Business View Magazine | March 2020

360 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 We have several initiatives going on that will bring benefits to the economy and environment. The North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project is underway – the project received $24.3 million in government funding, plus $5.9 million from the Okanagan Basin Water Board. So, over 80 percent of the cost is being covered. Thanks to those grants, it makes it possible for communities like ours to do these big projects.” The North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project is a unique and innovative partnership between the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), Township of Spallumcheen, and Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB). The project will provide sewer service to residents and businesses in portions of RDNO Electoral Areas B and C, the Township of Spallumcheen’s southeast industrial area, and the ability to service parts of OKIB and reclaim water for agricultural irrigation. Launched in 2015, the collective goal is to address concerns over environmental degradation of Swan Lake, the challenges of drought-conditions for local agriculture, and the limited ability to sustainably meet the demands for industrial, commercial, and residential growth in the area. To promote tourism and an active, healthy lifestyle, the RDNO has invested in a massive network of trails. Many years ago, CN and CP Rail started selling off parts of their corridors and the Regional District invested its own funds and approached the provincial government for a grant to buy those corridors to maintain a contiguous stretch for future transportation needs. Community support and contributions were vital to this project as well. Acton reports, “This developed into a very beautiful trail system that will eventually connect south to Kelowna and north all the way to Sicamous. We’ve managed to get almost two-thirds of the north Okanagan portion of the trail in our possession so far. It goes through a number of towns and passes by several lakes, including Kalamalka Lake, which was recognized by National Geographic as one of the top ten most beautiful lakes in the world. It’s a unique lake