Since she was young, Breland Athies always felt disconnected from her Métis culture.

Under the BC Rural Dividend Program, the Government of British Columbia is providing more than $1.1 million for nine projects in the West Kootenay region.

Enhanced patient care and improved conditions for health-care workers are coming to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) as a new ambulatory care area and expanded pharmacy have been approved by the provincial government.

Funding for additional health-care assistant seats at Selkirk College in Trail will address the demand for health-care professionals in the region. 

The municipalities of Trail and Castlegar will receive $191,018 and $59,000 respectively in BikeBC funding this year for cycling infrastructure projects in their communities.

Trail area families are being encouraged to attend an open house on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, to share their ideas on how to transform rural education in British Columbia.

Students, teachers and staff at Twin Rivers Elementary school in the Kootenay-Columbia school district will benefit from $515,900 in provincial School Enhancement Program funding.

Families in the Kootenay-Columbia school district will no longer pay fees for students riding school buses within their schools’ catchment area and will also benefit from improved transportation services thanks to $242,977 in funding under the new provincial Student Transportation Fund.