Northern Development funding supports Greenhouse, Seniors' Housing and Cultural Amphitheatre

Courtesy of Northern Development Initiative Trust:

Northern Development has committed $576,000 of funding for three unique, community-building projects throughout central and northern B.C. during their most recent Board meeting. Funding will flow through the Economic Infrastructure, Cultural Infrastructure and Northern Housing Incentive programs to Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Williams Lake First Nation and the Town of Smithers, respectively.

This marks the second round of funding approvals made by the Trust’s Board of Directors in 2026, with a third set of funding approvals anticipated to be made in late October.

The projects approved are:

Lheidli T’enneh First Nation – $300,000 for Hydroponic Container Farm to support the Nation’s commitment to self-determination, economic sovereignty and community well-being. The new 40-by-10-foot hydroponic farm will produce nutritious, fresh food to directly benefit members through improved food security, with increased awareness of those who can not easily travel to grocery stores to regularly access fresh produce. Approximately 65 percent of the produce will be sold through restaurants, cafes and a farmers’ market, with anticipated revenue of $50,000 in the first full year of operations.

Williams Lake First Nation – $200,000 for the Memorial Park Cultural Amphitheatre to invest in the second phase of the Williams Lake Frist Nation Memorial Park development in downtown Williams Lake. The amphitheatre and surrounding space will be intentionally designed to honour the history and journey of the Williams Lake First Nation and Secwépemc people, guiding visitors through key cultural and historic narratives. This project addresses a cultural infrastructure gap for the region, as there is no purpose-built outdoor amphitheatre to host structure programming and ticketed events. Once complete, the facility is expected to host 35 programs annually, generating $50,000 in revenue.  

Town of Smithers – $76,000 for Smithers Area Housing Society Seniors Housing to incentivize the development of eight new two-bedroom housing units in the town. This project directly addresses shortages in available rental housing for Smither’s senior population. The population of residents between 65 and 80 years of age is expected to increase over the next two decades, and the population of people over the age of 80 is anticipated to double during the same period. This project addresses the critical shortage of rental housing in Smithers while providing specific homes built with seniors in mind.

Ben Campbell - Chief Executive Officer of Northern Development stated: 

“This round of funding approvals demonstrates how the Trust is supporting communities to make the north stronger and more resilient by caring for the people who choose to live here. Fresh produce, new homes for seniors and a new public gathering place, this trio of grants will improve the lives of people living in Northern B.C. and help make our communities more welcoming for resident attraction.”

New NDIT CEO

 Courtesy of Northern Development Initiative Trust:

After a months-long competitive recruitment process for the position of Chief Executive Officer at Northern Development Initiative Trust, the Board has appointed Ben Campbell to assume responsibility for leading the organization as it carries out its mission to be a catalyst for transformative rural development throughout the upper 70 per cent of the province.

Campbell holds his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and has served the Trust as Chief Financial Officer since 2021. Since January 1, 2025 he has held the position of Interim CEO during a time of transition after the departure of previous CEO, Joel McKay.

A lifelong resident of Northern B.C., Campbell is educated in the north, having attended both the College of New Caledonia through a trade program and the University of Northern British Columbia where he earned his Bachelor of Commerce. Prior to joining the Trust, he obtained valuable experience and insight through specialized work with local and Indigenous governments, non-profits, and school districts throughout the province as Audit Senior Manager at KPMG.

In addition to his role at Northern Development, Campbell contributes to communities in Northern B.C. and beyond by volunteering his time and expertise to the Boards of Community Futures Fraser-Fort George and the College of Complementary Health Professionals, where he holds the roles of Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair, respectively. He also mentors current students as they navigate their way through the CPA testing and designation process.

During his four years at the Trust as CFO, Campbell has led the way in strategically growing the suite of partner programs, including significant advances in the Connecting British Columbia and Northern Passenger Transportation Service programs, effectively administering funds on behalf of the provincial government. He has also steered the implementation of several technology and security systems to ensure the entire organization is working in an efficient and protected manner.

