B.C. Premier Christy Clark answers questions from the media during a press conference from her office at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on March 13, 2017.CHAD HIPOLITO/The Globe and Mail
The B.C. government is giving the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver $100,000 to increase security measures after a community centre received two bomb threats in one week.
The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver received an email bomb threat on Sunday, days after a similar threat required an evacuation of the facility.
Premier Christy Clark says it's unfortunate the province is not immune to growing threats against Jewish communities around the world.
Clark says in a statement the threats do not represent the province. Rather, she says the outpouring of support to the Jewish community represents B.C.
The Jewish Federation says it will use the funds to create a security grant program to help local agencies upgrade their existing security measures.
Those agencies operate 21 buildings in Vancouver and eight others across the Lower Mainland that serve both Jewish and non-Jewish groups.
"The Greater Vancouver Jewish community is deeply grateful to the provincial government for standing with us at this difficult time," said Stephen Gaerber, the federation's board chair.