Governments on the Coast have received more than $950,000 from the provincial government through the Strategic Community Investment Fund this year.
The fund includes money dispersed through the traffic fine revenue sharing program and small community/regional district grant programs. Province-wide nearly $74 million was provided to local governments to use as needed.
The community/regional district grants awarded can be used in whatever way local governments deem necessary.
“This is money in the hands of local governments to provide local services, to provide important local programs and to invest in community safety,” said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “They make the decisions about how they spend the money according to their needs and priorities so that B.C. families derive the most benefit.”
The traffic fine revenue monies, however, are meant to be spent on ensuring community safety and addressing community priorities.
On the Coast, the only municipality to receive traffic fine revenue money is the District of Sechelt as it’s the only municipality with a population over 5,000 and therefore pays its own policing costs, making it eligible for the revenue sharing program.
Sechelt’s chief financial officer Victor Mema said the District received $76,484 in traffic fine revenue money and $252,820 through a small community grant this year.
“Small community grant funds are part of funding of our 2014 capital budget while traffic fine funds were allocated to community groups and programs engaged in crime reduction activities,” Mema said.
The Town of Gibsons received a $310,793 small community grant.
Director of finance Ian Poole said the Town knew the money was coming and the approximate amount so they budgeted accordingly.
“We have budgeted to have these funds as part of our general fund revenues to fund general government operations, public works/engineering and parks,” Poole said.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District received a small community grant of $125,740. Jackie Day, manager of financial services, said the money has been allocated for 2014.
“We receive funding every year and basically what these funds are used for is to support the administration of the regional district in order to avoid tax increases,” she said.
The Sechelt Indian Band also received $186,021 through a small community grant to use as they see fit.
