New pathway to healing

New funding will mean an alternative pathway to healing and support for Indigenous people involved with the justice system in Prince George.

The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) has been awarded a five-year funding commitment from Public Safety Canada to launch a pre-charge diversion program in Prince George.

BCFNJC’s initiative is being developed in collaboration with local Indigenous communities, including the Lheidli T’enneh Nation, urban Indigenous groups, and other First Nations in the region. Consultation is ongoing with the Lheidli T’enneh ‘Atsiyan Ink’E ‘Atsoo Elders Society to ensure the program name and structure align with the cultural and traditional values of the territory.

The initiative comes as Prince George grapples with the effects of BC’s toxic drug crisis, which has disproportionately impacted Indigenous communities.

In 2022, the city had one of the highest per capita death rates from toxic drugs in the province, with many of the victims being Indigenous.

The pilot program, developed with support from Public Safety Canada’s Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund (NICPF), aims to prevent vulnerable Indigenous people from entering the justice system by addressing underlying issues such as mental health, addiction and housing insecurity, states a press release announcing the funding. The project will focus on providing culturally sensitive support services and long-term social work case management rather than the traditional justice system responses of charges, prosecution, and incarceration.

The initiative follows recommendations from a 2022 report on repeat offending and unprovoked attacks in British Columbia, which highlighted the need for better support services for Indigenous individuals in Prince George.

“The aim is to offer Indigenous people experiencing mental health, addiction, and housing challenges a real opportunity for support, instead of further entanglement in the criminal justice system,” stated Kory Wilson, chair of the BCFNJC, in the press release. “This pilot will help us create a system grounded in Indigenous ways of healing, which addresses the root causes of crime rather than penalizing individuals for systemic issues.”

The program will emphasize traditional healing practices and provide quick access to community-based services.

Participants will be connected with a social worker who will assist with long-term case management, helping to break the cycle of reoffending and address systemic issues like poverty and homelessness.

Where services are not readily available, the BCFNJC will work closely with local and provincial governments to identify and close service gaps.

The program aligns with Strategy 1 of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy, which advocates for multiple points of diversion throughout the justice process.