The B.C. government and Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA) are offering training for Aboriginal people to become heavy-equipment operators.

The Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre Society in 100 Mile House and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Cariboo Chilcotin Branch in Williams Lake are each receiving $7,000 in funding to help challenge racism and celebrate diversity. The two are among 33 community groups throughout British Columbia working to address racism through the B.C. Organizing Against Racism and Hate (OARH) program.

Students, teachers and staff at Peter Skene Ogden Secondary school in the Cariboo Chilcotin school district will benefit from $100,000 in provincial School Enhancement Program funding.  

Families in the Cariboo-Chilcotin school district will benefit from improved transportation services, thanks to $739,024 in funding under the new provincial Student Transportation Fund.

British Columbians are invited to comment on Mount Polley Mining Corporation’s (MPMC) plans for long-term water management of the site.

Under the BC Rural Dividend, the Province is providing $164,037 in grants to Williams Lake and the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council Society, Parliamentary Secretary and MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin Donna Barnett announced.

Students at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) will benefit from $150,000 in funding toward an early childhood education program that will prepare them for a career working with children in their communities.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations plans to conduct a series of prescribed burns at sites west and south of Williams Lake between Sept. 27 and Nov. 11, 2016, weather conditions permitting.

A $1.16-million Job Creation Partnerships project developed by the B.C. government and the Invasive Species Council of B.C. is putting people to work weeding out invasive plants and species in five Interior communities.

Effective at noon on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, Category 3 open fires will once again be allowed throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, due to a decreased wildfire risk in the region.