The B.C. government has distributed $30,478 in compensation for municipal property taxes to the City of Merritt.

Adult learners in Merritt will benefit from one-time targeted funding of $24,000 for the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology to support literacy programs.

Students, teachers and staff at two schools in the Nicola-Similkameen school district will benefit from $300,000 in provincial School Enhancement Program funding.          

The Province is providing over $677,000 in new grants to help six communities in the Fraser-Nicola region diversify and strengthen their economies, Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart announced.

Families in the Nicola-Similkameen school district will benefit from improved transportation services, thanks to $170,292 in funding under the new provincial Student Transportation Fund.

Members of the Lower Nicola Indian Band will receive direct economic benefits from Teck’s Highland Valley Copper Operations thanks to two new agreements – one with the provincial government and one with the mining firm.

Despite normal flows for many streams and Level 1 drought conditions elsewhere within the Nicola region, low flows in the Coldwater River system are nearing Level 4, or “extremely dry,” drought conditions.

May 2016 marks 30 years since the opening of one of British Columbia’s largest infrastructure projects – the Coquihalla highway. This 324-kilometre project opened up the interior to economic development and improved access to the west coast of British Columbia.