Northern Development Initiative Trust
PRINCE GEORGE – On November 5th, Northern Development announced the approval of $855,559 for the City of Quesnel to advance its waterfront development project through the Trust’s Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF). This grant is the largest single investment Northern Development has made through the SIF program.
The waterfront development project secures the enhancement of eight kilometers of riverfront, allowing for future economic opportunities such as boutique shopping, patio dining and river recreation. It will also feature the Lhtako Dene Cultural Centre and will improve on existing amenities such as the Riverfront Trail and Fraser River Footbridge.
The project encompasses three key areas:
- Fraser River Footbridge landing renewal
- Plan for Indigenous interpretive elements along the riverfront trail
- Improved lighting along riverfront trail from the Fraser River Footbridge to the hospital
The development of the waterfront ties into other City of Quesnel projects such as Alive After Five and the Hosting Precinct, both of which were supported through previous SIF grants.
Joel McKay of CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust
Mayor Bob Simpson
“The Quesnel waterfront project is a multi-pronged initiative that will transform the city’s historic waterfront into a destination, creating new opportunities for growth, job creation and revenue,” said Joel McKay, CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust.
Mayor Bob Simpson of the City of Quesnel adds, “Quesnel City Council is thrilled to have Northern Development once again invest in our community’s transition plan. This particular investment will enable us to accelerate the implementation of our waterfront development strategy, a key component of our plan to position Quesnel as an attractive destination for visitors, residents and investors.”
$285,750 was approved for the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality for Gotta Go-Alaska Highway Rest Stop Washroom Facilities. This grant will allow the municipality to develop and manage multiple rest stop facilities along remote areas of the Alaska Highway through Northeast B.C. These facilities will include accessible washroom amenities, picnic benches, tourism informational kiosk, safety and emergency management signage and increased communication technologies.
$100,000 was approved for the City of Prince Rupert to implement the Northwest Food Systems Initiative pilot project, which will build local food access, literacy and security for social and economic resiliency in Prince Rupert and Northwest BC. The Northwest Food Systems Initiative aims to mitigate the economic impacts of a changing economy by enhancing the local food production/distribution network in the region and increasing employment opportunities in the food production sector.
“We are pleased to be working with Ecotrust Canada to develop a pilot garden project in the city’s downtown, to both breathe energy into a vacant lot, and build literacy and access around locally grown food. Ecotrust has been conducting significant research and offering supports for similar programming in the community over the past few years, and we are happy to have them leading this project,” said Mayor Lee Brain of the City of Prince Rupert.
$15,535 was approved for the Village of McBride to complete a Robson Valley Agricultural Market Opportunities Analysis. The village, in partnership with Community Futures Fraser Fort George, will prepare a detailed agricultural development strategy that will help identify the following:
- New regional markets for export of Robson Valley agriculture producers
- Gaps and barriers in accessing those markets
- Future activities including marketing, training and skill development for Robson Valley producers.
SIF will be offered again in 2021 – submission deadline to be announced at a later date.
