At the Sept. 10 2014 meeting of the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund (NKDF) society board at Kitimat the board of directors approved funding for seven new economic development projects. These projects bring the fiscal year-to-date total amount approved across the NKDF investment area to $122,065.
The seven newly approved projects are: the BC Forage Council has been awarded $15,000 toward the Innovative Forage Production Project that will seek to expand the export forage market by addressing a number of on-farm adaptations focused on producing high quality forage under variable climatic conditions through the development of a weather station network, the evaluation of production techniques and the creation of a manual for conducting on-farm trials; the Tweedsmuir Cavaliers Saddle Club will receive $14,000 to expand and upgrade their parking area and install additional bleachers; the Lakes District Fall Fair has been approved for $23,995 to make improvements to the parking lot, the Lakes Outdoor Recreation Society will get $6650 to make six recreation sites accessible for people with mobility restrictions; the District of Vanderhoof will receive $30,000 to renovate the Senior’s Friendship Centre, the Burns Lake and District Chamber of Commerce has been granted $3500 toward the Lakes District Marketing Project; and the Village of Burns Lake has been granted $3960 for information signs.
"The Board of Directors of NKDF were pleased with the diversity of the funding application and our ability to continue to meet the needs of those communities within our benefiting area," said NKDF chair Wayne Salewski. "In particular this session saw almost half of the applications tied to projects that benefited a variety of projects tied to the agricultural sector which makes up a large portion of the land base within NKDF’s funding area.”
Colleen Nyce, Rio Tinto Alcan’s Manager of Corporate Affairs & Community Relations said it's good news that community organizations in the region are putting effort into upgrading, marketing and overall improvement to their economic bases. He said it's bases such as these that is the original intent of the NKDF.
The NKDF society was jointly established in 1997 with a combined contribution of $15 million by the provincial government and Rio Tinto Alcan. The fund’s investment area includes lands impacted by the original Kemano project and focuses on those communities in the Ootsa, Lakes, Nechako and Haisla regions of the North.
“The Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund’s investments will help further cultivate community development here in the Nechako region," said Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad. "Investments like these strengthen our regional economy and make life better for our citizens.”
The society encourages applications from local governments and legally incorporated non-profit organizations. NKDF invests in projects that create sustainable employment, diversify the economy and improve the basic infrastructure needed for community stability, quality of life and growth.
“The goal of the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund is to promote sustainable economic development and to create jobs in communities in the Nechako region," said Shirley Bond, B.C. Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour.
"With these funds communities are able to provide much needed upgrades to their community infrastructure that will provide enhanced opportunities for local residents.”
The next proposal deadline is Oct. 29 2014.
For more information on past projects funded throughout the NKDF investment area please visit http://www.nkdf.org/.