The Government of Canada is helping generate employment opportunities in the Okanagan region by funding an Economic Advancement Committee and a study to determine the feasibility of a tree farm and nursery operation.
Funding of $60,000 was announced by the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Coquihalla, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, under the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.
"With this investment, the Okanagan Nation Alliance can identify new business opportunities allowing them to diversify Westbank's economy," said Minister Day. "Our Government is committed to helping communities rebuild their economic future following the devastation caused by Mountain Pine Beetle."
"The projects announced today are examples of how the Government of Canada is addressing the needs of communities affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation," said Minister Lunn. "Through this support, our Government is helping communities impacted by the Mountain Pine Beetle turn challenges into economic opportunities."
An investment of $37,500 will help the ONA establish an Economic Advancement Committee to develop a strategy to increase the number of Aboriginal businesses and business partnerships in the Okanagan.
A second investment of $22,500 will allow the ONA to study and identify on-reserve agricultural land suitable for nursery operations, and long-term tree farm employment and business opportunities for local Aboriginal people.
"These important initiatives will assist the Okanagan Nation with much-needed capacity building, job creation and future business and economic investments," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Chairman of the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Managed by Western Economic Diversification Canada, CEDI will invest more than $33 million over two years in communities most at risk from the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. The program supports a wide range of projects that further economic growth, job creation and future community sustainability.
The CEDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $200 million comprehensive response to mitigate the short-term and long-term effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation on B.C.'s forestry sector. This federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program is led by Natural Resources Canada, in collaboration with Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Transport Canada.
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy as well as to represent the interests of the West in national decision-making.
For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, please visit: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca
For additional information, contact:
Pierre Floréa
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
(613) 943-1838
Geoff Greenwell
Senior Business Advisor
Okanagan Nation Alliance
Tel: (250) 707-0095
