VICTORIA – North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice rose in the house today to speak in support of the provinces announced $100 million in new infrastructure funding for northwest communities.

“For several years, we’ve been hearing from northern communities concerned that the state and capacity of their current infrastructure may not be sufficient to meet their future growth needs, especially with recent investment plans such as LNG Canada in Kitimat,” said Rice. “I’m proud to be a part of a government that is listening to small, northern local communities and responding with $100 million of support.”

This $100 million is a one-time investment to help northern communities in strategic planning and capital investments. The Northern Capital and Planning Grant will be distributed to 22 local governments and four regional districts including the North Coast.

“Ultimately, this grant is an acknowledgment of the hard-working people of northern communities who need and deserve to benefit from prosperity generated by them and the resources of the region that they live in,” said Rice.

The city of Prince Rupert will be receiving about $8 million in funding – nearly a quarter of its annual budget – with precise dollar allocations set to be finalized in the weeks ahead.

Video Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWHdle_3TE&feature=youtu.be