Rural British Columbia now has a long-term economic action plan to build, strengthen and diversify rural communities – and it has some money where its mouth is for supporting rural communities.
It was announced by Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett on March 3, who says immediate investments and an action outlined plan in B.C.'s rural economic development strategy will create both jobs and economic opportunities in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
Recently appointed as the Minister of State for Rural Economic Development, Barnett says she has been working hard on building on rural advantages and is excited to now deliver this plan, both as a key priority in her ministerial mandate, but also to her own constituents.
These investments are expected to support up to 26,600 direct and indirect jobs with an overall impact of $2.8 billion to the provincial gross domestic product (GDP) rating, she explains.
Targeted initiatives include $40 million to expand and enhance high-speed Internet and an extension of the $25-million Rural Dividend Fund (RDF) for a fourth year, to reinvigorate and diversify more local economies. The next (third) RDF application intake runs from April 3-May 31.
Working with Barnett on the Rural Advisory Council is her co-chair, Jobs, Tourism & Skills Training Minister Shirley Bond, and 13 other municipal and First Nations representatives from rural areas across B.C., with project oversight by Minister of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson.
Barnett says all of these council members bring each of their community's input on all industries, social development, environment, agriculture, forestry, mining, tourism and technology, as well as what their local markets have gone through as their markets have decreased and how the province can help them diversify.
One way to help these rural communities diversify their economy is through the council's new rural strategy building on the economic benefits and jobs created by getting to "yes" on major projects and provincial investments in infrastructure,
The local MLA says she is pleased to be able to help strengthen the province's commitment to supporting rural communities with a focus on recognition of the unique challenges and opportunities they face.
This new strategy and additional funding will ensure people in all regions of the province have the opportunity for good-paying jobs and a high quality of life, Barnett adds.
She notes that to be responsible for bringing this together is a milestone accomplishment for herself, Bond, the other council members and for the BC Liberal government as a whole, but most of all, it's a milestone for all the rural communities they represent.
"It's all about what are their needs – how can we help our communities grow. We all know that rural British Columbia populations have been declining, and we need to help build them."
From new digital technology and film industries to new manufacturing and small businesses, with today's expanded capacity combined with the great lifestyle of rural living in B.C., her work on the study reveals a lot more is possible than tourism and resource industries, Barnett explains.
She adds local governments, non-profit societies and First Nations can apply for RDF money to create jobs, with an application process matrix for Ministry staff to review that identifies how many jobs the project will create, both now and later.
"We've got high-speed internet, we've got fibre optic and we've got housing that's affordable, we've got good teachers, we've got good doctors, we've got great communities. So we've got to now get out there and start selling it."
The District of 100 Mile House has already been approved for $300,000 towards a $500,000 research project working with FPInnovations, to test and apply technologies in partnership with local entrepreneurs for potentially producing (marketable) biomass ash, and to trial the product, Barnett explains.
Her advice to people with a good idea they believe might work to accomplish job-creating business in their rural community?
"Go through the local government, and partner with industry, or go through the First Nations band.
"[Look at approved RDF projects by] non-profit societies – many of them are creating lots of jobs, by building trails, promoting tourism, all those kinds of opportunities."
More information is online at www2.gov.bc.ca/gov (see interactive banner, find Building Our Rural Advantages).