The Aupe (Church House) community pier peplacement project will replace the previous federal dock infrastructure. The original dock was removed in 2010 after the people of Homalco First Nation were forced to disperse from their last village site in the territory of Bute Inlet and the Discovery Islands.

Aupe is important historically and socially, and is critical to the economic growth and cultural healing of the Homalco First Nation membership. Years of colonial history devastated the economic independence and connection of the Homalco people to their traditional land. Aupe is seen as key for the Nation to grow economically, heal and return to their land, none of which can take place without a proper pier and dock, which the replacement resolves.

The project will open the area up for economic activity, such as tourism cultural tours, accommodation, marina services and kayak tours.

The Homalco First Nation has received $998,000 for the project.

The Hornby Island Farmland Trust Society’s project will build a food-processing facility on 12 acres of land that the trust holds a 99-year exclusive licence to occupy. It will be located next to the Donny Farris Community Farm and Garden, the first of the society’s food-security projects.

The facility will have an outdoor food-washing area, large indoor food-processing worktables, freezer/cooler capacity, a loading dock for facilitating logistics in the truck transport of palletized foodstuffs and a small retail counter. The food-processing facility will be a job-creation incubator for entrepreneurial food businesses.

Additionally, any Hornby resident who needs to clean, process, refrigerate, freeze and transport agricultural will be able to rent this facility for their personal or business use.

The facility will be owned by the Farmland Trust Society on a not-for-profit basis and operated for the benefit of the whole community. There will also be a paid manager and it will be a model facility for demonstrating best practices in grey-water recycling, rainwater harvesting and for educating island residents in food-safe techniques pertaining to processing and preserving food.

The facility will significantly contribute to community health and local food security on this remote island.

The Hornby Island Farmland Trust Society received $626,750 for the project.

The Klickseewy critical infrastructure project will provide the necessary infrastructure to allow economic development to occur on Klickseewy 7.

The project will see the installation of a septic system that will allow the Kwakiutl First Nation to ramp up operations at Klickseewy 7 over the long term. By providing the capacity required to accommodate additional development, Kwakiutl First Nation will be able to develop and include additional campgrounds, cabins, public washrooms, an expanded restaurant and lodge operations, eco-tourism, and First Nation cultural education and tours.

The Kwakiutl First Nation has received $439,382 for the project.

The Union Road watermain project will bring water servicing to the undeveloped lands along Union Road in the Village of Cumberland.

The project includes the construction and installation of approximately one kilometre of water main infrastructure along Union Road between Cumberland Road and Royston Road.

Union Road is a main north-south connector road in the village, joining these two main road entries into the community. The junction of each of the entry roads at Union Road are home to existing commercial and light industrial businesses. The intersection of Cumberland and Union Road is also located approximately 50 metres from the Comox Valley’s main access point to Inland Island Highway 19 (Exit 117). The proximity of Union Road to this key transportation hub, as well as the economic development opportunities available in the adjacent village-owned lands, make it a key development opportunity for the Village.

The Village of Cumberland has received $481,625 for the project.