MLA Linda Larson (right) announced $433,000 in funding to Boundary-Similkameen municipalities on Friday for projects under the provincial government’s Rural Dividend program. Municipal representatives from across the riding came to Gyro Park for the announcement. Osoyoos is getting $66,000 as partial funding for the extension of the pier at Gyro Park. (Richard McGuire photo)
It was Christmas in March last Friday as MLA Linda Larson announced more than $433,000 in funding for projects in communities across Boundary-Similkameen.
The announcement of grants under the province’s Rural Dividend Fund took place at Gyro Park in Osoyoos, where municipal representatives from Keremeos to Greenwood attended.
Larson announced $66,000 to Osoyoos for further work on extending the pier at Gyro Park.
Barry Romanko, chief administrative officer with the Town of Osoyoos, said the funding would assist in getting the project to the “shovel ready” stage so the town can seek further funding.
The new funds will be used to hire a consulting company to co-ordinate design, costing and identifying needed environmental permitting, he said.
The B.C. Rural Dividend provides $25 million a year over four years to assist rural communities with a population of 25,000 or less to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies.
Other communities receiving money in Larson’s announcement were Greenwood, Keremeos, Midway, Oliver and Okanagan Falls.
Projects include downtown beautification in Keremeos, a heritage garden at the museum in Oliver and money to Greenwood to develop the historic copper smelter ruins into a tourist attraction.
The province says the program was developed to recognize the contribution rural communities have made to B.C.’s economy and the unique challenges they face to diversify beyond natural resources.
Larson said the funding is part of the province’s rural economic development strategy.
Tossing aside most of her prepared notes, Larson spoke off the cuff about the importance of rural communities to B.C.’s economy.
“It’s so hard to get through to the people that live in the Lower Mainland that absolutely everything they touch every day came from where you guys live,” said Larson. “None of it came from where they live. So every computer, every vehicle, every piece of everything came from the ground. It did not come from down there. So we’re really trying to put that message out there that it’s forestry, agriculture, mining, oil and gas that really make the province run.”
Larson pointed to other funding under the rural economic development strategy including money for cattle tagging, tree planting and phasing out of sales tax on electricity for municipalities.
When the event ended, some of the municipal representatives called out: “Thank you Linda.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
MLA Linda Larson (fifth from left) brought municipal representatives from across Boundary-Similkameen to Gyro Park in Osoyoos for an announcement of $433,000 in funding for community projects. The funding is from the four-year Rural Dividend program which is intended to help rural communities diversify their economies beyond resource dependence. Nonetheless, Larson underlined the importance of natural resources to B.C.’s economy. (Richard McGuire photo)
