The City of Prince George will receive nearly $12.5 million in grant money through the B.C. Growing Communities Fund, which was announced by Premier David Eby in February.
On Monday, city council approved the establishment of a reserve fund to receive the grant, which was a required part of the process.
“The funding is meant to build required infrastructure and amenities, rather than fund our ongoing or operating activities. The asset types it can be used on is quite broad,” city director of finance Kris Dalio said. “The money is meant to be tied to infrastructure that relates to growth…”
The city’s share of the $1 billion fund was calculated based on population, rate of population growth and a number of other factors, Dalio said.
City administration is not yet making any recommendations about projects which could be funded with the new reserve, he added. That discussion will come back to city council at a future point.
Projects related to public drinking water systems, sewers, solid waste management, roads, sidewalks, active transportation, public safety or emergency management, childcare facilities, affordable housing projects, park and recreation amenity upgrades, natural hazard mitigation and projects to serve neighbouring First Nations are all eligible uses for the funding, Dalio wrote in his report to city council.
“This is great news to hear, really welcome,” Coun. Garth Frizzell said. “We’ve all been, at all orders of government, doing advocacy for infrastructure funding for decades.”
Coun. Brian Skakun said the funding was great new and long overdue.
“There is so many options we could have,” he said. “It’s not a bad spot to be in: ($12.5) million for this, $30 million and a bit for the Terasen Gas deal. That’s never really happened. We have lots of opportunities to spend or invest this money wisely, or both.”
