Apply for Funding

Community Passenger Transportation Fund

Pacific Rim Highway 4 connects communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island. © Destination BC Yuri Choufour

In June 2023 the Island Coastal Economic Trust (the Trust) and the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA), supported by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, engaged local governments, First Nations, Indigenous organizations, community groups, transportation providers, and local research organizations to better understand the challenges, gaps, and opportunities in passenger transportation within the Trust’s service region. The insights from these engagements were distilled into a ‘What We Heard Report,’ which can be accessed here.

The result of these engagements was the launch of the Community Passenger Transportation Fund, a one-time collaborative Fund that set out to address transportation challenges faced by residents and visitors across the Trust service region. The goal was to enhance inter-community passenger transportation opportunities in the Trust’s service region by strengthening governance and collaboration, forming partnerships, and creating and/or expanding innovative and non-traditional passenger transportation services for seamless journeys.

Administered by MNP LLP and guided by the leadership of the Trust and VIEA, the fund aimed to empower projects that reimagined inter-community mobility, fostering connectivity and convenience.

Eligibility

The Fund was open to local government(s), First Nations government(s), registered non-profit organizations, public post secondary institutions (as long as they partnered with a First Nation, local government or registered not-for-profit organization), and Public-Private partnerships within the Trust’s service region.

Application Deadline

The program is now fully subscribed. Through the one-time $230,000 fund, Island Coastal Economic Trust and Vancouver Island Economic Alliance invested up to $20,000 in 13 projects that will create new services, expand existing services, and move infrastructure projects forward. The funding is administered by MNP, with all 13 projects taking place throughout 2024.

Read the News Release, published on January 18, 2024. Along with an overall program information, the release includes project descriptions for each initiative.

How to Apply

The one-time fund is now fully subscribed. Please review the Fund’s Application Guide (PDF) for information on the overall process, including Eligible Applicants, Eligible Projects, Eligible Activities and Expenses, assessment criteria, and more.

We encourage you to contact our Program Management team at MNP LLP for questions or further information.

Dani Petra, Program Manager
Community Passenger Transportation Fund
Administered by MNP LLP on behalf of the Trust and VIEA
ProgramManagement@mnp.ca
778-265-8883

For an application to be considered for review, a fully completed application was required by Nov 17, 2023. Each application included the following:

A completed application (accessibility options are provided for in the Fund’s Application Guide);
A completed project budget (with quotes to support any singular cost exceeding $1000)
Supporting Information (If applicable) such as:
- Evidence of Not-for-Profit status;
- A Contract or Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a Public-Private partnership; or
- Confirmation of financial support from cost-sharing organization(s).

Funding Decisions

The Program Management team conducted an initial review of all applications to ensure completeness of documentation and program eligibility. A Fund Review Committee comprising of but not limited to personnel from the Trust and VIEA evaluated all applications. Applications that best demonstrated that they meet the Fund Objectives and Eligibility Criteria were prioritized for funding. Applicants were notified of funding decisions before the end of January 2024.

Project Reporting for Approved Projects

Once approved, successful applicants and Program Management (MNP LLP) entered into a funding agreement. Projects with executed funding agreements were eligible to receive 50% of approved project funds in advance, with the balance of the funds held back until the conclusion of the project, and the submission and approval of a final report and corresponding expense claim.

Funding recipients are required to submit a mid-term progress report and a final report that outlines the project’s performance and outcomes as per the reporting and expense claim templates provided by Program Management. Reports and expense claims must be filled out and submitted to Program Management by the reporting deadline(s) outlined in the funding agreement.

Reimbursement will be based on actual expenses incurred and must correspond to those listed in the fully executed funding agreement.

All approved projects are to be completed within the term specified in the funding agreement, and no later than October 1, 2024.

Application Support and Program Enquiries

For enquiries, further information, or assistance, please contact: