Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust

A $50-million Southern Interior Development Initiative will give communities the funding and ability to create new opportunities for sustainable economic growth and more jobs.

Legislation (Bill 8) was brought into regulation on February 27, 2006 to establish the Southern Interior Development Trust, and was launched on February 28, 2006, with a one-time $50-million grant to be managed by an independent board of directors.

The board of directors is comprised of eight local government officials and five members-at-large appointed by the Provincial government.  The Chair of the board is Jim Thomson, Kamloops. 

The board will make strategic investments in regional economic priorities such as forestry, transportation, tourism, mining, energy, projects related to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, aquaculture, small business and other opportunities for economic diversification. It is expected the board will use the funds to leverage partnerships and other investments with the private sector and other government partners.

Two Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) have been formed consisting of local government officials and MLAs, based on provincial electoral district boundaries:

• Thompson-Okanagan Committee: electoral districts in region from Hope to Kamloops, to Salmon Arm and the Okanagan Valley (not including communities covered by the BC Rail transaction).
• Columbia-Kootenay Committee: electoral districts from Columbia-Revelstoke, East Kootenay, to the West Kootenay-Boundary area.

The role of the RACs is to:  appoint members as directors to the Trust Board; provide advice to the board on projects suitable for Trust funding; establish the terms of office for members; and provide representation for communities and regional district areas under 500 population.

The Chairs of the Regional Advisory Committees are:  Terry Lake, Mayor of Kamloops and John Dooley, Mayor of Nelson.  The Southern Interior Trust expects to complete its strategic plan by late February 2007 and to be fully operational by May, 2007.

The following link will provide information on the appointed board members for the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006ECD0008-000129.htm

Use the following link to access the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust Act legislation:

http://www.leg.bc.ca/38th1st/3rd_read/gov08-3.htm

Contact Information:

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust

103 - 2903 35th Avenue

Vernon, British Columbia

V1T 2S7

Phone:  (250) 545-6829

Fax:      (250) 545-6896

Email:   ceo@sidit-bc.ca

CEO - Ron Baker