Letter from Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care

Letter from Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care

September 18, 2026
Ref: 320160

Their Worship Scott Goodmanson, Mayor
City of Langford
Email: agendas@langford.ca

Dear Mayor Goodmanson:

Thank you for your letter of August 26, 2026, regarding provincial funding for the ARC Foundation.

I appreciated the opportunity to discuss this in detail at our recent UBCM meeting.

I want to reassure you and your Council that the Ministry of Education and Child Care's commitment to supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ students and staff remains a top priority. Over time, districts have built greater capacity to support this work at a local level with district leads and resources. District-level staff, such as SOGI leads, remain in place to assist schools in fostering learning environments where all students feel safe, respected, and included. Districts are still welcome to contract services-through the ARC Foundation, and the Ministry will continue to work directly with leads in school districts to build safe and inclusive learning spaces.

Funding for the ARC Foundation was reduced over the last two years as part of government's broader commitment to responsible expenditure management. Although funding to the ARC Foundation will not continue for the 2026/27 school year, my expectations around safety and inclusion in schools have not changed.

Resources that support inclusive and welcoming learning environments for students of all sexual orientation and gender identities continue to be available to school districts and educators through the provincial erase website and on the BC's Welcoming Schools page. SOGI 123 remains an optional resource that schools and educators may choose to use to support safe, caring, and inclusive learning environments and to help address bullying and discrimination. All students have the right to learn in an environment free from discrimination and topics such as identity, human rights and discrimination are also reflected throughout the provincial Physical Health Education curriculum.

Thank you for your efforts to help foster safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environments in your community.

Sincerely,

Lisa Beare
Minister

cc:
Honourable Ravi Parmar, MLA, Langford-Highlands