaby/volunteer-burnaby-virtual-series-volunteers
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Online Family Storytime
Date: April 1-29
Time: Tues & Thurs 5:30pm-6:00pm
Storytime is interactive, with songs and easy art activities! Registration via Zoom. Visit our website to learn more!
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Letters to the MLA from our youth
Have thoughts you would like to share with the MLA? We'd love to hear them! We welcome submissions from all youth of Burnaby-Deer Lake. Email us at anne.kang.mla@leg.bc.ca with your letter to the MLA.
No Submissions this week.
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COVID-19 updates from the BC Centre for Disease Control
There is a total of 9,574 active cases in British Columbia as of April 9, 2021. A total of 98,336 people who tested positive have recovered.
Fraser Health Authority, which includes the City of Burnaby, has a total of 61,809 confirmed cases, of which 4,616 are active.
As of today, there are more than 2,293,054 completed tests. Our province has adjusted testing to 436,942 people per 1,000,000.
Total vaccine doses administered in B.C. is 985,001.
For more information, please visit BCCDC's website.
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Community Office Information
To keep our community safe, we have closed our office for walk-in inquiries. We encourage constituents to contact us by phone or email for constituency services. We look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for your patience and flexibility during this time.
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