The District of West Kelowna is one step closer to getting a new municipal works yard, thanks to an $8.7-million land grant from the Province, Premier Christy Clark announced today.

“Through the Sponsored Crown Grant program, the Province has offered the District of West Kelowna a five-hectare parcel of Crown land at the junction of Bartley and Stevens Road,” Premier Clark said. “The Sponsored Crown Grant program helps communities like West Kelowna advance important civic priorities without placing a burden on taxpayers.”

“After extensive negotiations with the Province, Westbank First Nation is pleased to say that it supports the offering of a sponsored Crown grant to the District of West Kelowna.  We believe that WFN’s interests are being properly addressed,” said Chief Robert Louie.  “We look forward to working with the Province on reconciliation of our interests.”

Under the Sponsored Crown Grant program, local governments can apply for Crown land grants that are used for the greater good of the community. In this instance, the use is for community, civic facility and access road purposes. All applications for sponsored Crown land grants are considered using standardized selection criteria and transparent accounting processes for Crown land disposition. The Province uses the fair market value of the Crown land to budget and record the grants and tenures as an expense against the Crown Land Special Account. This agreement with the District of West Kelowna follows a comprehensive and productive consultation process with the Westbank First Nation, who have offered their support for this Crown grant.

“Council has always felt great support from our provincial representatives for this initiative and we are very grateful for their work on our behalf,” said Mayor Doug Findlater, District of West Kelowna. “We have always envisioned the Bartley Road property as a future site for our public works operations given its central location in Boucherie Gardens and proximity to our current engineering and operations building.”

“West Kelowna is one of the fastest growing communities in the province, and this Crown land grant will help the district the communities growing infrastructure,” Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson said. “West Kelowna is a great place to live, and the Province is proud to support the community as it grows and thrives.”

Learn More:

Sponsored Crown land grant program: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/Lgd/gov_structure/sponsored_crown_grants/index.htm

Media Contacts:

Sam Oliphant
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
250 952-7252

Greig Bethel
Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261