Special Projects
Funding:
REDI-BC
The Rural Economic Diversification Initiative of British Columbia (REDI-BC) is a joint initiative between Western Economic Diversification Canada - BC Region (WD) and the Community Futures British Columbia, to support economic diversification in rural communities throughout BC.
Over the course of 42 months, October 1, 2008 to March 31, 2012, WD will provide Community Futures British Columbia with three million dollars in funding to support REDI-BC projects submitted by its 34 affiliated Community Futures locations.
Governance & Implementation Guidelines 
(352 KB)
News Release - January 8, 2009 (464 KB)
Poster (236 KB)
Brochure (491 KB)
Northern Development Initiative Trust
Catalyst for Opportunities
Northern Development is an independent regional economic development corporation focused on stimulating economic diversification and job creation in central and northern British Columbia, a region that is strategically located, and offers a resource-rich economy with many competitive advantages and incentives for business.
As the leading economic development agency in the region, Northern Development will be the catalyst to inject $2 billion every decade into communities within the region to realize their economic potential. The corporation supports community economic development initiatives with funding for economic diversification infrastructure capacity building, grant writing, community halls, recreational facilities, and community foundations.
Northern Development directly incents private business to create new jobs throughout the region via $30 million in dedicated funding to support capital investment and new job training in central and northern BC.
The corporation operates seven Trust Accounts with funding focused on ten primary investment areas: agriculture, economic development, energy, forestry, mining, Olympic opportunities, pine beetle recovery, small business, tourism, and transportation.
Northern Development was established in 2005 as Northern Development Initiative Trust, an initiative of the Province of British Columbia that is independently governed by a board of thirteen regionally-based directors.
RuralBC Secretariat
Linking Rural Communities
The Province of British Columbia and local governments have worked hard over the past seven years to build strong, healthy communities.
At the 2008 Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention, Premier Gordon Campbell announced the creation of the RuralBC Secretariat, which is working hand-in-hand with rural B.C. communities to ensure they each have the tools to achieve their unique vision for the future.
The RuralBC Secretariat within the Ministry of Community Development provides a direct service and information link between the provincial government and B.C.'s rural communities.
For example, this website offers local governments, regional districts, communities and families access to funding and assistance programs on-line.
Additionally, the Secretariat's regional managers are there to assist communities access the most appropriate programs and sources of provincial and federal funding and to identify opportunities to diversify local economies.
Economic Business Development Initiative
The vision of the Business Development Initiative (BDI) is to increase the benefits to all British Columbians of the exploration, development and production of the provinces oil and gas resources. This can best be achieved by proactively working with all the industries stakeholders to increase British Columbia’s business and employment participation in the oil and gas service sector.
View BDI Executive
Summary
(112
KB)
Video Conferencing to promote Business Development in the Northeast
In partnership with Small Business BC, Western Economic Diversification and Community Futures there will be over 50 video conferencing sites connected in BC to bring the most up to date business training and professional development training to the northeast. Workshops will be advertised on the website.
