The City of New Westminster is getting a $15.8-million cut out of the province’s Growing Communities Fund.
In February, the provincial government announced the Growing Communities Fund, which provides a one-time total of $1 billion in grants to all 188 B.C. municipalities and regional districts. Today, the province announced how much individual municipalities would be receiving, with New West set to get $15,850,000.
"Our communities are growing and this puts more pressure on community centres, parks and swimming pools that families rely on. To help, we're providing the single largest provincial investment in communities in B.C.'s history," Premier David Eby said in a March 3 news release. "The new Growing Communities Fund will help local communities get building. Growing communities need our support, and this funding will make a big difference for everyone."
According to the news release, grants will be distributed to municipalities and regional districts using a funding formula that reflects population size and growth. The formula incorporates an initial $500,000 per municipality or district, and further adjustments for population size and per-capita population growth between 2016 and 2021, based on BC Stats data.
“This method considers the impacts of service and amenity demands on smaller and rural communities and the additional pressures experienced by faster-growing communities,” said the news release. “Grants will be distributed to local governments by the end of March 2023.”
New Westminster city council recently discussed the use of the Growing Community Fund during a Feb. 27 workshop on the budget. At a Feb. 27 workshop, council voted 5-2 in favour of a recommendation directing staff to report back on the draft consolidated financial plan bylaw that incorporates a $166-million capital budget in 2023.
At the meeting, Coun. Daniel Fontaine presented council with an on-table motion related to some projects he’d like the city to support with the city’s share of the Growing Communities Fund. A majority of council, however, stated the city had not received details about how much funding New Westminster would be receiving from the province or provincial requirements about the use of the funds.
Lisa Spitale, the city’s chief administrative officer, advised council that her experience with provincial funding has shown it may have conditions that the city is not aware of yet.
“It isn't prudent for the treasurer or myself to actually get ahead of that, until we understand what the province's expectations are,” she told council. “When we understand that, our practice is to bring that to council and seek direction.”
According to the province’s press release, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs will provide further guidance to municipalities and regional districts on the use of their funds in the coming weeks. Local governments are required to report how they used the funds in their annual audited financial statements.
In a joint press release, New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside and Queensborough-Richmond MLA Aman Singh said the “historic investment” of nearly $16 million for the City of Westminster will enable the community to fund key projects, ensuring that people have services they can rely on as populations grow.
"As we continue to recover from challenging times as a province, our New Democrat government is investing in communities so they can provide the services people count on," Singh said in the news release. "This support will help build communities where everyone can thrive."
📢 SOUND OFF: How would you like to see the city spend its $15.8 million? What should its priorities be for funding? Share your thoughts — send us a letter.
