May 14, 2010
Okanagan Communities Receive Provincial Funding for Planning

OSOYOOS – The Okanagan will receive $55,000 from the Province to develop plans for local infrastructure under the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program.

“Our government is supporting the Okanagan’s commitment to water quality and stewardship,” says Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater. “These grants will help communities modernize their infrastructure and save water.”

The following projects received Infrastructure Planning Grants:

• $5,000 to the Midway District Energy Opportunity Assessment to reduce Midway’s reliance on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower operating costs
• $10,000 to the City of Grand Forks Water Audit to reduce water usage and wastage
• $10,000 to the Greenwood Comprehensive Water Master Plan to find corrective measures for the city’s aging water system
• $10,000 to the Keremeos Groundwater Assessment of West Well Field to determine quality of water from wells and the adjacent surface water source.
• $10,000 to the Okanagan Basin Water Board Technical Framework for Coordinated Okanagan Drought Response to address region-wide water shortages
• $10,000 to the Okanagan Similkameen Regional District Septage Disposal Facility 

The Infrastructure Planning Grant Program provides grants of up to $10,000 to help local governments plan, design and manage infrastructure. The grants support projects that improve infrastructure sustainability, such as long-term comprehensive plans and studies that assess the economic and environmental feasibility of proposed water, sewer, drainage and transportation infrastructure.

In past years, these grants have often led to supporting applications for capital infrastructure projects that have been submitted to programs such as Towns for Tomorrow and the Building Canada Fund – Communities Component.

For more information on John, please visit www.johnslatermla.bc.ca and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JohnSlaterMLA

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