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Three projects receive funding

Federal funding
Weston funding
Area member of Parliament John Weston with Vici Johnstone, president of Caitlin Press.

Area member of Parliament John Weston was on the Coast July 9 hearing from constituents, learning about local initiatives and reviewing three different projects that have received federal funding.

Through the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the federal government recently invested in Halfmoon Bay’s Caitlin Press.

Vici Johnstone, president of Caitlin Press, which specializes in books by Canadian authors, was on hand to describe the importance of funding to the success of the writing and publishing industry in Canada.

The well-known Sunshine Coast Resource Centre's chair Pat Hunt and other directors reviewed a groundbreaking project with Weston, which is leading to a Community Plan to facilitate the economic health of Coast women. The project is funded by the Ministry of Status for Women, which is using the Resource Centre's work as an example of best practices for other groups across Canada.

Thirdly, Weston met with Stacia Leech, of the Roberts Creek Community School Society, which has received funding from the Minister of Health for another pioneering project, called Mind the Gap, which helps students make the transition from elementary to high school, and from high school to post-secondary education stages.

Among other things, the project is designed to keep young people away from substance abuse, an initiative parallel to other work in which the MP is involved, such as his crystal meth bill; his work to highlight the efforts of people recovering from substance abuse; and his work to create National Health and Fitness Day.

"I'm delighted to see the leverage created by volunteers and others engaged in the Coast's community," Weston said. "Each of these projects has the capacity to leave positive consequences, for the Coast and for all Canadians."