The Northern Development Initiative Trust announced a pair of $300,000 grants for the Prince George Airport and Caledonia Nordic Ski Club on Tuesday.
The funding was part of nearly $2.1 million in grants announced for 10 projects across northern B.C. on Tuesday.
“These approvals support our vision of Northern B.C. having growing, energetic communities by investing $2.1 million into crucial infrastructure and housing projects,” NDIT CEO Joel McKay said in a press release. ” Other projects allow communities to celebrate and share their culture, history and skills, increasing vibrancy and creating opportunities for economic development and diversification.”
The grant will allow the airport to expand and renovate its food service area. The cafeteria-style service will be replaced with a local, full-service restaurant and bar, bakery, chocolatier, catering and grab-and-go service run by an established and reputable local catering business. The new service is expected to improve services to travellers, create jobs, showcase what the city has to offer and generate revenue for the airport.
The Caledonia Nordic Ski Club will use its funding to complete the third phase of the club’s snow making expansion. The third phase, expected to be complete by fall next year, will mean the purchase of six new snow guns and additional infrastructure.
The plan is expected to allow the club to make snow for an additional eight kilometres of trails. Snow making capacity allows the club to have early, sustainable and predictable snow for members and hosting events.
Once complete, the club will have the largest and most advanced Nordic snow making systems in Canada.
“… The approval of funding for these diverse projects will go a long way in supporting the unique needs of communities in central and northern B.C.,” B.C. Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Minister Ravi Kahlon said in a press release. “As B.C. continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, these important projects provide optimism for the future.”
