JUSTICE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
JIBC awarded $1M for justice, public safety applied research

The Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) has been awarded a $1-million federal grant that will serve as a catalyst for an enriched and expanded applied research program focused on justice and public safety.

The funding, a Mobilize grant from the Government of Canada's College and Community Innovation program, is administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). It provides base funding over five years to colleges and institutes to support applied research programs.

"We are grateful to NSERC for this grant which will serve to bolster JIBC's research efforts. The impact of this funding will be felt not only over the next five years but, through expanding this work and our community partnerships, it will leave a lasting legacy in the justice and public safety fields," said Dr. Michel Tarko, JIBC President and CEO.

"For more than 45 years, JIBC has trained those who make up the foundation of today's emergency response in British Columbia. This boost to our applied research will ultimately serve to improve the health, safety and effectiveness of first responders as they provide assistance to all who turn to them for help on their most trying days."

Mobilize grants provide Canadian colleges and institutes with flexible funding to enable them to focus on applied research priorities in their communities and to provide students with applied research training opportunities.

JIBC will use the funding to explore the interface between public safety and social justice and its role in facilitating a more diverse, equitable, and just society.

In meeting one of the objectives of the grant, JIBC will be creating lasting research partnerships that will result in collaborations with other Canadian post-secondary institutions, businesses, and organizations in the public, health and not-for-profit sectors.

"Mobilize funding provides invaluable support to JIBC's applied research programs," said Dr. Ron Bowles, Dean, Office of Applied Research & Graduate Studies. "This investment in innovative research empowers JIBC's researchers, faculty, and students to address the needs of our health, justice and public safety partners and the communities they serve. The funding supports our collaborative and community-focused education and research, helping JIBC further our vision of safer communities and a more just society."