Thornhill is to be the first beneficiary of a $11.89 million grant being provided to the Kitimat-Stikine regional district by the provincial government.
That comes from a commitment to spend $903,599 on a well to secure the community's water supply, regional district chief financial officer Marc Schibli confirmed with the regional district's board when it met Oct. 25.
The $11.89 million works out to just under $2.38 million to be allocated each year for five years beginning this year through a deal reached this spring between northwestern local governments and the province. Altogether, northwestern local governments acting as the Northwest B.C. Resource Benefits Alliance are dividing up $250 million.
Schibli said regional district staffers looked at a number of options of how to spend the money. They indicated fairness for each of the six electoral areas making up the regional district, needs and the risk of what might happen should projects not be undertaken were considered.
"What is the risk that we expose ourselves to if we choose not to move forward with a project due to lack of funding," he told directors. "Each project kind of carries unique risks."
"In Thornhill, there was a risk that [if] we had a single point of failure, their community could be entirely without water if there was a failure. So, for there, the risk is high," Schibli continued.
As for fairness and equity between the six areas making up the regional district of Thornhill, the larger rural area surrounding Terrace, rural Hazelton, the Nass Valley, the Iskut and Telegraph Creek region and Dease Lake, Schibli said staffers thoroughly thought out an approach.
"We also want to be cognizant that each electoral area gains some benefit from these funds," he said. "While not being restricted to set allocations in each area, we want each area to benefit but we really want to allocate these funds to specific projects based on risk and need," he continued.
With the Thornhill well commitment of $903,000 already made for 2024, Schibli said $1.476 million must still be allocated this year to reach the commitment made to spend $2.38 million in each of the five years.
So far, staffers are leaning toward operational support of the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre in the Hazeltons, and significant improvements to fencing and waste disposal sections of the Meziadin landfill.
Although the provincial grant is mainly intended for capital projects, 15 per cent can be spent on operations. This year that amounts to $356,599. Staffers think it should all go to the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre.
A further $464,150 is being recommended for fencing at the Meziadin landfill and another $655,072 toward the tentative $3 million cost to add waste disposal sections to the landfill.
Schibli said regional district board members can expect firm recommendations for commitments in 2024 to be presented for approval at the board's November committee of the whole meeting.
Other projects that were considered for this year and which could surface as recommendations for the remaining four years of the provincial grant program include a solid waste partnership with the Nisga'a Nation, operating costs to help the Hazelton library, a regional parks service for the rural area surrounding Terrace, a transportation service for the Iskut area and improving fire protection in Dease Lake.
