It is not just the start of a new school year for Walnut Park Elementary students and staff – it is also the opening of a school with spaces for 440 kindergarten to Grade 7 students.

From: Infrastructure Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastructure/news/2021/08/backgrounder-canada-and-british-columbia-invest-in-local-infrastructure-to-help-build-community-connections-in-northern-bc.html)

The B.C. government has provided more than $1.5 million in grants to 11 local governments and First Nations in the Northwest Fire Centre to support wildfire risk reduction initiatives and help keep communities safe.

Vulnerable and low-income people in Houston, Kitimat and Smithers will be better supported thanks to almost $75,000 in government funding for local poverty reduction strategies.

People in Smithers who are at risk of harm or victimization will benefit from a $45,000 grant to create a community-based team of front-line workers to deliver better, faster access to services.