The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is receiving a federal-provincial Small Communities Fund grant worth $1,534,666, announced Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris on behalf of Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.

The grant will assist the regional district with solid-waste management and the construction of a full service transfer station at the Mackenzie Regional landfill.

The Small Communities Fund is providing just over $87 million to 26 recipients throughout the province.

The Small Communities Fund is part of the New Building Canada Plan, which includes $1 billion for projects in communities with less than 100,000 residents. In B.C., the fund received $109 million from both the provincial and federal governments, for a total of $218 million in infrastructure funding, for projects that support economic growth, a clean environment and stronger communities.

The Province’s contributions through the Small Communities Fund is one of the key ways the B.C. government is taking action to strengthen, grow and diversify rural communities. This funding builds on the immediate investments and long-term action plan outlined in B.C.’s Rural Economic Development Strategy that are expected to create over 26,000 jobs and add $2.8 billion to provincial GDP.

Quotes:

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

“By aligning municipal, federal and provincial dollars, the Small Communities Fund eases the challenge of meeting the infrastructure demands that small communities face – ultimately benefiting British Columbians throughout the province. Projects supported by this fund – whether in public transit, drinking water, green energy or wastewater management – will leave lasting impacts in their communities.”

Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure – 

“When public infrastructure in many of our smaller communities is in need of repair or upgrade, the high costs associated are often difficult for a community alone to bear. However, when senior levels of government act together, we can facilitate these important infrastructure improvements and build stronger communities throughout B.C.”

Mike Morris, Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris –

“The Mackenzie Regional Landfill is one of the largest in our region and to account for the growth in solid waste, our government is taking necessary steps for a sustainable future. With over one and a half million dollars being invested through the Small Communities Fund, we will be moving forward with a more efficient and greener way to manage our waste.”

Shirley Bond, Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond –

“New technologies are providing us with the ability to reduce our impact on the environment. This project is the result of our partnership with the federal government and this kind of investment in small communities is a critical component in our strategy for rural economic development.”

Quick Facts:

• Projects eligible for funding under the Small Communities Fund include public transit, drinking water, wastewater, solid waste management, green energy, innovation, connectivity/broadband, brownfield redevelopment, disaster mitigation, local/regional airports, short-line rail, short-sea shipping and highways/roads.
  • The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development is responsible for drinking water, wastewater, solid waste management and green-energy projects.
  • The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for all other categories.
• Fifty-five Small Communities Fund projects were approved in 2015, representing $64 million in funding each from the provincial and federal governments for a total of $128 million.

Learn more:

Small Communities Fund: http://www.gov.bc.ca/smallcommunitiesfund

Infrastructure Canada: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/sc-cp-eng.html