First Nations, non-profits also affected by suspension of rural grant program

When the B.C. government recently cancelled a rural grant program, smaller municipalities across the province were left without funding they had been counting on. 

But rural communities aren't the only groups left hanging after the program — which earmarked $25 million for communities of 25,000 or less — was suspended. The money will now be redirected to help pay for the $69 million in aid that is being given to communities suffering from the impact of mill closures and curtailments.

First Nations and non-profits are also feeling the loss. 

"My emails lit up over the last couple of days hearing from folks who are pretty shocked and upset and surprised by the announcement, and how it's going to impact their community in the coming year," Patrick Lucas, founder of the Aboriginal Youth Mountain Bike Program, told Radio West producer Josh Pagé. 

In the past, First Nations communities like ?Esdilagh First Nation were granted $100,000, for example, to help construct a cultural arbour as a tourism destination in the community.    

And Burns Lake Mountain Bike Association, a non-profit organization, was awarded $100,000 from the fund to help build a trail, which helped build Burns Lake as a hub for mountain bikers. 

Without the money from the fund, making those projects happen would have been a challenge, Lucas said. 

"Burns Lake in my opinion is one of the best stories in Northern B.C. when it comes that kind of progressive dynamic thinking," he said.

"When we forego that and just do ... what looks good in terms of optics to support one specific sector, we're bypassing that more important question of how do we support diverse and resilient and adaptive communities."

Lucas said he doesn't begrudge that money is being redirected to forestry workers. Rather, he said he's concerned about the timing of the announcement.

Many communities and organizations have spent a lot of time and money putting together applications for the next round of grants in recent months. 

The most recent application intake was in August, and news of the program suspension came out in September. The Burns Lake Mountain Bike Association spent $3,000 to have a grant application prepared, only to be told there would be no money for any applicants. 

"Surely this could have been figured out a month ago so we did not have to spend the money to put in an application that wasn't going to be put on hold."  said association president Guy Epkens-Shaffer.