Thread by @AdamPOlsen

For years leaders in the Southern #GulfIslands and Juan de Fuca areas have been advocating to be included in the Island Coastal Economic Trust (@ICET_BC) which would allow them to apply for important grants that other communities outside Victoria and Vancouver have access to. 1/5

The Southern #GulfIslands & Juan de Fuca areas are rural. But as part of the @crd they're deemed "urban" and as a result the regions are excluded from the aforementioned grant programs. Changing the designation to rural would be a game changer in supporting local initiatives! 2/5

The advocacy was going on long before my election in 2017 and I picked up the effort over the past 3.5 years. It’s a remarkably simple change and in the summer 2020 session then-Minister @michellemungall committed to solving this issue for both regions 3/5 adamolsen.ca/2020/07/budget…

On Sunday, September 20th, one day before the snap election, she did. But only for @jjhorgan's riding. Order-in-Council 533 adds Juan de Fuca to the @ICET_BC while ignoring the Southern #GulfIslands and leaving them out of the designation change. 4/5

bclaws.ca/civix/document…

In the spirit of advancing good ideas I expect the new @bcndp government will finish the work they started and add the Southern #GulfIslands to @ICET_BC. 5/5 #bcpoli

timescolonist.com/john-horgan-sa…

This thread is an FYI for @ruralislandsbc @GeorgeHeyman @lanapopham @MurrayRankinNDP @geoffmeggs and anyone connected to the Southern #GulfIslands! #bcpoli

.@richardzussman @RobShaw_BC @BCTodayOfficial let me know if you’d like to talk further about any of the information in this thread! #bcpoli