Annual provincial grants support community projects, services

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- 100 Mile House to receive $379,566; Wells to receive $452,780; City of Williams Lake to receive $613,792; City of Quesnel to receive $614,692 and the Cariboo Regional District (Electoral Areas) to receive $140,000

The Province is providing $110 million to local governments around B.C. for services that British Columbians count on, such as investments in infrastructure, like water and sewer, and services like policing.

“We recognize that local governments need our support to provide many of the services people need to feel safe and thrive in a healthy environment,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These annual provincial grants help communities pay for expensive infrastructure projects and important community safety and policing services.”

Unconditional funding is provided to local governments through three programs:

• Small Community Grants: municipalities with populations of 20,000 or fewer receive a grant that can be used to fund any local priority, such as garbage and recycling pick-up services, or infrastructure projects, such as roadworks and water and sewer upgrades.
• Regional District Basic Grants: all regional districts and the Islands Trust receive a grant to assist with their administration costs.
• Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Transfers: municipalities with populations of 5,000 or more that are directly responsible for paying for policing services receive a grant to help pay for community safety programs and policing.

The annual grants enable local governments to spend the funding according to their needs.

“These revenue-sharing programs strengthen the local government finance system and address a range of needs in communities,” said Arjun Singh, president, Union of B.C. Municipalities. “I appreciate the Province’s continuing commitment to supporting local government service delivery.”

For a complete list of approved grants for 2019, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Local_Government_Revenue_Sharing_Grants_2019.pdf

Quick Facts:

• 158 small and medium-sized communities, regional districts and the Islands Trust will receive more than $55.8 million in Small Community Grant and Regional District Grant funding.
• 77 communities will receive nearly $53 million in Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Transfers funding.
• 85 municipalities and rural communities with populations under 5,000 will receive a reduction in the provincial police tax of approximately $2 million per year.

Learn More:

For more information on Small Community, Regional District and Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing grants, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/grants-transfers