2024 Holiday Newsletter
- Kelly Greene
- Jan 14
- 6 min read
 Dear Neighbour, I am so absolutely honoured to be entrusted to represent my home community of Richmond-Steveston for another four years, and serve as BC’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Response (EMCR). On November 24, 2020, I was first sworn in as MLA for Richmond-Steveston. This October, I was re-elected as MLA and, on November 18th, I have joined the BC Executive Council with the leadership of Premier David Eby, and was sworn in as a BC Minister. While working hard in preparation to be the best EMCR Minister I can be for all of BC, I am also carving out time to be in Richmond-Steveston, to hear from constituents and to celebrate our community’s achievements, big and small. Government MLAs have been hard at work in the community after our provincial general election, and we will continue to work full weeks in our communities until the Legislative Session begins early next year. When the Session starts, I will be in our Richmond-Steveston community or in my office on Fridays. Please do not hesitate to reach our office. My office and I will continue to get updates on the services we all depend on: Richmond Hospital Redevelopment project, Richmond climate-emergency projects, etc. Yours in service, Kelly ***************************** In The CommunityOcean Legacy Foundation is 10!  It was so great to be part of the 10th anniversary celebration for this home grown world leader in epic solutions to ocean plastic pollution! The The Ocean Legacy Foundation (OLF) has been a longtime recipient of provincial funding through the Clean Coast Clean Waters initiative, started in 2020 to support coastal clean-up efforts and create jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. OLF’s marine debris recycling facility right here in Steveston has taken recyclable materials collected throughout the program was essential for CCCW achieving a 65% recycling / upcyling rate for shoreline clean-up projects. OLF also removed 2,400 tires from a remote island in the Sunshine Coast which led to a partnership between OLF and Tire Stewardship BC. OLF has also produced the first commercially available plastic pellet in North America, called Legacy Plastic™. Legacy Plastic is made from high-grade 100 percent post-consumer processed recycled plastic recovered during ocean, shoreline, and marine equipment cleanups. OLF is a strong advocate for the recently released Coastal Marine Strategy and, along with community partners, hosted a celebratory event this past summer with me when I served as Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
***************************** Richmond Lions Manor-Fentiman, a new campus of care on the original site on Fentiman Place, will feature 144 long-term care beds, 14 hospice beds, an adult day program, overnight respite and child-care centre. Stay tuned this month as the construction manager will be chosen very soon and construction is anticipated to begin in 2026! Consider sending in your input to RLMFentiman@vch.ca on the building’s design and site plan! 
***************************** 🎉 Hearty Congratulations 🎉to all the nominees, finalists, and award winners at this year's EPIC Tourism Awards! Hosted by @visitrichmondbc at the lovely Westin Hotel in Richmond in November, it was a great opportunity to share the evening with these tremendous contributors to Richmond's tourism community. Excellence Award for Innovation Athiana Acres @athianaacres Passion Award for Individual Achievement Chloe Kim of Versante Hotel @versantehotelcanada Integrity Award for Community Participation Sharing Farm Society @sharingfarm
Collaboration Award for Successful Partnerships Steveston Waterfront Hotel @staysteveston ***************************** 🎉 More Congratulations 🎉Thank you to the Richmond Chamber of Commerce for your dedication to fostering innovation and economic growth in our city – we all had a time at the 47th annual Business Excellence Awards on Thursday! Congratulations to all the nominees and finalists! Your achievements are a testament to your hard work, resilience and creativity in meeting the demands of your customers and clients in a changing environment. Heartfelt congratulations to our Richmond-Steveston winners:
***************************** 🎅 Ho ho ho! 🎅 It was an honour to be invited and to attend Steveston Community Centre’s Santa Pancake breakfast! Everyone was having a jolly old time! This long standing event is a community favourite and it was so great so see so many young volunteers helping out! It was a pleasure to help out in the kitchen with such lovely ladies. I’m already looking forward to next year!
***************************** 🧸🎁 Holiday joy for children and families! 🧸🎁 I never miss the Richmond Christmas Fund - RCMP Toy Drive and once again it was a wild success this year! Congratulations to Richmond RCMP and Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives and your fearless leader Ed Gavsie on another great collaboration to collect truck loads of toys for children and families throughout Richmond! It was great to meet new and old friends and play a little road hockey in support of this important cause. Thanks to all the donors who came by, the sponsors who supported the event and my team-mates for a fun game of road hockey.
***************************** 🛒 Shopping in Richmond-Steveston 🛒 Supporting locally owned businesses in your community not only strengthens our economy but also contributes to a more sustainable province! On average, local businesses reinvest $63 of every $100 back into our province, while multinational corporations only contribute $14! Thank you to local shop-owners and staff for your dedication to our community this holiday season. With your help, we are able to find the right fit for the ones we love the most!
***************************** Government News Clean Jobs and Energy The nine successful wind-energy projects selected from the 2024 call for power are geographically diverse, representing almost every region in the province. These new projects will significantly expand our electricity supply – making BC a clean-energy superpower, while ensuring rates are affordable for people.
Supporting Renters The Rental Protection Fund has successfully safeguarded over 1500 rental homes from speculators. As a result, more people can remain in their homes without the threat of being displaced by renovations or redevelopment, and they are also protected from unfair rent increases. We created the Fund to support non-profit organizations in purchasing existing rental properties, ensuring that rent stays affordable and that residents can continue living in their homes. We remain committed to helping people in BC find and maintain homes that are within their reach, in the communities they cherish. Read more: Housing - StrongerBC
Highway 99 Tunnel Program Starting November 25, Bus Stop #58152 on Steveston Hwy will be temporarily removed. In early January 2025, Bus Stop #58153 will be temporarily relocated 50 metres to the west. We are focused on improving travel along the Highway 99 corridor. The north half of the new Steveston Interchange Project has been working on the traffic deck and roadway approaches. South half work is happening. This is a big step forward! You can learn more about the step-by-step process on their website. If you have questions about construction, please email StevestonProject@flatironcorp.com or call the construction information phone line (24/7) at 1-888-270-1075. ***************************** Get Involved!
The first new moon of the lunar calendar is celebrated by various Asian communities. My office and I will be joining people in B.C. and around the world in celebrating the beginning of Lunar New Year. You can participate by attending a Lunar New Year celebration at our various Richmond malls including those with a big Chinese presence, researching your Chinese/Korean/Vietnamese zodiac sign and its unique traits, or simply getting to know your neighbours!  You can also help our office in preparation for this festivity! Email kelly.greene.mla@leg.bc.ca to help us fold lucky red envelopes!
Community Events
***************************** The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year. All B.C. residents 6 months and older can get a free flu vaccine in the fall and winter. It's especially important to get a flu vaccine if you're:
Speak with your local pharmacy or call 1-833-838-2323
 ***************************** The Legislative Assembly will be in session early spring 2025. Government MLAs are hard at work in the community after our provincial general election, which was held on October 19, 2024. Our government will keep building a community that is safe, inclusive, and has the services and investments we need to thrive. Updates on government legislations will be coming in our spring newsletters! |
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