The entire Board and staff team congratulate Campbell on this achievement and look forward to building upon more than two decades of positive influence in economic development in Northern B.C. The Board’s appointment of Campbell to the CEO position is effective immediately.

Northern Development Board Chair Margo Wagner stated:

“We are pleased to welcome Ben as the new CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust. Having served as our CFO, Ben brings deep financial expertise, a strong understanding of our organization, and a passion for supporting northern communities. We are confident that under his leadership, Northern Development will continue to drive economic growth and opportunity across the region.

Northern Development News - August 4th, 2022 edition

1) July 2022 Northern Development Newsletter - click here

2) 5 Grants totalling roughly $1,000,000 to support NDIT Communities

$300,000 was approved under the Recreation Infrastructure program for the Village of Fraser Lake curling rink upgrade. This project entails a complete overhaul of the facility including new refrigeration piping and headers, upgraded windows, the replacement of the sand floor with a concrete slab, new water repellant wall surfaces, energy efficient LED lighting and a full lobby makeover, along with various other improvements. With these upgrades complete, the rink can be opened to off-season sports such as pickleball and floor hockey and can provide community space for groups (community meetings, weddings and funerals) to use.

$300,000 was approved under the Economic Infrastructure program to the Fort St. John Seed Cleaning Cooperative Association for plant improvements. This project involves the purchase and installation of a state-of-the-art Cimbria SEA Optical Sorter, Chromex Colour Sorter, Cimbria Heid Gravity Separator, Cimbria Delta Model 107 Super Cleaner and the required associated equipment. With the addition of this equipment the plant will be able to efficiently clean unwanted seeds and foreign objects from all grains, cereal crops, seeds and pulses. The addition will also create a significant increase in capacity and throughput, which will allow the plant to clean more seed and in turn, help more farmers in the surrounding areas.

$200,000 was approved under the Northern Housing Incentive program for the Village of McBride to incentivize a multi-phased development in the community. The project entails the construction of twenty, two-bedroom rental suites in duplexes and quadplexes on 2nd Avenue. These are independent living suites targeted towards seniors. Each unit will be approximately 800 sq ft, house two bedrooms and provide ground level exterior entry. Construction will be in phases beginning in 2022 and fully complete in 2024.

$145,627 was approved under the Economic Infrastructure program for the Xat’sull hydroponic vertical farm. This project involves the purchase and installation of a commercial hydroponics growing system on the Xat’sull First Nation. This year-round operation will provide food security to the community, promote food sovereignty and provide a platform for health/nutrition education in addition to creating employment and training opportunities for community members. The greenhouse will also generate revenues for the Nation from the retail sales of the produce grown.

$137,607 was approved under the Cultural Infrastructure program for the Knox music hall development project in Prince George. The project consists of redeveloping Trinity Downtown into a professional-level music performance venue for a wide variety of performing arts and live events – accessible to a wide range of users and community groups. The space will hold 250-300 people for ticketed events. This is phase one of a multi-phased project and includes updating the in-floor heating system to facilitate the removal of pews and shift to adaptable chair seating, installing professional sound equipment and LED DMX controlled lighting, stage drapery and partial roof replacement.

Joel McKay - CEO of Northern Development stated:

"“These latest projects really reflect the vision of the Trust to establish the North as a place that people want to live, work and play in. Investments in housing, the arts, food security, agricultural and community infrastructure play a huge role in retaining and attracting residents.”

NDIT Announces $1.3 Million in Grant Funding for 6 Ec Dev Projects

Courtesy of Northern Development Initiative Trust:

Northern Development’s board of directors announced today that it has approved funding for six valuable projects in central and northern B.C.

$300,000 was approved under the Economic Infrastructure program for the Kitasoo Band Store construction and expansion in Klemtu. The current band store and cafe was built in 1985 and has served beyond its operating life. The new store will increase in size from the current 5,500 square feet to 8,000 square feet and will include a community cafe/restaurant and a new retail space. Replacing and expanding the store will allow for a greater selection of goods for the local community and will increase the volume of product and profit potential of the store.

