B2Gold Announces an Additional CDN$500,000 (CDN$1,000,000 in total) to Community Organizations in Metro Vancouver to Help Those Impacted by COVID-19

VANCOUVER, BC, December 23, 2020 /CNW/ - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company is providing further financial support to community organizations in Metro Vancouver, Canada, which are on the frontlines in assisting local communities impacted by the increasing spread of COVID-19. Through its Canadian CSR Fund, this year, B2Gold has donated a total of CDN$1,000,000 to organizations that are supporting some of Metro Vancouver's most vulnerable during the pandemic.

B2Gold is allocating a further CDN$500,000 to provide financial support to four community organizations in Metro Vancouver in their continued response plan to address the social impacts, issues and risks posed by the increasing spread of COVID-19:

• CDN$125,000 is being donated to Covenant House Vancouver to help support at-risk youth:

The recommended COVID-19 safe social distancing practices and isolation measures are challenging for the homeless population. Covenant House provides food, shelter and medical care to Vancouver's homeless and at-risk street youth – many of whom have fled emotional and physical abuse or have been forced from their homes; 

• CDN$125,000 is being donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank to help meet the increasing demand for food:

Since the onset of COVID-19 and the rising unemployment rate and consequent loss of income, the demand for food support in the local community has increased dramatically – and continues to rise. The GVFB provides healthy food to those in need, including over 8,500 clients and approximately 80 Community Agency Partners across Metro Vancouver; 

• CDN$125,000 is being donated to PHS Community Services Society and CDN$125,000 is being donated to The Bloom Group Community Services Society to assist with housing, health care and harm reduction efforts:

Vulnerable communities in Metro Vancouver, such as Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, have long struggled with issues of homelessness, poverty, mental health and substance dependencies. COVID-19 has escalated these issues, as evident by the spike in community overdoses since the pandemic began and associated community safety concerns. PHS and The Bloom Group provide housing solutions, health care, harm reduction and health promotion for some of the most at-risk, under-served and often overlooked residents in the community. 

This recent donation matches B2Gold's initial CDN$500,000 donation in April 2020 to Covenant House Vancouver (CDN$125,000), the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (CDN$250,000) and PHS Community Services Society (CDN$125,000) in assisting them in their initial response plan to help those most impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in Metro Vancouver.

"Once again, we are amazed by B2Gold's generosity. This donation will cover significant expenses for several months and will keep the food bank running as we distribute close to 675,000 pounds of nutritious food each month for our clients and partners," said Cynthia Boulter, Chief Operating Officer at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. "We have seen a steady flow of new clients since March, and B2Gold's donation earlier on this year has helped us distribute over half a million pounds of healthy food and thousands of pre-packed groceries each month during the pandemic, allowing us to feed over 20,000 people monthly in the communities that we serve, including in the critical areas where we needed to expand."

"We are pleased to be working with valuable local community organizations that provide the much-needed social programs for food security, health services, shelter and housing to Metro Vancouver's most vulnerable," said Liane Kelly, a director and advisor of B2Gold's Canadian CSR Fund Committee. "This year, COVID-19 has presented many local businesses, families and individuals in our communities with unexpected challenges. As we move into 2021, it is crucial that we continue to assist those who are on the frontlines in helping those most in need and at risk from the continued threat of COVID-19. We are delighted to know that our CDN$1,000,000 contribution this year will help to make a difference."

B2Gold's principles of fairness, respect, transparency and accountability form the basis of the Company's corporate culture and are applied to each of its corporate social responsibility ("CSR") projects around the world. The Company is also committed to supporting CSR projects in Canada and, in 2019, established its Canadian CSR Fund with the aim of focusing specifically on Metro Vancouver and addressing key social issues relating to health, children and people at risk. 

"Not only are we committed to investing in CSR projects at a local level in the countries where we operate, but we want to make a difference at home, too. We take a unique approach with our global CSR initiatives and often invest in projects that are not just related to mining but focus on improving the quality of life of the local communities," concluded Clive Johnson, President & CEO of B2Gold. 

About B2Gold

B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the Philippines, and numerous exploration and development projects in various countries including Mali, Colombia, Burkina Faso, Finland and Uzbekistan. In 2020, the Company continues to forecast total consolidated gold production of between 1,000,000 and 1,055,000 ounces with all-in sustaining costs of between $780 - $820 per ounce (see "Non-IFRS Measures" below).

ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.

"Clive T. Johnson"
President & Chief Executive Officer

For more information on B2Gold, please visit the Company website at www.b2gold.comor contact: