Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
A series of rural development grants are helping build stronger local economies and boosting opportunities for people in many parts of rural B.C. to find good, local jobs.
“Investing in people and communities is a key objective of the StrongerBC Economic Plan,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “Ensuring communities have the tools they need to adapt and grow allows jobs and economic opportunities to flourish. With the help of rural development grants, we are providing communities with more resources to support their economic recovery and build a more sustainable economy for all British Columbians.”
The Province is providing more than $5 million to Indigenous organizations and local governments in rural communities throughout B.C., including communities affected by the cumulative impacts of COVID-19, floods, fires and extreme weather.
The grants will fund eight projects in rural communities throughout the province that support tourism, community revitalization and infrastructure upgrades.
“People throughout rural B.C. are working hard to create economies in which residents and their communities can thrive,” said Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development. “I’m happy to be part of a government that recognizes the importance and value of thriving and diverse rural communities, and I'm happy we're able to help support these locally led projects. We will keep working with communities in every part of B.C. to build healthy, local economies that work for all of us.”
Through the grants, the Province is enabling communities to make decisions that benefit their residents. To help the Kanaka Bar Indian Band become more self-sufficient and food secure, the Province provided $1 million for the Upper Kanaka Community Resiliency Project, a community infrastructure and agriculture development initiative that will better support people in the region.
“Kanaka Bar Indian Band has been actively working toward restoring community self-sufficiency since 2016, with the goal of increasing our resilience to climate-change impacts,” said Janna Janzen, food self-sufficiency lead, Kanaka Bar Indian Band. “In 2018, our knowledge-keepers projected drier, hotter summers and wetter winters, and in 2021 these anticipated realities hit the community hard. With this funding, we are working to improve our food self-sufficiency by building a commercial greenhouse that will allow us to grow food year-round. We are also introducing a root cellar that uses traditional technology to store seeds and vegetables without reliance on electricity. Kʷukʷscémxʷ to the B.C. government for being a part of this important work.”
The Lytton First Nation has also received funding through the rural development grant program for the Yekm Food Hub, which supports local farmers and the people of Lytton. More than $550,000 from the B.C. government will contribute to the completion of the building’s exterior elements.
“The funding received has enabled the Lytton First Nation and Yekm Food Hub to work on making necessary purchases, such as a greenhouse, tractor and implements, irrigation pipes and the completion of the Yekm Food Hub building, as well as the addition of hydro poles, solar panels, a septic system and traditional signs,” said John Sam, economic development manager, Lytton First Nation. “The Lytton First Nation is extremely grateful for the funds received, as the band has endured another wildfire this summer. The completion of this project and the food hub building will be a step toward food self-sufficiency going forward.”
Building resilient communities is a key action of the StrongerBC Economic Plan, helping move British Columbia forward by tackling the challenges of today while growing an economy that works for everyone.
Learn More:
Learn more about the StrongerBC Economic Plan: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/plan
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