by Timothy Schafer on Sunday May 02 2021
A federal government pilot program aimed at increasing immigration into rural and northern areas is entering its second year in the West Kootenay. Submitted
Despite the growing struggle for locals to find work in economic-restricted COVID-19 times, a federal government pilot program aimed at increasing immigration into rural and northern areas is entering its second year in the West Kootenay.
Called the Rural and North Immigration Pilot program (RNIP), the program launched May 11 in the West Kootenay region, noted Erin Rooney and Andrea Wilkey from Community Futures Central Kootenay (CFCK) in Nelson.
The West Kootenay region comprised of Nelson, Castlegar, Trail, Rossland and surrounding rural areas was designated as an “area of opportunity” that could benefit from the RNIP and a partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC).