HAZELTON – New Democrat MLA for Stikine Doug Donaldson is welcoming nearly $270,000 in provincial grants to help Northwest communities better prepare for wildfires.
“In the Northwest, First Nations and small communities are taking a proactive approach to wildfire preparation,” said MLA Donaldson. “This funding will help build partnerships between Nations and municipalities that will help protect people and communities from the threat of wildfires.”
Grants going to Northwest communities include:
- Gitanyow Band: $24,739.05 to assist with education, planning, and cross-training.
- Gitwangak First Nation: $24,954 to assist with education, cross-training, and FireSmart activities.
- District of Stewart: $7,023 to assist with education, planning, emergency planning, cross-training, and FireSmart activities.
- Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine: $114,080 to assist with education, planning, inter-agency cooperation, cross-training, and FireSmart activities.
- Atlin Community Improvement District: $36,500 to assist with education, cross-training, and FireSmart activities
- Tahltan Nation: $61,000 to assist with education, cross-training, and FireSmart activities.
These communities are some of almost 90 local governments and First Nations throughout BC benefiting from almost $9 million in new provincial government grants to support wildfire risk reduction projects through the Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program.
The CRI program helps reduce wildfire risks and impacts in BC communities by providing funding and support to complete FireSmart initiatives and fuel management activities. The program is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
Since launching the CRI program in September 2018, the BC New Democrat government has invested more than $18.6 million to support 209 projects helping local governments and First Nations mitigate wildfire threats around their communities.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/21721