Economic Development

Local Governments and First Nations are promoting understanding and the development and dissemination of measures, methodologies and tools. Their efforts are aimed at increasing economic resilience and reducing reliance on vulnerable economic sectors in their communities and regions. The following links provide more information for local governments and First Nations about economic diversification.

Please note that the Province of British Columbia is not responsible for the material and/or content presented on any non-provincial government site listed below.

Funding Programs

British Columbia Conservation Corps Funding
The British Columbia Conservation Corps (BCCC) is an exciting program that provides work opportunities for students and recent graduates who may be considering a career in the environmental sector. The Ministry has partnered with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation to manage the program. Projects undertaken within this program provide Corps members a chance to gain valuable, first-hand experience in a wide variety of scientific and technical roles that will contribute to conserving and enhancing British Columbia's environment.
http://www.bcconservationcorps.ca/index.html

Canada - British Columbia Western Economic Partnership Agreement
The Western Economic Partnership Agreements (WEPAs) are joint federal/provincial initiatives aimed at fostering increased economic activity and improving the quality of life in communities across Western Canada. Funding is directed to initiatives that support: innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable communities.
http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/297.asp

Columbia Basin Trust Community Development Program
The Community Development Program responds to project proposals or ideas from Basin communities, groups and organizations that build capacity within the Basin in ways that are consistent with the Columbia Basin Trust’s mandate of supporting the efforts of the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being and to achieve greater self sufficiency for present and future generations.
http://www.cbt.org

Community Adjustment Fund
Provides one billion over two years for economic stimulus projects that will mitigate the short-term impacts of the economic downturn.
http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/11269.asp

Community Development Program, Building Rural and Northern Partnerships
Offers funding to assist rural and northern regions get information, and access/develop the expertise, tools and processes needed to: 1) respond to rural/northern challenges and opportunities; and 2) become more competitive by collaborating regionally, building on their local assets and developing unused potential.
http://www.rural.gc.ca/RURAL/...

Community Development Program: Building Rural and Northern Partnerships
– Rural Secretariat
Is a contribution program that offers a limited amount of funding to assist rural and northern regions to obtain information and access/develop the expertise, tools and processes needed to rural and northern challenges and opportunities, and to become more competitive by collaborating regionally, building on their local assets and developing unused potential.
Applicant's Guide - June 9, 2009 (PDF, 292KB)

Community Development Trust
Launched in 2008, this initiative includes three programs: the Transitional Assistance Program supports older workers as they move towards retirement; the Tuition Assistance Program helps forestry workers upgrade skills; the Job Opportunities Program creates short-term job opportunities for forestry, fishing, agriculture, mining or manufacturing resource workers.
http://www.cd.gov.bc.ca/cdt

Community Tourism Program
The Community Tourism Program is designed to assist local governments in building their economies by increasing tourism. Grant funding is available to local governments based on a per capita funding formula to undertake planning and capital projects for tourism related activities and initiatives. A local government is eligible to be funded at 100% of the total program costs, to a maximum contribution as determined by the per-capita funding formula.
http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=264

Enterprising Non-profits
Provides technical assistance grants for social enterprise in BC. Prequalify by attending a workshop this spring. Social enterprise orientation sessions will be hosted in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Surrey, Kamloops, Revelstoke, Kitamaat Village, Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, and Cranbrook.
http://www.enterprisingnonprofits.ca

Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation — Manning Innovation Awards
By means of a nomination, Canadians who have demonstrated recent innovative talent in developing and successfully marketing a new concept, process or procedure, may be eligible for one of these awards.
http://www.manningawards.ca/awards/index.shtml

Green Municipal Fund Sustainable Community Plans 2008
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities offers Green Municipal Fund (GMF) grants to cover half the eligible costs of sustainable community plans. Plans must consider environmental, social and economic objectives and include specific targets for environmental performance.
http://www.sustainablecommunities.fcm.ca/GMF/Funding-Plans.asp

Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund
The mandate of the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund is to accelerate the development of new energy technologies that have the potential to solve real, everyday energy and environmental issues and create significant socio-economic benefits for all British Columbians.
http://www.gov.bc.ca/tted/popt/innovative_clean_energy_fund.html

Island Coastal Economic Trust
The Island Coastal Economic Trust provides funding to create new and sustainable regional economic growth through strategic investments in targeted “sectors” with the north Island, coastal and Sunshine Coast regional economy.
http://www.islandcoastaltrust.ca/index.php

National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Helps small and medium-sized Canadian firms develop and commercialise technology and build their innovation capacity.
http://wwwreno.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/...

Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund
The Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society is a grant-making agency that assists the people of North West British Columbia, and in particular the Nechako region and Kitamaat Village, by sponsoring sustainable economic and social projects in the area most affected by the Kemano project and the creation of the Nechako Reservoir. The NKDF will invest in community economic development projects and/or programs that are supported by the community, as long as they do not subsidize private business.
http://www.nkdf.org/

Northern Development Funding Opportunities
Is an independent regional economic development corporation focuses on stimulating economic diversification and job creation in central and northern British Columbia, a region that is strategically located, and offers resource-rich economy with many competitive advantages and incentives for business.
http://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Community Foundation Funding Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Community Foundation Funding Program assists all municipalities and regional district electoral areas in the Northern Development Initiative Trust region of central and northern British Columbia in building an endowment fund that supports local social, cultural and environmental needs via local decision-making.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/community-foundations

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Community Halls and Recreation Facilities Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Community Halls and Recreation Facilities Program provides municipalities, regional districts, First Nations and non-profit groups with a one-time $30,000 grant from a Regional Development Account to improve or expand existing facilities, in order to increase the number of events held annually in the community, contributing to service sector revenues in the local economy.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/community-halls-and-recreation-facilities

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Economic Development Capacity Building
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Economic Development Capacity Building Program funding provides $30,000 annually from the Cross Regional Account to ensure stable economic development funding for municipalities and regional districts. An additional $5,000 is available to each eligible local government, specifically for a collaborative project with another local government, regional economic development alliance, or another group, with outcomes that deliver measureable economic benefits to the area.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/economic-development-capacity-building

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Economic Diversification Infrastructure Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Economic Diversification Infrastructure program provides municipalities, regional districts, First Nations and non-profit groups funding via Northern Development’s six (6) principal Trust Accounts: the Regional Development Accounts (Cariboo-Chilcotin/Lillooet, Northeast, Northwest, and Prince George), the Pine Beetle Recovery Account, and the Cross Regional Account. As Northern Development’s primary community economic development funding program, projects that serve to diversify local and regional economies are eligible for infrastructure and capital investment funding.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/economic-diversification-infrastructure

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Feasibility Studies or Marketing Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Feasibility Studies or Marketing Program provides municipalities, regional districts, First Nations and non-profit groups such as industry associations with a grant up to a $20,000 for: a feasibility study that will demonstrate a strong business case for an infrastructure project that is aligned with Northern Development’s Economic Diversification Infrastructure funding program that will diversify and provide direct measurable economic benefits to the local or regional economy, or; development and implementation of a marketing program that will increase revenues within the region.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/feasibility-studies-or-marketing

Northern Development Initiative Trust - Industry Attraction Rebate Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust's Industry Attraction Rebate Program provides up to $20,000 in matched funding from the Cross Regional Account directly to communities in central and northern British Columbia to hire appropriate resources to create jobs through industry attraction. As an output from this work, communities will: understand the needs of the target industry; how they can meet those needs; and implement focused marketing and discussions with senior executives at target companies.
http://northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/industry-attraction

Rural Partnership Development Program
The Rural Partnership Development Program is a funding program which offers a limited amount of funding in two categories: "Community Development Support" (Workshops and Conferences, and Partnership Development) and "Reinforcing Capacities & Building Knowledge". The Rural Partnership Development Program objective is to engage stakeholders to develop collaborative activities that enhance developmental capacity in rural, northern or remote communities and regions.
http://www.rural.gc.ca/programs/part_e.phtml

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust
A $50-million Southern Interior Development Initiative will give communities the funding and ability to create new opportunities for sustainable economic growth and more jobs. The mission of the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust is to support regionally strategic investments in economic development projects that will have long-lasting and measurable regional benefits for the Southern Interior.
http://www.sidit-bc.ca/

Towns for Tomorrow Program
Municipalities with populations up to 15,000 and regional districts are now eligible for funding to develop and enhance local infrastructure. Now a five-year, $71-million program, Towns for Tomorrow supports projects that address climate change and contribute to the overall health, sustainability and livability of communities.
http://www.townsfortomorrow.gov.bc.ca

Urban Development Agreements
An Urban Development Agreement is a partnership between federal, provincial and municipal governments to collaborate when addressing broad urban development issues for specific cities. Whether it is inner city revitalization, strengthened innovation, or sustainable economic development, each urban development agreement is tailored to address the needs of the city it involves.
http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/298.asp