Communities across British Columbia will be sharing more than $65 million in funding with the latest instalments of the Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF) and Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP), announced Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

The Province is providing $30 million in Small Community and Regional District Grants and $30 million in net traffic fine revenues through the Strategic Community Investment Fund.

Communities that have signed the Climate Action Charter and report publicly on their progress toward meeting their climate action goals will receive a grant equivalent to 100 per cent of the carbon tax they pay directly, for a total of more than $5 million provincewide.

Quotes:

Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development -

"One of our greatest priorities is to ensure local governments across B.C. have access to the resources they need to build healthy, family-friendly communities with good job opportunities and resilient economies."

"Through these programs, the Province is taking action to support important services that allow local governments to achieve the goals of safe and sustainable communities."

Heath Slee, president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities -

"These funds gather together a number of longstanding programs that support local government policing and service delivery. Given the current economic environment, we are pleased to see the provincial government maintain their level of support for these transfers."

Quick Facts:

• Through SCIF, communities receive the same amount of money they would have received, but instead of being paid once per year, more of that money is provided sooner to increase financial certainty for the grant recipients.

• Small Community and Regional District Grants assist local governments in providing basic services. Grant amounts are based on a formula that factors in base amount, population and assessment values.

• The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program assists eligible municipalities that pay police enforcement costs directly.

• The grants come from ticket fines and court-imposed fines on violation tickets, and the amount of money a municipality receives is based on its contribution to total municipal policing costs.

• The Province delivers 100 per cent of net traffic fine revenues to communities -amounting to an additional $413 million since 2004.

• The Strategic Community Investment Fund restructures the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program and Small Community and Regional District Grants. Established in 2009, a second round of the program was announced for the 2011-12 - 2013-14 fiscal years. This third round extends the program to the 2014-15 fiscal year.

• The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program is a conditional grant program that provides funding to Climate Action Charter signatories equivalent to 100 per cent of the carbon taxes they pay directly. This funding supports local governments in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work toward achieving their charter goals.

Learn More:

About B.C. local governments: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/

About the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/greencommunities/carip.htm

Contact:

Jeff Rud
Communications Director
Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 208-4028