Coldstream, British Columbia, July 30, 2026— The District of Coldstream is receiving over $6.97M through the Strategic Priorities Fund. This federally funded program supports infrastructure projects that are beyond the financial capacity of a single local government fund, under the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) Community stream in BC.
The District is using its funding to install sanitary sewer infrastructure to over 110 properties that are currently on septic systems. This project will aid in the reduction of nutrients flowing into Kalamalka Lake, a major source of public drinking water to North Okanagan Communities, as well as provide opportunities to address the housing shortage in BC by allowing development on residential lots that was previously restricted due to the unavailability of sanitary sewer.
On July 30, 2026, the federal and provincial governments along with the Union of BC Municipalities announced a federal investment of more than $152 million to support 54 community infrastructure and capacity-building projects. The Coldstream Sanitary Sewer Infill Project is one of the 54 recently announced projects.
The BCSF Community stream is a transfer-based program that provides $2.5 billion per year in funding to communities across Canada. The Province of British Columbia receives over $326 million annually from this stream, which is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities and distributed to local governments through the Community Works Fund, Strategic Priorities Fund, and Metro Vancouver Regional Fund.
"This funding is a significant investment in the future of Coldstream and will deliver benefits that extend well beyond the installation of sanitary sewer infrastructure. By connecting more than 110 properties to sanitary sewer, we are taking an important step toward protecting the health of Kalamalka Lake, a vital source of drinking water for our region. At the same time, this project will help unlock housing opportunities by enabling development on residential properties where it was previously restricted due to the lack of sanitary sewer. We are grateful to the federal and provincial governments and UBCM for recognizing the importance of this project and for their investment in our community." – Mayor Ruth Hoyte
Quick facts
- British Columbia’s 2026-27 allocation under the Build Communities Strong Community stream is over $326 million.
- The total federal contribution towards the 54 projects is $152,313,226.
- The 29 capital projects are receiving a total of $145,945,502.
- The 25 capacity building projects are receiving a total of $6,367,764.
- The funding provided for these projects comes through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ application-based Strategic Priorities Fund.
- See the attached backgrounder for details of the projects.
- The Build Communities Strong Fund Community stream provides predictable, long-term and stable funding to local governments for investment in infrastructure and capacity-building projects. This program is funded by the Government of Canada and administered in British Columbia by the Union of BC Municipalities.