Photo: Westhills Aggregates

Three Penticton Indian Band companies have received a combined $30,000 from the provincial government’s rural dividend fund.

The grants are among 68 announced last week eligible to communities and First Nations smaller than 25,000 people.

The PIB Development Corporation, now known at the Ku’l Group, received $10,000 to help launch a new Indigenous-owned tourism venture.

The PIB-owned Snpinktn Forestry Ltd. was given $10,000 to help create a new industry-training standard that promotes Indigenous values. 

Westhills Aggregates received $10,000 for branding and marketing.

Elsewhere in the region, the Summerland Ryga Festival was given just under $10,000. The Town of Princeton got $10,000 for the local industrial park. Lower Similkameen Indian Band’s Skul'qalt Forestry was given $10,000.

This round of funding was designed to help pay for preliminary work that is necessary to pursue larger community projects in the future.

“It takes a lot of hard work to develop ideas that can stimulate local prosperity and create jobs for small communities,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

“Rural citizens are resourceful, and the calibre of these project development applications reflects their ingenuity and commitment to community development.”