The West Coast Community Adjustment Program
The West Coast Community Adjustment Program (WestCCAP) is a federal initiative aimed at fostering increased economic activity and improving the quality of life in British Columbia’s fishing-dependant coastal communities. Its goal is to encourage long-term, sustainable economy development and diversification in these coastal communities in order to diversify local economies, facilitate economic adjustment and enable collaboration and partnerships leading to enterprise opportunities.
Western Economic Diversification Canada will work jointly with the Fisheries Legacy Trust, comprised of the thirteen west coast Community Futures offices, to invest more than seven million dollars in coastal B.C. communities outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Capital Regional District that have been negatively impacted by changes to the coastal fishery.
Funding for WestCCAP has been provided through the repayments of loans issued under an earlier west coast fisheries community adjustment program. This program, also delivered through the Fisheries Legacy Trust, was successful in making 141 repayable loans to tour boat and fishing lodge operators. Loan repayments totaled in excess of $7M and are now being reinvested in fishing dependant coastal communities to assist in their economic diversification efforts. The Recreational Salmon Fishery Loan Program was one of several industry adjustment measures under the federal government’s $400 million Pacific Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Program.
A key component of WestCCAP is the Program Steering Committee. The Committee is composed of stakeholder representation from coastal mayors, First Nations, Community Futures and both the federal and provincial governments. It will guide the program’s development and make all project funding decisions.