Whistler, Pemberton and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
will receive a combined total of $380,000 from the provincial government’s
Small Community Grant and Regional District Grant programs this year.
“It is important provincial and local governments work together
in order to provide the people we serve with the services they need,” MLA Joan
McIntyre said in announcing the grants last week.
The grants are intended to help small and medium sized
municipalities fund basic services for residents.
Under a new formula Whistler will receive almost $85,000.
Whistler did not receive any money from the grants last year.
Pemberton will receive $175,000; last year the community
received $117,000.
The grant for the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District will be
the same as last year, $120,000.
A press release announcing the grants stated that this is the
first step in the province's commitment to doubling these unconditional grants
over the next four years, as announced by Premier Gordon Campbell at the 2005
Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting.
The grants are in addition to the traffic fine revenue sharing
program which sees all traffic fine revenue returned to municipalities to
assist in providing for public safety. Initiatives include community policing,
crime prevention and education.