Latest news with #communityDevelopment
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Welsh-speaking communities to get more government support
Welsh-speaking communities will receive more support after calls for a "radical shift" to stop the language's Welsh government plans, there will be better access to education in Welsh and more guidance on the language across a range of areas, including housing, the economy, community development and support, targeted at areas with high numbers of Welsh speakers, aims to strengthen the language in its heartlands in counties such as Anglesey, Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire and Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said the government would "respond to the specific needs of Welsh-speaking communities". Gwynedd has an estimated 93,600 Welsh speakers and Carmarthenshire has 93,300, according to the Welsh government's annual come after the recommendations of a Welsh government commission in 2022 to halt the decline of Welsh speakers and its report made 60 suggestions to support the language in its traditional "heartlands". Earlier this year, Welsh government statistics indicated the percentage of people able to speak Welsh was the lowest recorded for more than eight years, causing some to question the target of creating one million Welsh speakers by will make the announcement at the Urdd Eisteddfod at Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot Welsh government said it would co-ordinate with local authorities and partners to discuss and implement the recommendations. Drakeford said accepting the commission's recommendations could "strengthen Welsh in our communities".The commission released a second report in February recommending that the effect on the Welsh language should be considered during planning applications, which was met with some concern from builders who said this could increase bureaucracy and lead to delays in building "much-needed" housing. Elin Haf Gruffudd Jones, chairwoman of the Welsh Communities Commission, called the announcement a "historical turning point in public policy" but said it did not undermine how important the language was "across the whole of Wales".
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Sastera perjalanan sebagai satu genre
How TNB is transforming rural communities Tenaga Nasional Berhad's rural electrification programme is improving lives, boosting economies and bridging the digital divide. Batik Air launches its first international route from Subang Batik Air will operate daily flights to Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport beginning July 28, 2025. Anlene CholestoPro lowers cholesterol and supports bone health The new milk formulation is designed to support cholesterol levels while promoting bone, joint and muscle health. Turnover XXV sets the scene for a cinematic shake-up The new British film company lands in Malaysia with a plan to tell untold stories, train new talent, and flip the script on traditional filmmaking. Does your short horror film make the 'CUT!'? Win up to RM40,000! Sinister scares take the spotlight in Ampersand Advisory's thrilling new competition, which seeks scary movies of superior substance.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Strait of Canso area seeks answers to affordable housing woes
Housing gaps in southeastern Cape Breton are the focus of a new not-for-profit organization established by a local chamber of commerce and two municipal governments in the Strait of Canso area. The AtHome Housing Association was unveiled at a Housing Matters Forum in Louisdale, Richmond County, on Wednesday morning. The association is a joint effort of the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce, which co-hosted the forum, Richmond County and the Town of Port Hawkesbury. The chamber's executive director, Tanya Felix, said she was "over the moon" to see the launch of a project that fully brings the Strait-area business community on board in the search for housing expansion in the region. "In terms of recruiting and even attracting and retaining people to the area, housing has risen as a top priority for employers in our area," Felix said after Wednesday's event. "If we want to grow, we have to address housing." The association, which filed for incorporation with the province's Registry of Joint Stock Companies on Wednesday, was originally designed with Port Hawkesbury in mind but expanded to include Richmond County over the past year. 'There's a lot of heart' Before learning about the AtHome organization, the roughly 60 people at the forum heard from panellists who recalled affordable housing campaigns and concerns in communities such as Halifax, Sydney, Cheticamp, Guysborough and Antigonish. Erika Shea, the president and CEO of Sydney's New Dawn Enterprises, praised municipal officials in Port Hawkesbury and Richmond County for "not letting the government off the hook" on current and future building projects. Bryanna Zwicker, the program and membership co-ordinator for the Nova Scotia Non-Profit Housing Association, said the Strait area has been a leader in its push for expanded housing options. "There's a lot of heart, and I find the rural areas — especially in this area — collaborate at a deeper level that you don't necessarily see in HRM or in urban settings," Zwicker said. "I'm always impressed with this area, and the collaboration where we have elected staff, government staff, private developers and community members coming together. And the engagement in this room — you can feel the buzz, people are engaged, and there's a lot of energy in here." New MP to take Strait issues to Ottawa Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, the final speaker at Wednesday's event, got his first close-up look at the Strait's housing drive since he became the area's federal representative in the new riding of Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish. Referencing his previous six years as MP for the former Sydney-Victoria riding, Battiste noted "with rural [housing requests], it is a bit more challenging." But he said his experiences with his previous constituents can be transferred to the new riding. "You look and see what Membertou has done, they've put up entire neighbourhoods, not just houses," Battiste said. "So it's all about working and creating and collaborating and promoting our needs as a community."
