Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare announced funding for Family Day events at one in Maple Ridge on the statutory holiday, Monday.
The activities at the ACT in Maple Ridge were more than 180 free Family Day events in B.C.
The activities funded included everything from free admittance to the Royal British Columbia Museum, to bouncy castles and family swims.
In Maple Ridge, families took part in paper lantern making and a yard tree.
The government provided $250,000 in funding to support events in small and large communities around the province.
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Grants to municipal or regional district recreation departments and First Nations bands and councils enabled free, exciting and fun opportunities for the entire family to enjoy during the Family Day weekend.
Maple Ridge received $4,000 for four events.
“We recognize that sometimes cost can be a barrier in doing something special with your child,” Beare said. “As a mother of a toddler, I can appreciate just how expensive life is with kids.”
Premier John Horgan announced on Friday that, starting next year, Family Day will be moved from the second Monday in February to the third to be in coordination with other provinces.
“We’re making this change because our government believes Family Day is for families,” said Beare, MLA for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge.
Family Day was introduced in B.C. in 2013 to recognize the contributions that families make to communities and the province.
On Thursday, Beare, as Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, lit the Olympic Cauldron in Vancouver to honour B.C. athletes competing in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and salute the start of the Games in the Korean host city.
