Victoria Announces Measures to Upgrade Aboriginal Tourism
Prince George, B.C. – The provincial government has made an announcement it hopes will help boost Aboriginal Tourism and the mid-coast economy of British Columbia.
The provincial government and BC Ferries have committed to establishing a seasonal direct ferry service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola.
Victoria says the service will begin in time for the 2018 summer tourism season and note the search for a vessel has already begun to make that happen.
The new service will require the provincial government to amend the Coastal Ferry Services Contract. In the mean time the government will work with BC Ferries, the Aboriginal Tourism Association and others to determine how to best serve the tourism sector in the region.
The government says the new service will encourage the development of new cultural and eco-tourism options in the region and build jobs.
Just under 5 million international visitors came to B.C. last year – and increase of almost 8% from the year before.
The Province says one of the big draws to the mid-coast is the Great Bear Rainforest. Last February Victoria announced full protection of 85% of the area’s forests.
Along with the new ferry service, the provincial government is investing almost $200,000 in B.C. Air Access Program funding for the Bella Bella Airport.
The money will allow for the construction of a terminal building with the Bella Bella Airport Authority providing the rest of the funding for the project – $480,000.
Complementing the new service and airport upgrade is the recently completed $6.2 million project to upgrade a large portion of Highway 20 outside of Bella Coola.
The Province also announced its providing up to $2.5 million over three years to support the continued development of the First Nations Sustainable Economic Strategy by the BC Assembly of First Nations.
The plan aims to build on discussions this past spring at regional development sessions BCAFN held at First Nations communities’ province-wide.
Victoria says the money “will support a variety of initiatives within the strategy to advance sustainable economic reconciliation with First Nations and provide tangible results for people within those communities.”
Comments
My, my, what a difference 2 years and an upcoming election makes! Two years ago BC Ferries cut service along the coast. At the time, the BC Liberals were told it would hurt tourism, yet they did nothing to intervene.
Different story now!!!
ht tp://bc.ctvnews.ca/ferry-cuts-set-coastal-aboriginal-tourism-efforts-adrift-1.1742264
It is a shame that the government must use the school curriculum to attempt to change native history in B.C. Is this pressure from the feds or from native groups? Since when should our natives be involved in modern industry that they have no history of being involved in? It appears that because the natives were residing in parts of the province they get to participate in industry that had nothing to do with their history. Why at every event these day must we thank them for allowing us to use their territory? Was it not all of society that paid for the schools, building of infrastructure, improving the standard of life for all citizens who wished to improve themselves including the indians. It is the native population that has made the society of entitlement. They should be thanking the other nationalities for helping them! History is not a story but fact. It will take many generations to engineer the our kids into believing what some politicians would have us think as truths.
Yesss but it was their territory… If we entered your house, we most certainly will be thanking you everytime… Think about it
So why is the government bribing Bella cools residents.what treaties do they need signed etc.. This gov is so transparent it’s embarrassing
Well to start off with ……this is where the Royal Couple will Visit later this month.Talk about timing……………
Well if only we had the NDP and those awesome Fast Ferries to scoot people around in…
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