$14 million in grants for economic development, and recreational opportunities in rural B.C. communities

Jun 18, 2020 | 2:17 PM

VICTORIA—The government is providing nearly $14 million in grants for over 150 projects to support economic development and recreational opportunities for British Columbians in rural communities.

The grants include approximately $5 million for 39 trail and recreation projects, and almost $9 million for 114 projects that support rural community development. Projects selected for the one-time grants were chosen from three categories, First Nations, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every region of our province, and I’m glad our government is providing these one-time grants to lend extra help to people, communities and economies in rural B.C.”—Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

The District of Tumbler Ridge is one of the grant recipients for trail and recreation projects. $500,000 will be used to build mountain-biking trails, ranging from beginner-level trails, to more challenging cross-country and downhill trails, in the District.

The Williams Lake Indian Band is the recipient of $500,000 to build a cannabis production facility which will be located by the retail cannabis store that the band launched last March.

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“The last five years have been very challenging for the Cariboo – with the Mount Polley disaster, the wildfires of 2017 and now the COVID-19 crisis. The WLIB cannabis cultivation project will help to kick-start our economy, create new jobs and stimulate tourism.”—Chief Willie Sellars, Williams Lake Indian Band

“We know the pandemic has caused challenges for people living in smaller communities, and we are hopeful that funding these projects will help rural B.C. come back strong,” says Ravi Khalon, Parliamentary Secretary of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

Those chosen to receive the grants were determined from applications received during the sixth intake of the Rural Dividend Program in the summer of 2019.

by Veronica Beltran

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$14 million in grants for economic development, and recreational opportunities in rural B.C. communities

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