April 7, 2009
CRANBROOK – The provincial government is providing the City of Cranbrook with nearly $565,000 to enhance community green spaces and provide residents with important local government services, announced East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett.
Cranbrook will receive:
- $25,000 from the Trees for Tomorrow program for the Tenth Avenue Pedestrian corridor project.
- $529,451 through the first instalment of the Province’s Strategic Community Investment Fund, a restructuring of provincial grant programs to give communities more funding sooner, including:
- $230,375 under the Small Community Grants program.
- $299,076 associated with traffic fine revenue sharing, as announced March 23.
- $10,205 from the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program - equal to 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid as part of direct expenditures on fossil fuels. Cranbrook is one of 174 communities to sign the Climate Action Charter committing to becoming carbon neutral by 2012.
These investments are part of the Province’s commitment to help stimulate the economy, maintain stability and keep British Columbians working during the economic downturn.
BACKGROUNDER
Trees for Tomorrow is a five-year, $13-million program that is supporting community organizations, First Nations and local governments in urban and rural areas in planting four million trees in the public areas of cities, towns, villages and regional districts throughout B.C. In its first year, the program is providing approximately $3 million to support the planting of trees and the implementation of other energy-saving initiatives across British Columbia. The initiative, first announced in the 2008 speech from the throne, involves cost-sharing with a range of applicants and stewardship organizations. To learn more, visit www.treesfortomorrow.gov.bc.ca
Strategic Community Investment Fund: Through a restructuring of provincial grant programs, communities will see more funding sooner, giving them greater certainty and improved financial flexibility. Payments will be made on the basis of Strategic Community Investment Agreements with local governments. The first $133-million instalment on this two-year, $232-million initiative consists of the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program and Small Community and Regional District Grants.
The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program: Of the initial $133-million payment under the Strategic Community Investment Fund, $63 million will help municipalities enhance policing and community-based public safety programs. The Province has provided 100 per cent of net traffic fine revenues to local governments since 2004, amounting to an additional $206 million. Traffic fine revenue comes from fines on violation tickets, and the amount a municipality receives is based on its contribution to total municipal policing costs.
Small Community and Regional District Grants: $70 million of the initial $133-million payment under the Strategic Community Investment Fund will support local governments this year as part of the Province’s continuing commitment to help provide services in areas with smaller tax bases. The grant allocation takes into account three elements: basic funding for all municipalities with a population of less than 15,000, population-based funding, and property assessment-based funding. This year’s payment fulfils the Province’s commitment to double these grants over four years.
The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program helps communities that have committed to the goal of becoming carbon neutral in their corporate operations by 2012, under the BC Climate Action Charter. The program provides local governments with grants to offset 100 per cent of the carbon tax they have directly paid for fossil fuel purchases.
Media Contact:
Public Affairs Bureau
Ministry of Community Development
250 387-4089
