The Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes, announced the dissemination of $115 million in grants from the Small Community and Regional District Grant and Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Grant Programs. The annual grants will be paid out in two instalments, one in March and one in June of 2015.
"Local governments have the discretion to use the money from the Small Community and Regional District Grants where they feel it is best spent according to their needs and priorities," Oakes said in a press release. "They use it to provide local services, infrastructure and important programs for B.C. families."
Metchosin led the way with $181,946 from the small communities grant program, but received none from the traffic fine program. View Royal was next with $133,755 and $26,670 from the two programs, respectively. Colwood received $82,033 and $52,040 for a total of $134,073, Highlands was awarded $129,514 in small communities money only, and Langford received no small community money, but took in $93,239 from the traffic fine program.
Small Community and Regional District Grants are unconditional but are meant to help address infrastructure, administration and service delivery, while traffic fine revenue, derived from ticket fines and court-imposed fines from violations are provided to help fund protection services and community safety.
Langford treasurer Steve Ternent said the municipality has used past traffic fine revenue to help pay for extra police officers at the West Shore RCMP.
Funding under these programs have provided more than $718 million since 2009.
alim@goldstreamgazette.com