The Village of Fraser Lake is set to receive $24,445 from the provincial Ministry of Health as part of the age-friendly communities grant program.
In total $729,500 will be distributed to 37 communities across British Columbia, including four First Nations.
READ MORE: 10 Interior communities receive age-friendly grants
The other recipients in northern British Columbia are McBride, Tumbler Ridge, Kitimat, Prince George, Quesnel and Valemount.
Economic development officer Dave Christie with the village confirmed to Lakes District News on Feb. 5 that the funds were in the process of being received.
The funding is aimed at helping recipient communities like Fraser Lake achieve an age-friendly community designation, which recognizes that older adults can enjoy age-friendly activities during all four seasons of the year. The program has been running for several years.
As Christie explained, the process involves three phases: project planning, age-friendly assessment and community engagement, and the age-friendly action plan.
Fraser Lake is currently in phase one, he said, and the funding will help the village conduct the assessment.
“There’s multiple things in the assessment. There’s site visits, there’s going to be four task force workshops, there’s going to be coffee chats with people to discuss what the age-friendly designation is,” Christie said.
Much of the project will be done by The Whistler Centre for Sustainability, and not solely by village staff.
“They have lots of experience when it comes to developing age-friendly plans for smaller communities. We’re excited to have a partnership with these folks,” said Christie.
The assessment is expected to be completed by June.