Three Parksville Qualicum Beach projects have been approved for funding through B.C.’s Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program.
The Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce will receive $620,000 for its Mid Vancouver Island Micro-fulfillment Centre project, a delivery warehouse featuring scalable and modular storage space geared towards helping local businesses with their online services. It’s a 20,000-square-foot building that will provide a place for businesses to store goods and products, as well as serve as a processing centre to make deliveries efficient and quicker to costumers.
Chamber executive director Kim Burden is pleased with the funding. He said since the pandemic broke out, they discovered many of the local businesses struggled to switch to online, which has increased in demand.
“One of the biggest issues they’re facing is the delivery side of things,” said Burden. “It’s expensive and there’s a lot of pieces to the pie in order to make sure the people were getting their goods. A micro-fulfillment centre could solve this problem for the businesses on Northern Vancouver Island.”
The chamber has hired a consultant to do a feasibility study. It wants to establish the centre on a land that is owned by the Snaw-naw-as First Nation. Burden said once the centre is operation, it will provide 20 jobs.
The other projects that will be benefiting from the B.C. recovery programs are the Qualicum Beach Historical Museum Society and the Town of Qualicum Beach.
READ MORE: Parksville No. 2 on list of B.C.’s most resilient cities
The society is receiving $123,5000 for the Heritage Powerhouse Conservation and Adaptative Repurposing Project. This project will restore an important heritage building to its original condition while adapting it to be able to host community events and house permanent museum displays.
Qualicum Beach is receiving $444,525 for Phase 2 of the East Village Revitalization project, which will help transform the community’s uptown into a pedestrian-orientated neighbourhood, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the community more accessible.
“The pandemic has been challenging for everyone, our government is responding by prioritizing projects that will create jobs and support people right now, while contributing to long-term economic resiliency,” said Adam Walker, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum. “These investments will support local businesses, facilitate community events, and develop infrastructure, setting people up to thrive now and long after COVID-19 is behind us.”
Other grants in the Vancouver Island/Coast region:
Anacla, Bamfield:
• Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Campground Expansion, $510,340: addition of sites, new trails and service upgrades, and an access road at Pachena Bay Campground.
Comox:
• Town of Comox, Marine Services Building, $1 million: construct indoor and outdoor commercial and retail space in the growing Comox Marina.
Dididaht:
• Ditidaht First Nation, Marine Access Revitalization, $409,871: expand and upgrade the dock, including platform, fencing, pedestrian ramp, lighting and interpretive kiosk.
Gwa’yas’dums, Gilford Island
• Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, Revitalizing the Shores of Gwa’yas’dums – Buddy Bay Campground, $274,971: assessments, design and construction of kayak-accessible Buddy Bay campground.
Malahat First Nation, Mill Bay:
• Malahat First Nation, Malahat Business Park Infrastructure Expansion, $999,281: final stage of clearing, grading and services for light industrial development.
Mount Cain Alpine Park, Regional District of Mount Waddington Area D:
• Mount Cain Alpine Park Society, Mount Cain Lodge, $874,000: construct new day lodge to house services and support move to summer operations.
Pacheedaht First Nation, Port Renfrew:
* Pacheedaht First Nation, Campground Expansion, $992,589: add serviced and unserviced camp sites, service additional sites, washroom facilities and parking, and improve access.
Port Renfrew:
• WorkLink Employment Society, Mobile Visitor/Business Information Center, $280,000: trailer, renovations, landscaping, services for a visitor centre that can be relocated.
Powell River:
• qathet Regional District Area C, Powell River Airport Runway Extension Phase 1, $1 million: cap landfill to allow for runway expansion to support deliveries and passenger flights.
Salt Spring Island:
• Salt Spring Abattoir Society, Salt Spring Abattoir Expansion, $222,525: expansion to increase processing capacity to support famers and meet demand for local meat.
Tlowitsis
• Tlowitsis Nation, Redevelopment of the Naka Creek Campsite, $352,583: convert campsite to fee-for-service and upgrade facilities.
Tork IR#7:
• Klahoose First Nation, Klahoose First Nation Marine Access Revitalization, $361,590: improve facilities, including dock extension, fish cleaning station, covered gathering area, boat ramp and parking.
