Image: City of Chilliwack / The City of Chilliwack plans to use over half of a $16.3 million funding allocation announced by the provincial government last week for racquet sport facilities and a "biological treatment expansion" of its wastewater treatment plant. It will also fund things like pedestrian improvements, multi-use gaming areas, cycle pump tracks, and improvements to the Valley Rail Trail. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

City of Chilliwack

City of Chilliwack to use $16.3 million funding for racquet sport facilities, wastewater treatment plant and more

Mar 9, 2023 | 6:54 AM

CHILLIWACK — The City of Chilliwack plans to use over half of a $16.3 million funding allocation announced by the provincial government last week for racquet sport facilities and a “biological treatment expansion” of its wastewater treatment plant.

On its meeting agenda this past Tuesday (Mar. 7), Chilliwack City Council approved a list of recommended projects in conjunction with a funding dispersal of $1 billion from the B.C. government through the Growing Communities Fund that pays for local infrastructure and amenities projects. Chilliwack is set to receive $16,392,000.

Of the 11 projects submitted to council by Glen Savard, director of finance for the City of Chilliwack, racquet sport facilities carries a price tag of $5,660,000, followed by a “biological treatment expansion” of a wastewater treatment plan at a cost of $5 million even.

Among the remaining projects, the city plans to fund a public safety building renovation for $1.6 million, and implement pedestrian improvements for $1.2 million. Multi-use gaming areas are next up on the list at a cost of $750,000, followed by cycle pump tracks ($600,000), a bleacher structure at Townsend Park ($500,000), improvements to the Valley Rail Trail ($430,000), improvements to the Hope River Road Trail ($350,000), and building a neighbourhood spray park ($150,000). Rounding out the list was a line item of “off-leash dog areas” for $152,000.

Savard noted in his staff report that the provincial funding allocation enables the city to move forward with certain priority projects and have them funded sooner than otherwise.

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“Each year as part of the financial planning process, the City is faced with many competing priorities and needs with respect to capital infrastructure and Council is tasked with making careful budget prioritization decisions amongst many projects,” Savard wrote in his staff report to councillors. “This planning results in many capital projects that are not fundable immediately, but are planned for in future years within the 10-year Financial Plan. This grant funding will allow a number of priority projects to be advanced sooner and funded sooner than otherwise possible, thereby, addressing many various infrastructure requirements within the community.”

As part of the Growing Communities Fund, Abbotsford will receive $27.4 million, the District of Kent will get $2.7 million, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs will receive $1.2 million, and the District of Hope will get $2.8 million, all through the same Growing Communities Fund.

Grants are distributed to municipalities and regional districts using a funding formula that reflects population size and growth.

On Feb. 10, 2023, the B.C. 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.

All local governments are required to report on the use of funds in their annual audited financial statements. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs will provide further guidance to municipalities and regional districts on the use of their funds in the coming weeks.

“The transfer of these funds provides massive investments for every local government in the province,” said Jen Ford, president, Union of B.C. Municipalities. “This new funding will allow communities to accelerate the replacement of aging systems, and expansion to current services to better meet the demands of growing populations. The approach of providing funding upfront will ensure that these funds are directed to the most urgent priorities identified in each community.”