Choose Cowichan Lake, a committee formed to improve the level of services and opportunities for the Cowichan Lake community through advocacy and promotion, has been exploring options that could help attract a doctor to the area.
One tool they have come across is in the form of a grant application to the Ministry of Health and BC Healthy Communities Society. If successful, the grant could bring in $5,000; funds that would be used toward building relationships with health authorities and non-governmental organizations and/or other community stakeholders; enhance local government skills, abilities and knowledge related to leadership for action toward building healthy communities; and engaging in priority setting, planning and action related to healthy communities.
The deadline for the application is June 30, and it would have to be submitted by the Town of Lake Cowichan in order to be considered.
“We’re not looking for assistance financially from the town or anything,” says Mayor Ross Forrest who sits on the Choose Cowichan Lake Committee. “We’re looking for assistance with an application. This committee was put together at the wish of council to find a doctor and here is certainly an avenue of assisting us.”
Specifically, the funds from this grant can be used by the town to host or participate in forums, workshops, dialogues or learning events; attend community partnership meetings or events; and facilitate/coordinate learning or planning processes that support local government in engaging priority setting and collaborative action.
Town staff will be working with members of Choose Cowichan Lake to draw up the application. Choose Cowichan Lake feels the grant opportunity is a perfect match for what they are trying to do.
“And also coincides with two other committee opportunities that have recently come up related to the delivery of health and other services in Lake Cowichan,” states the letter to council, written by Laurie Johnson, president of Choose Cowichan Lake.
One of these opportunities is the VIHA proposal for provincial funding to establish a nurse practitioner position in Lake Cowichan. For more information on BC Healthy Communities, visit bchealthycommunities.ca.
Doctor issue may get
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