Whereas the purpose of the Provinces Rural Dividend Fund is to support rural communities and strengthen their economies; And whereas this goal could be achieved in a more efficient manner if local governments did not have to apply and report on each application individually, but could plan the funding for appropriate projects with a cooperative, strategic lens: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to provide a Rural Dividend allocation to local governments each year through a multi-year agreement, similar to the federal Gas Tax Fund, allowing the local government to effectively utilize the funds for local projects based on provincial criteria, and to complete the process through a simplified annual reporting structure.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The current application-based process for allocating funds through the Rural Dividend Program ensures that funding is provided to projects that will have the greatest impact on economic development in rural communities. Adopting a formula-based allocation for local governments, similar to the model used by the federal gas tax program, would significantly reduce the impact of the Rural Dividend Program by eliminating two of the three eligible applicant groups, First Nations communities and not-for-profit organizations. Additionally, a formula-based allocation model would not allow funding assistance to be prioritized for communities that identify a significant need for support, including communities impacted by the loss of a main employer or the impacts of a natural disaster i.e. wildfireflood. A review of the Rural Dividend Program is currently being conducted to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and ensure the program meets the needs of rural stakeholders. Opportunities to improve the efficiency of how the program works with eligible applicants, including local governments, is part of this review process.