Photo courtesy of Community Foundation of Northwestern Foundation

By Liam Verster

Healthy Communities Initiative

Over $1 million to support COVID-safe infrastructure projects in Northern Alberta

Feb 12, 2021 | 2:20 PM

A new federal grant program is being rolled out with the goal of developing small-scale infrastructure projects that make public spaces safer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Healthy Communities Initiative, which is a $31-million federal government initiative, will distribute $1,063,370 to non-profits and charity groups in Northern Alberta through a joint partnership between the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta and the Wood Buffalo Community Foundation.

The money will go towards funding projects that respond to the immediate needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also building towards a more pandemic-resilient future.

“Obviously a lot of these community spaces are really the glue to communities, and so the funding is intended to support them as they move through the pandemic, possibly making necessary changes to how communities can connect,” says Laura LaValley, CEO of the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta.

The projects these funds will support can range in their purpose or style, but should be focused on developing safe vibrant spaces, improving mobility options, or providing digital connectivity.

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“Some ideas might be community walkways; some renovations to infrastructure that would help promote mobility and ease of access to some existing infrastructure.

“Another example could be WiFi hot spots or other kind of technology upgrades that help communities stay connected, and [things that] really just help us move through the pandemic and beyond in a safe fashion,” says LaValley.

The funds will be distributed to non-profits, charities, local governments and Indigenous communities that apply for the money. The grants will range from $5,000 to $250,000, depending on the scope of the project.

There will be two rounds of applications for these grants, the first is open now and the deadline to apply is March 9. Organizations interested in applying can fill out the forms here.

The second round of applications will go in May, 2021.