Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance to receive provincial funding for future engagement

As the collective of municipal leaders under the banner of the Northwest British Columbia Resource Benefits Alliance continues its work to gain a better share of provincial revenues from resource development, they will move forward with their plans with an additional 300,000 dollars in their budget for further engagement.

The Province of British Columbia has provided the Northwest group with the funding, with Premier John Horgan applauding their work to this point in raising issues and seeking to stabilize the economy of the region.

 “We believe that people should benefit from the prosperity generated by their hard work, and the resources of the regions where they live. I applaud the efforts of the RBA to strengthen their local economies,”  ... “We are committed to working with Northwest communities as they work to help stabilize their economy over the long term.”

Selina Robinson, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing noted that it's expected that the group which has a geographical reach from Vanderhoof to Haida Gwaii, will make use of the funding to help build relationships with First Nations, labour groups, major project proponents, local business and the non-profit sector.

The NWBCRA consists of 21 local governments and is actively involved in their collective work towards advocacy for a better share of resource revenues and more attention to the growing list of infrastructure concerns that have come with the range of industrial projects across the Northwest.

RBA Chair Bill Miller  hailed today's announcement as another positive step in their relationship with the provincial government

"The RBA Shares the government's vision of economic development that creates good local jobs and sustainable communities ... We thank the Premier and Minister for recognizing that liveable, well serviced communities are essential for economic development"

The full statement related to today's announcement can be reviewed here.

One of the goals of the Alliance is to negotiate a benefits deal with the provincial government, but progress has been slow to deliver results on those ambitions to this point.

Prince Rupert Mayor Lee Brain and many of the other Northwest representatives to the RBA met with the Premier during his recent whistle stop tour of the region in March.

Last month, the group also delivered a submission to the Provincial engagement process related to rural development.

For more items of note related to Provincial issues see our archive page here.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review