Proponents are expected to attend the public input meeting in each area that funding support is requested from and organizations need to be prepared to make a short presentation regarding their project or be prepared to respond to inquiries about their project. Public input meetings will be held throughout the RDCK during the month of April. The meeting schedule will also be made available in local newspapers towards the end of March and details regarding how each area conducts their public input meeting (adjudication process, community involvement and criteria conditions) will be made available on the RDCK website prior to the meeting dates.
The Community Initiatives and Affected Areas Programs (CIP/AAP) are intended to be flexible and incorporate community-based funding decisions. The programs support local projects that provide additional value to Basin communities, and that benefit the broad community and public good. Program funds are distributed annually to the Trust’s local government partners: the regional districts of East Kootenay, Central Kootenay and Kootenay Boundary, the City of Revelstoke, Town of Golden, Village of Valemount, and to our Indigenous partners: Ɂaq’am, Ɂakisq’nuk, Lower Kootenay (Yaqan nuɁkiy), Tobacco Plains Indian Band (Ɂakink’umŧasnuqŧiɁit) and the Shuswap Indian Band.
CIP/AAP Program Funding is for meeting community and public needs rather than private needs and the Columbia Basin Trust Act requires Trust funding NOT relieve any level of government of its normal obligations. Program funds are not to be used to fund basic infrastructure activities such as roads, sewers, water systems, fire services and core services normally provided through government taxation.
The Affected Areas Program (AAP) is designed to put funds back into the Basin for those communities most affected by dam construction under the Columbia River Treaty. The AAP funds projects that meet priorities in communities which lie within 10 kilometres of the Duncan Reservoir (portion of Area D) as well as within 10 kilometres of the Arrow Lakes, upstream of the reservoir (portion of Area J), all of Area K, and the Village of Nakusp. Affected Area communities include: portion of Area D (Argenta, Cooper Creek, Howser, Johnsons Landing, Lardeau and Meadow Creek), portion of Area J (Brooklyn, Deer Park, Renata, Shields and Syringa), and Area K (Arrow Park, Burton, Edgewood, Fauquier, Rural Nakusp/Bayview and the Village of Nakusp).