The Local Weekly The heart and soul of our communities with news and information about the Sunshine Coast
Gibsons and Sechelt received just under $1.5 million this week to support tourism infrastructure development as part of BC’s Economic Recovery Plan.
Gibsons was granted $675,000 for active transportation network upgrades, including parking, signage, bike racks, and electric bike charging stations.
The District of Sechelt received $809,019 for three major projects: Trail Bay sea walk improvements, including washroom, mobile vendors pads and public amenities ($382,500), Hackett Park improvements ($300,000), and a Sechelt Sani-dump installation near downtown and an information kiosk ($126,519).
“This grant enables us to move forward with three important projects which will provide needed amenities for our citizens and visitors as well as providing jobs in the short term,” said Sechelt Mayor Darnelda Siegers in a statement on Monday. “A Sani-dump is very important infrastructure for the whole Coast, and we are pleased to be able to provide that in Sechelt. The improvements to Hackett Park and the Trail Bay sea walk will greatly improve these two gems for our community and for our visitors.”
According to the District of Sechelt, the projects are 100 percent funded through this grant with no matching funding required.
“This direct investment in tourism-dependent communities was a call to action from the tourism sector and an integral part of our recovery plan,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “These projects will provide good-paying jobs now, create valuable assets for communities and attract more visitors in the future.”
The Province identified communities as tourism-dependent based on a combination of criteria, including having a population of fewer than 25,000 and being located outside of Metro Vancouver or the Capital Regional District, having a higher percentage of accommodation-sector wages in comparison to total employment wages, and collecting the municipality and regional district tax.
Thirty-two communities received a combined $19.4 million through the Tourism Dependent Communities Initiative. The approved projects must be completed by March 2023. The Local
