Terrace, B.C.- The Province is making  some grants available to  communities in the northwest to help develop plans to  deal with  economic growth spurred by  industrial development.

Two funds have been established:

* Asset Management Capacity Building – grants will support the review of infrastructure capacity (water, sewer, drainage, local roads) and assist communities in determining what additional services are needed for their specific growth needs.

* Community Land-Use Planning – grants will assist local governments to do the work required so that their land use bylaws, policies and plans align with the needs for industrial expansion and maintain community health and quality of life for existing residents. This could include updating local official community plans or zoning bylaws, or conducting new studies for targeted areas like housing affordability.

The grants are available to Terrace, Prince Rupert, District of Kitimat, District of Port Edward, Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine and the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District.