The Regional District of Nanaimo will be seeking grants to bring down the cost of two District 69 multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects.
The Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department is planning to build a new firehall that would cost $6.5 million, which the RDN board plans to borrow. But it will go through an alternative approval process to determine if residents in the fire protection area of the department will endorse the proposed loan.
The other project is the Ravensong Aquatic Centre expansion project, that will be completed in two phases and will cost a total of approximately $20 million.
RDN staff proposed to submit the two projects for the Strategic Priorities Fund through the Canada Community Building Fund in British Columbia, formerly known as the Gas Tax Fund. It is administered through the Union of BC Municipalities and can cover 100 per cent of the eligible project cost, to a maximum of $6 million.
READ MORE: Price tag of planned Dashwood fire hall project up to $6.4 million
The District 69 projects fall under the capital infrastructure stream with the Dashwood project eligible for $5.6 million in funding and the first phase of the Ravensong Project $10.6 million.
Other RDN projects that will also be looking for grants are the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Upgrade Design ($5.2 million) and the Climate Adaptation - Regional Integrated Flood Management project, estimated to cost $550,000 over five years.
The RDN board endorsed the projects for submission, with staff members noting obtaining grant funding has the potential to significantly reduce the financial impact of these projects on RDN residents.