As 2020 draws to a close, the Eagle Valley News is looking back at some of the stories that reflect the positive work, activities and accomplishments that occurred throughout this challenging year.
A proposed Sicamous medical facility will benefit from close to $6 million in federal and provincial funding.
On July 3, the Government of Canada announced 25 projects in B.C. that would receive joint federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Among them was the Shuswap (Secwepemc) Healing Centre in Sicamous.
READ MORE: Update: Proposed medical building in Sicamous to be called Shuswap Healing Centre
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For the Sicamous project, the federal government is providing $3,554,359, while the province is kicking in $2,369,572, for 100 per cent funding of the Shuswap Healing Centre. The District of Sicamous applied for the grant funding in January 2019 through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The money will go towards construction of a wellness and healing centre on Main Street.
The facility will offer medical services including mental health and addictions supports and counselling.
The District of Sicamous has already purchased the property on Main Street where the new facility will be located.
The facility’s construction is part of the district’s ongoing effort to attract doctors to the community.
Mayor Terry Rysz said along with aiding in attracting physicians to the area, he thinks having more medical options at the state of the art facility will make Sicamous more attractive to developers and new residents.
Rysz said he hopes to see the new facility built within the next two years, freeing up the district-owned building on Finlayson Street which currently houses lots of the area’s health services for other uses.