Under the BC Rural Dividend, the Province is providing $313,180 in grants to five communities in Boundary-Similkameen, MLA Linda Larson announced today.

The Osoyoos Indian Band is being awarded $100,000 to complete conceptual plans and engineering designs to facilitate land development in Oliver.

The Lower Similkameen Indian Band is being awarded $91,750 to develop a feasibility and business plan for a comprehensive economic development strategy in Keremeos.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen receives $32,722 to upgrade a community hall, including handicap-accessible features, in Hedley.0

The City of Grand Forks receives $76,850 to assess feasibility of surplus city-owned land for local developers and joint ventures with partners.

The Village of Midway gets $11,858 to create a unique brand identity and marketing tools for business and tourism.

These are five of 73 successful grants, totalling over $8 million, being awarded to eligible communities under the three-year, $75-million, BC Rural Dividend.

As committed during the September 2015 Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention and in Balanced Budget 2016, the BC Rural Dividend helps rural communities with populations under 25,000 to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies, making them more attractive places to live and work.

 

Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson  –

“The great thing about these grants is they ensure a stable future for our various community groups and organizations. It is these groups that have the ability to understand and meet the local needs, and we are happy to support them in this work with the Rural Dividend Grants.”