Victoria, B.C., February 22, 2024 – During today’s provincial budget announcement, the Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance (RBA) was given $250 million over five years. This funding will support planning and construction of infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer and other community facilities needed to create liveable communities.
The members of the RBA Steering Committee, Mayor Herb Pond (North Coast Regional District), Mayor Sean Bujtas (Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine) and Mayor Gladys Atrill (Regional District of Bulkley Nechako) travelled to Victoria to hear the announcement. Although the statement was confidential until the official release of the budget, there was optimism due to the work done to date and the positive relationship that was been built with the Province.
“Securing a commitment to the Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance has been the primary priority of my term as Mayor of Terrace. I am so proud to have been part of the team who signed this game-changing deal. It will go a long way toward making our communities in the northwest more liveable. Thank you to Premier David Eby and the Provincial Government for recognizing us in the Northwest,” Mayor Bujtas acknowledged.
Mayor Pond stated, “This funding is a gamechanger for all our communities. It allows us to fix, replace and build basic infrastructure that all our communities rely on. Now we can invest in our communities without the heavy financial burden being placed on our residents.”
Mayor Atrill expressed gratitude “To all the RBA members who have been working on this initiative for the past 10 years. Your good work has not gone unnoticed.”
The Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance (RBA) is an association of 21 local governments across the Northwest from Masset to Vanderhoof. Formed in 2014, the RBA includes all member municipalities and electoral areas of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, and the North Coast Regional District. The RBA was formed to seek a sustainable funding agreement with the province that ensures more of the revenue generated from the northwest, remains in the region. A funding agreement will allow local governments to better encourage economic development in the northwest and ensure that development creates good local jobs and sustainable, livable communities.
A copy of the RBA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is available on our resources page.
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For further information:
Mayor Herb Pond, RBA Co-Chair, North Coast Regional District
Mayor Gladys Atrill, RBA Co-Chair, Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
Mayor Sean Bujtas, RBA Co-Chair, Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine
Media contact:
Ron Poole, RBA Project Manager
ron@pooleconsulting.ca
Download a PDF copy of this release here.
