As part of a commitment in the provincial government’s economic recovery plan, the District of Kitimat recently received $2,176,000 under the federal Safe Restart Agreement to B.C.’s local governments.
Funding was provided to municipalities, as well as regional districts, to help support them during the pandemic and the economic downturns it’s brought to communities.
Kitimat mayor Phil Germuth said that the District of Kitimat will be deciding what to do with the funding it received when Council begind its 2021 budget discussions.
“We haven’t quite decided [what to do with the money],” Germuth said. “Through our 2021 budget process, that’s how we’ll decide how we’ll spend the money. If I had to guess, I would anticipate that some of the funding will offset lost revenues, for example, you know, through our client recreation facility usage. And I would also anticipate that some of the funding would be allocated to supporting 2021 capital budget items.”
Germuth is also chair of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, which received $559,000 for its funding. Germuth said the plan for that funding is likely similar to the plan for the Kitimat grant, with a focus on offsetting lost revenue and supporting 2021 capital projects.
For more on the Safe Restart funding, read the Nov. 19 edition of the Kitimat Northern Sentinel.
READ MORE: Kitimat Economic Recovery Task Force launches Phase One of Kitimat COVID-19 Business Support
READ MORE: B.C.’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan: Top 5 things you need to know
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