The B.C. government has announced it is providing more than $5 million to Indigenous organizations and local governments in rural communities throughout B.C., including communities affected by the cumulative impacts of COVID-19, floods, fires and extreme weather.

The grants will fund eight projects in rural communities throughout the province that support tourism, community revitalization and infrastructure upgrades, including the Village of Canal Flats’ Shore-to-Shore Pathway (Phase 2). The village received $109,205 for the project.

The Shore-to-Shore Pathway is a high-quality, non-motorized destination recreation trail. It connects the Village of Canal Flats to the municipal beach on Columbia Lake at Tilley Memorial Park.

The Shore-to-Shore Pathway will follow the footsteps of David Thompson who, in the 19th century, used the land where the village now stands as a portage site between the Kootenay River and Columbia Lake as he travelled in the territory of the Ktunaxa and Shuswap people.

“Investing in people and communities is a key objective of the StrongerBC Economic Plan,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “Ensuring communities have the tools they need to adapt and grow allows jobs and economic opportunities to flourish. With the help of rural development grants, we are providing communities with more resources to support their economic recovery and build a more sustainable economy for all British Columbians.”

“People throughout rural B.C. are working hard to create economies in which residents and their communities can thrive,” said Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development. “I’m happy to be part of a government that recognizes the importance and value of thriving and diverse rural communities, and I’m happy we’re able to help support these locally led projects. We will keep working with communities in every part of B.C. to build healthy, local economies that work for all of us.”

e-KNOW file photo

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