A New Westminster resident is one of three community leaders and two community organizations being recognized by the province for their work supporting crime prevention and community safety, with a focus on transformative Indigenous-led approaches.
Shawn Bayes, CEO of the New West-based Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, received a Community Safety and Crime Prevention Award at a ceremony in Vancouver on Nov. 4.
"These inspiring award recipients prove we can create a safer province by working together to prevent crime," said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth in a news release. "I congratulate them for their leadership, commitment and innovation, and I thank them for all they do in building safer communities."
The awards acknowledge individuals, non-profit organizations, and justice and community partners for their work in advancing crime prevention, restorative justice, support for vulnerable people and other initiatives that keep British Columbia's communities safer. These efforts support provincial initiatives in crime prevention, victim services and policing.
"These award recipients are our partners on the front lines of crime prevention and community safety, and they make a lasting impact on people's lives," said Grace Lore, parliamentary secretary for gender equity. "I am deeply appreciative of their outstanding work supporting some of our province's most vulnerable people, including marginalized women and children who face violence."
Along with Bayes, the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Awards were presented to: Lovepreet Brar. of Surrey, family liaison victim services manager, RCMP Integrated Homicide Investigation Team; Mary Brown, Heiltsuk Nation, program director, Heiltsuk Gvi'las Restorative Justice Program; Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness (Victoria); and Sk'ai Zeh Yah Youth Centre (Prince George).
“Winner of the Award of Distinction, Shawn Bayes has supported at-risk women and children impacted by the justice system for 40 years,” said a media release from the province. “As chief executive officer at Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, Shawn's innovations have filled support gaps, and helped marginalized women and children locally, provincially and across Canada. Throughout her career, Shawn has been driven by her heartfelt belief that connecting people with appropriate supports can empower them to make positive changes in their lives.”
New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside also acknowledged Bayes’ work in supporting crime prevention and community safety, with a focus on transformative Indigenous-led approaches.
“I am pleased to see Shawn Bayes recognized for her hard work and dedication to the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver,” she said in a news release. “Our communities are stronger thanks to the work of people like Shawn.”
In 2019, Shawn Bayes was one of 10 people selected from more than 800 candidates to serve on the federal government’s new National Advisory Council on Poverty. She’s the executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, a charitable organization that supports women, girls and children who are at risk, involved in or affected by the justice system and provides programs that strive to break the cycle of poverty, addiction, mental illness, homelessness and crime.
Bayes has worked with the organization for 37 years and has been its executive director for 25 of those.
