June 18, 2008

Thompson Valleys Receive Provincial Funding for Planning

CHASE – The Thompson Valleys will receive $48,750 from the province under the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program, Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger announced today.

“It is vital that our communities have the best water quality and infrastructure in place for a healthy future,” said Krueger. “The Infrastructure Planning Grants will support analysis and planning for improved systems to ensure the Thompson Valleys enjoy environmental sustainability to benefit the daily lives of residents.”

The planning grants include:
• Chase
o $6,250 - Energy Assessment Study
o $5,000 - Water Conservation and Usage Assessment Study

• Clearwater
o $10,000 - Source Water Quality Characterization Study
o $10,000 – Well Protection Planning: Wellhead Production Area (Capture Zone Analysis Study)
o $10,000 – Groundwater Characterization Study (GUDI Analysis)

• Thompson-Nicola Regional District
o $7,500 – Shuswap Highlands Water System: East Barriere Lake Study

The Infrastructure Planning Grant Program offers grants up to $10,000 to help local governments plan, design and manage infrastructure. The grants support projects that improve infrastructure sustainability through long-term comprehensive plans and studies needed to assess the economic and environmental feasibility of proposed water, sewer, drainage and transportation infrastructure.

These grants, totalling more than $890,000 for 66 local governments to carry out planning on 94 projects across B.C., are among a series of provincial funding initiatives available to local governments to help improve community infrastructure. Other programs include Towns for Tomorrow, LocalMotion and BC Spirit Squares.

Almost half of the projects submitted to the Canada B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund were initiated with Infrastructure Planning Grants.