BARRY O’RIORDAN
COWICHAN VALLEY – Five Cowichan region governments have been successful in obtaining funding from the new Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) through the BC Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (JEDI).
In November 2022, the Government of BC announced $33 million for the creation of the REDIP program, which supports projects that promote economic diversification, resilience, clean-growth opportunities and infrastructure development. The funds are part of the Province’s suite of supports for forestry workers, industry, communities and First Nations that may be affected by restrictions on old-growth logging.
Successful recipients of the REDIP funds were announced on April 11, and include three First Nations and two municipalities in Cowichan:
- City of Duncan:Station Street Placemaking Project, $1,000,000
- Ts’uubaa-asatx First Nation:Ts’uubaa-asatx Marina Development, $915,448.80
- District Municipality of North Cowichan:Leveraging Infrastructure to Transition the Economy (LITE) – Attracting investments into Clean Tech and Value-Added Sectors, $500,000
- Ditidaht First Nation: Caycuse Recreation Site Expansion – Development Plan and Feasibility Study, $173,425
- Malahat Nation: Malahat Economic Capacity Development Project, $100,000
EDC is very excited to see over $2.5 million in investment for a variety of economic development initiatives in the Cowichan region. In particular, EDC staff supported the development of North Cowichan’s application to the REDIP program, which will in part advance recommendations stemming from the 2019 Cowichan Industrial Land Use Strategy to create more serviced industrial land in the region.
“Economic diversification and clean-growth development are of incredible importance for today, and for future generations,” said George Farkas, General Manager, Planning, Development and Community Services at the Municipality of North Cowichan. “Through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program funding, North Cowichan will be able to action significant planning to support commercial and industrial growth, plus sustainable forest management planning.”
A full list of funded projects can be found here.
Barry O’Riordan is the Manager of Economic Development Cowichan.