Tuesday April 11, 2023 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Double the funding for BC’s newest economic diversification program will enable municipalities, First Nations and not-for-profit organizations to complete more projects in rural communities, says west shore MLA Mitzi Dean.
“It is great to see the Sc’ianew (Beecher Bay) First Nation receive support for this important project,” said Mitzi Dean, MLA (Esquimalt-Metchosin), about receiving $100,000 for their Indigenous Protected Area project. “This new funding will help diversify the local economy and ensure we can continue to grow sustainability.”
The funding comes through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) to promote economic diversification, clean economy opportunities and infrastructure development in rural BC.
Funding over 200 rural projects:
The New Democrat government is investing $66 million this year to support over 200 local, rural projects. Building resilient economies is part of the Province’s work through the StrongerBC Economic Plan to build a strong and sustainable economy through clean and inclusive growth.
A total of 26 communities received the maximum $1-million project funding.
Economic diversification and capacity:
BC has posted a list of 2022-2023 funded projects on Vancouver Island and in the coastal region including:
- City of Duncan | Station Street Placemaking Project | $1,000,000 | Economic Diversification
- Island North Film Commission d.b.a INFilm | Attracting and Growing BC’s Motion Picture Industries in Rural Communities | $520,000 | Economic Diversification
- Malahat Nation | Malahat Economic Capacity Development Project | $100,000 | Economic Capacity
- Sc’ianew (Beecher Bay) First Nation | Sc’ianew Indigenous Protected Area Project | $100,000 | Economic Capacity
- Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce | Tofino Business Retention and Expansion project | $88,600 | Economic Capacity
- Vancouver Island Economic Alliance Society | Economic Reconciliation – Indigenous Data Project | $97,455 | Economic Diversification
- WorkLink Employment Society | Port Renfrew Economic Development Initiative | $97,910.00 | Economic Capacity
Projects on food sustainability:
Funded projects in support of food sustainability on Vancouver Island and in the coastal region include:
- Central Coast First Nations Fisheries Association (CCCFA) | Geoduck Aquaculture Pre-Commercial Suitability Study in the Central Coast | $100,000 | Economic Capacity
- Powell River Farmers’ Agricultural Institute | Quonset B Electrical Upgrade | $27,467.84 | Economic Diversification
- Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust Society (FLT) | Agricultural Infrastructure for Food Related Sustainable Job Creation on Salt Spring Island | $116,296 | Economic Diversification
==== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is a long-standing publication in the west shore of South Vancouver Island (fourth in a series that began with MapleLine Magazine 2008-2010, Sooke Voice News 2011-2013, and West Shore Voice News 2014-2020, which then emerged as Island Social Trends in mid-2020).
IslandSocialTrends.ca covers news of the Greater Victoria area and south Vancouver Island, with insights on BC and national issues.
Island Social Trends editor is Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. (Foods & Nutrition), Cert PR. She is a long-time journalist, delivering news through a socioeconomic lens, and now reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.
Island Social Trends continues to build the Island Social Trends Food Security Archive with articles about food security on south Vancouver Island and current developments around food sustainability across BC and nationally.