CHILLIWACK – New Democrat MLA Kelli Paddon says that communities in the Chilliwack-Kent area will be able to recover more quickly from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with help from over $1.8 million in new funding for local infrastructure projects.
“People throughout this province have shown incredible determination and resilience over the past year, and it’s essential that we support them as we work towards economic recovery” said Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent. “These grants will not only create jobs and improve infrastructure to the area, but will help to build, strengthen and preserve the places where our sense of community thrives.”
In the Chilliwack-Kent constituency, the funding is going to multiple projects, including:
- Trail Network Development at the Miami River Greenway to increase social distancing around Harrison Hot Springs
- The Aberdeen building revitalization project, to upgrade the historic Aberdeen Hotel
- Construction of a new 5km Sts’ailesHeritage Trail at the Sts’ailes First Nation
- Construction of a non-motorized trail at Cultus Lake Provincial Park, connecting Jade Bay and Sunnyside Campground
This funding is coming through B.C.’s CERIP (Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program) which is providing $100 million in one-time infrastructure grants for impactful projects across B.C. These projects will improve community economic resilience, develop tourism infrastructure, support unique heritage infrastructure, and support economic recovery for rural communities.
CERIP’s funding is distributed through different provincial ministries, including Municipal Affairs; Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport; and Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
This funding is part of BC’s $10 billion COVID-19 response to help support people, businesses, communities, and critical services, and build a strong economic recovery that works for everyone.
Learn More:
FLNRO release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FLNRO0010-000310
MUNI release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MUNI0015-000317
TACS release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021TACS0014-000322
Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program: