Strategy 15
Track 1 and Track 2

Growing Community Justice Programs

Illustration from Sarah Jim

Ensuring every First Nations community that seeks it can build and expand their community justice programming.

The Challenge

First Nations community-based programming is critical to making progress on both Track 1 and Track 2 of the Strategy. Communities need programs that are prevention and healing based, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded, so that Gladue Principles can be fully upheld, and the presumption of diversion can be reflected at all stages of interaction with the criminal justice system. 

The Solution

Strategy 15 recognizes that community-based justice programs are building blocks for Indigenous justice systems and institutions, providing opportunities for the application of Indigenous laws and practices regarding criminal justice.

Under Strategy 15, BCFNJC will focus on the creation of a long-term, sustainable community-based programming fund, as well as the identification and reporting on best practices in community-based justice programming, with the goal that every First Nations community that seeks it can build community justice programming.

Lines of Action

(3)
A
Create a long-term, sustainable, community-based programming fund. BCFNJC and BC will establish a long-term, sustainable fund to be accessed by First Nations to support new justice community-based programming.
Status in-progress
More info 00BCFNJC received a one-time grant from the Province of BC to create the Community-Based Justice Fund, but long-term funding has yet to be secured.
B
Identify and report on best practices in community-based programming
Status not-started
C
Establish a co-ordinated approach with the First Nations Health Council on community-based programming that addresses healing initiatives.
Status not-started

Timeline

Jun 2023
$10 million grant provided by BC

The Province of BC provided an initial $10 million grant to support the creation of a fund, to be accessed by First Nations for community-based justice programming.

May 2024
Community-Based Justice Fund launched

The Community-based Justice Fund, a grant of $42,000 available to each BC First Nation to advance justice goals, was launched. Stream 1 of the funding aligns with Strategy 15 and aims to strengthen existing or new justice programming.

Learn More