The City of Campbell River is getting a half a million dollar Christmas gift from the federal government.
The money is the second instalment of funding the city is entitled to through the Community Works Fund.
Campbell River is receiving $661,749 – the remainder of its $1.3 million share for the 2015/16 fiscal year.
The funding is part of an annual contribution, paid out in two instalments, to local governments from the federal government’s Gas Tax Fund.
The $2 billion fund goes towards helping municipalities build and revitalize local infrastructure while aiming to create jobs and long-term growth.
This year, $5.5 million was allocated to local governments on the North Island, including the Strathcona Regional District which was given $453,405.
Al Richmond, president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, said the funds must be put towards a project that falls under a specific criteria.
“Funding under the program may be directed to local priorities that fall within one of the eligible project categories,” Richmond said.
Those categories include: public transit, roads, airports, drinking water, solid waste, recreation infrastructure, cultural infrastructure, tourism infrastructure, broadband connectivity and long-term infrastructure plans.
The City of Campbell River has earmarked its Gas Tax funds to help pay for the new all-weather field at Robron Park.
The project eligibility was expanded by the Canadian government recently to allow Gas Tax monies to be put towards recreational facilities.
Quick facts
Through the Gas Tax fund, close to $22 billion will go to communities across Canada between 2014 and 2024, including $5.5 million to those on the North Island.
The Gas Tax fund has provided $15 billion to communities since the program began, including $2 billion in 2015/2016.