Saulteau First Nations receiving funding for sledding hill, ice rink

MOBERLY LAKE, B.C. — Saulteau First Nations is receiving $20,000 from the provincial government to build a sledding hill and ice rink.

The hill and rink are intended for residents to meet and play in a safe area and discourage members from playing on the roads and other unsafe sledding areas.

The First Nation is one of 59 communities receiving over $1 million in grants from the Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant program.

Other projects include improved crosswalk infrastructure, traffic calming, speed-limit reduction pilot projects and road-safety planning.

The funding is provided to support the planning and implementation that will directly improve the safety of the roads, according the province.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure provided $600,000, and the regional health authorities contributed additional funding.

According to the ministries involved, road injuries and death are significant causes of healthcare system usage, resulting in more than $300 million in direct healthcare costs annually.

In the grants’ first year, 2022, a total of $564,147 was awarded to 32 communities.

For more information on Vision Zero, visit its website.