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Local governments share $1 billion in infrastructure funding

Regionally, amounts range from $619,000 in Lytton to $1.076 million in Ashcroft
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Cache Creek will be receiving $958,000 from the province for infrastructure projects, such as work on the water system, as part of a one-time $1 billion grant to all 188 of B.C.’s local governments and regional districts. (Photo credit: Barbara Roden)

All 188 local governments and regional districts in B.C. will be getting a share of $1 billion from the provincial government, in order to help them address their infrastructure needs.

The impending funding was announced in February, and on March 3 the province announced how much each local government and regional district will be receiving. Ashcroft will be getting $1.076 million; Cache Creek will receive $958,000; Clinton will get $718,000; and Lytton will be receiving $619,000. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is set to receive $5.441 million.

Grant amounts have been calculated using a formula that incorporates an initial $500,000 per municipality or regional district, and further adjustments for population size and per-capita population growth between 2016 and 2021, based on BC Stats data. This method considers the impacts of service and amenity demands on smaller and rural communities and the additional pressures experienced by faster-growing communities.

Grants will be distributed by the end of March 2023. Local governments will receive further guidance on the use of their funds in the coming weeks, but the province has indicated that the intent is to help fund infrastructure projects, from affordable housing and child care facilities to road improvements and recreation centres.

“Our communities are growing and this puts more pressure on community centres, parks, and swimming pools that families rely on,” said Premier David Eby. “The new Growing Communities Fund will help local communities get building.”

Cache Creek Chief Administrative Officer Damian Couture says that while there are a lot of things the village would like to see the money spent on, they haven’t seen the guidelines yet.

“It’s important for people to remember that this is nice to see, and I’m happy we’re getting it, but I think there will be a lot of caveats. I don’t want to speculate until we know what the rules are.”

Couture adds that when it comes to infrastructure, every local government has services it is mandated to provide that people tend not to think about.

“The ability to flush your toilet, having safe drinking water coming out of your tap: no one thinks about these until they fail. All local governments — Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Clinton — have an infrastructure deficit, because all those things cost so much money to repair when something goes wrong, or if you’re being proactive. Finding millions of dollars from a tax base of 1,000 people is difficult.

“When you’re running a municipality you want to be fiscally responsible, but to proactively budget is difficult. If, in 10 years, you see an expense of $4 million coming, you need to put away $150,000 a year for more than 25 years. It’s impossible to establish that kind of reserve in a small community, so you end up chasing grants. It’s challenging.”

Couture notes that Cache Creek council will be holding strategic planning sessions soon. “I doubt the details [surrounding the grant guidelines] will be in place by then, but we’ll try to identify a few things that are strategic priorities. I’m sure there are a lot of big things on people’s minds. Then, when we get the details, we can say ‘These priorities have been identified, and they slot nicely into this grant’ and move forward.”

Couture says that with strategic planning coming up, and in light of the recent funding announcement, it puts an extra emphasis on the Community Satisfaction survey that the village is currently asking residents to fill out.

“I think it’s important to highlight these things. The information we gather from public surveys is so important in making these decisions. Council sees them unfiltered, so it’s an opportunity for people to talk about the community and what they want to see.

“Surveys weren’t commonplace in the past; it was come to a town hall meeting or we don’t hear from you. They became more prevalent during COVID, and I think they’re here to stay.”

To fill out the Cache Creek Community Satisfaction survey, go to http://bit.ly/3ZFvw8G.



editorial@accjournal.ca

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