The B.C. government has provided a $1 million grant for the partnership committee, established by the Peace River Agreement to conduct studies, identify impediments to regional growth and facilitate implementation, Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender said today.

The one-time payment honours the Province’s commitment to provide funding during the first year of the Peace River Agreement for operations and activities of the partnership committee, consisting of three representatives from Peace River local governments and three from the provincial government. The Peace River Regional District will manage the funding on behalf of the partnership committee.

Through negotiated consent of all local governments in the region, the Province finalized a 20-year extension of the Peace River Agreement last May. The agreement, valued at over $1.1 billion during the next 20 years, provides $50 million in annual funding to the eight local governments in the region to support services and infrastructure for industrial expansion, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

Quotes:

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development –

“With this funding, the partnership committee can undertake the important task of providing research and context to help the new Peace River Agreement create lasting benefits for local communities, businesses and citizens in northeast British Columbia. The committee will play a key role in ensuring that the agreement results in wise investments in regional services and infrastructure.”

Pat Pimm, MLA Peace River North –

“The Peace Country is the heartland of natural resource development and makes a significant contribution to B.C.’s economy. This agreement will help our communities to continue to build the infrastructure required ‎to support industry.”

Mike Bernier, MLA Peace River South –

“We want to ensure that Peace communities benefit from investments, services and infrastructure. The partnership committee’s work will help identify ways to establish these benefits.”

Quick Facts:

• Key features of the new Peace River Agreement include:
  • Annual payments that start at a base of $50 million in 2016, and after 2020, will increase at an agreed annual rate for growth, through to at least 2035;
  • Opportunities to re-open the annual rate of growth of the payment in both 2023 and 2031, as well as renegotiate a new base and annual rate of growth to take effect after 2035;
  • New eligibility, reporting and approval requirements to improve accountability to taxpayers; and
  • New provisions to support provincial-regional relationship-building through a new partnership committee.
• Signatories (Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Hudson’s Hope, Pouce Coupe, Taylor, Tumbler Ridge and Peace River Regional District) received an additional $3 million in 2015 as a special one-time payment for approval of the agreement, building on the $46 million already paid on April 30, 2015, under the previous agreement.

Learn More:

Check out the Government of British Columbia’s role in supporting local governments through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/cscd