$300,000 was approved under the Economic Infrastructure program for the construction of the Osprey Nest building in Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN). The Osprey Nest will be a newly constructed mixed-use building that will complement the other amenities on WLFN. The facility will consist of a two-story building with approximately 4,000 square feet of usable interior space. The main floor is designed to host a restaurant/café and includes an interior mezzanine that will provide private space for meetings and small gatherings. There is a lakefront exterior patio and a 300 square foot rooftop patio on the first floor. These patios will feature gas heaters, making them usable from the spring through to the late fall. The second story will consist of four separate self-contained loft guest rooms. The lofts will provide capacity for short-medium term stays for a variety of visiting professionals, contractors and consultants engaged in business with the Williams Lake First Nation.

$200,000 was approved under the Main Street Revitalization – Capital program for the 10^th Street Revitalization project in the District of Houston. As part of the district’s intention to rejuvenate its downtown, a portion of 10th Street that extends from Poulton Avenue to Butler Avenue will be upgraded. This work will include the removal of existing sidewalk and light posts, the installation of two decorative, pedestrian crosswalks, accessible 6.1-metre-wide sidewalks, 90 square metres of stained concrete walk, three new luminaire poles and lighting for the two crosswalks.  Additionally, five new street trees along with various street furnishings, planters and wayfinding signage will be included in the project.

$200,000 was approved under the Main Street Revitalization – Capital program for the Chetwynd Downtown Revitalization project. The District of Chetwynd is undertaking a downtown revitalization project that aims to complete key initiatives identified in its 2021 Downtown Revitalization Plan. This project includes a number of enhancements such as upgrades to sidewalks and crosswalks, the creation of bike lanes and active transportation amenities, improved and expanded use of street furniture and new LED lighting throughout.

$199,269 was approved under the Main Street Revitalization – Capital programfor the Village of McBride Main Street lighting upgrades project. This initiative includes include the purchase and installation of 30 new ornamental streetlights to be installed along the length of Main Street from the historic McBride Train Station to the Welcome Arch at Highway 16. The project will create temporary jobs in the community, reduce the commercial vacancy rate on Main Street, expand community festivals and events, increase the downtown property values and expand economic development along McBride’s commercial corridor. Additionally, the revitalization will bolster community pride, improve Main Street’s walkability and McBride’s livability.

$160,600 was approved under the Recreation Infrastructure program for the Pine Valley Exhibition Park revitalization in Chetwynd. The existing rodeo arena is 30 years old and it is no longer feasible to update and maintain the current amenities. Due to the deteriorating state of the grounds, the Pine Valley Exhibition Park Society is undertaking a significant renewal of the site with plans to reinvigorate and grow the user base. The existing outdoor arena will be restored with upgraded riding surfaces, fencing and all necessary panels, gates and accessories to host rodeo events. Once compete, the new rodeo arena will provide a safe, effective tourism and program development facility.

Northern Development February 2022 updates

Northern Development Initiative Trust has released a couple of updates:

1) February 2022 Newsletter -- click here

2) Announcement of $2.3 million approved funding across the Northern Development Region -- click here

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NDIT August 2021 Newsletter

 NDIT or Northern Development has released its' August 2021 Newsletter.  In the newsletter:

* Hosting interns helps Houston 

* 6ix Sigma sees success with SBR Consulting Rebate 

* Saulteau First Nations warmly welcomes interns 

* Grant writer bolsters community 

* Northern Development grant program supports economic development initiatives 

Northern Development CEO recognized as one of B.C.’s top business leaders 

New Love Northern BC signs are going up across the region including in Williams Lake

Read the newsletter here

Northern Development's June 2021 Newsletter

In this month's newsletter from Northern Development:

* New lifts make B.C.’s northernmost swimming pool accessible to all 

* Century-old McBride building to receive accessibility and efficiency upgrades 

* Atlin Recreation Centre adds accessibility features 

* Northern Development accepting Fabulous Festivals and Events applications starting July 12 

* $50,000 in e-gift cards sold to Northern B.C. businesses during pandemic

Click here for the newsletter 

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