BRCC coordinator Tom Howard addresses Town of Battleford council at Monday's meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Anti-racism seminars

Battlefords Regional Community Coalition provides update

Mar 22, 2022 | 9:05 AM

The Battlefords Regional Community Coalition (BRCC) continues to focus on its efforts to bring the leadership in the district together to address the community’s needs.

The BRCC is comprised of representatives from the town and city, as well as five area Indigenous communities: Moosomin, Sweetgrass, Saulteaux, Little Pine First Nation and Lucky Man Cree Nation.

Coordinator Tom Howard gave an update on the group’s activities at Battleford town council’s meeting Monday.

The BRCC is working on three main targets this year: tackling racism, emergency management planning, and developing its “Sharing a Vision” project.

The group has been involved in providing anti-racism workshops in 2021 and continuing in 2022, to city and town councils and staff, emergency responders, as well as local school divisions.

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“Anti-racism has really become a core part of the work the BRCC is doing,” Howard said. Since its beginnings, the coalition has always been focused on addressing racism, and other forms of discrimination.

For another project, the BRCC recently applied for $75,000 in funding from the province to develop a regional emergency management plan and purchase emergency management software for the area, at a total estimated cost of $100,000. The remaining $25,000 of that amount would be cost-shared among participants in the application – the city, town, and RM of North Battleford.

Howard said BRCC leadership identified the need in response to concerns about jurisdictional challenges and the high cost of emergency services, especially for First Nations members.

He said the aim is to create a more “equitable and efficient emergency management framework.”

The BRCC is also focused on developing what is called the Sharing a Vision project. The coalition recently received $162,500 through Indigenous Services Canada to provide a number of community engagement sessions in the region, as part of this project that involves consulting with First Nations and municipalities on the future of healthcare, education, recreation and cultural services.

Howard said the aim is to connect services on a regional level, and also to create “more Indigenous-friendly spaces.” The project would also involve establishing a conceptual plan for an integrated multi-facility development.

Coun. Alexis Christensen commended Howard on the PRCC’s work, including offering anti-racism education.

“I see you have done an amazing job extending outside of the board and getting … more organizations and more people together,” she said. “I see a huge difference in that. So great job.”

Her only concern was the broad scope of the BRCC Sharing a Vision project. Christensen suggested that healthcare alone could be a focus, reflecting the complex needs of the community.

Mayor Ames Leslie, on the BRCC board, said a large part of the plan will be focussed on addressing healthcare in the region, and the different levels of need in the Battlefords area.

Howard noted that the other services in the plan – education and recreation – can also be addressed as part of a “holistic approach to health.”

The BRCC organization was created in 2020 through the partnership formed from the Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement, that allows Indigenous and municipal governments to work together in the spirit of reconciliation.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow