Businesses in Mission, Deroche, Hope, Harrison, the District of Kent and Agassiz will have access to a full-time recovery advisor to guide them through ongoing COVID challenges.
Stó:lō Community Futures (SCF) and Community Futures North Fraser (CFNF) have been granted funding through the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior’s (ETSI-BC) Rural Business and Community Recovery Program (RBCR) to hire a recovery advisor for a one-year term.
“We were excited with the interest shown by communities and business support organizations throughout the Southern Interior to hire recovery advisors through this funding,” said Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC. “We are delighted to provide this assistance in our region with support from the province of B.C. as it delivers on its StrongerBC Plan.”
SCF and CFNF announced their advisor will provide one-on-one recovery services to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses located in the above municipalities, in an April 28 news release.
“To be able to expand our focus on business recovery with a dedicated position will be an invaluable resource for many businesses in these areas,” the release said. “We want to thank ETSI-BC and the province for this RBCR Funding and the opportunity to help all of these businesses when they need it the most.”
ETSI-BC has selected 20 applicants from rural communities in the Southern Interior to receive the funding, whose projects will create 30 part-time and full-time advisory positions.
Fifty-nine communities, including 10 Indigenous communities, across all nine of ETSI-BC’s regional districts are being assisted by the RBCR project.
“In reviewing the applications, we saw innovation at the forefront as a key to economic recovery for communities,” said Douglas. “Our team is working closely with the recipients so their recovery advisors can engage and begin providing much-needed economic recovery support.”
ETSI-BC (formerly SIDIT) was created by the province in 2006, and was allocated $50 million to assist in growing and diversifying the economy of B.C.’s Southern Interior. It is governed by a 13-member board made up of local elected officials and provincial appointees.
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