$8.7 million protects historic Barkerville and Fort Steele
By Nelson Daily Staff
The Province is investing $8.7 million to preserve and protect two of B.C.’s historic treasures: Fort Steele and Barkerville.
The funding will upgrade sewer, water and fire suppression systems over the next four years to safeguard health, safety and the environment, and to prevent the loss of irreplaceable artefacts at the two heritage sites.
Visitors to Fort Steele and Barkerville generate over $5 million in provincial tax revenue each year and contribute more than $21 million to the province’s GDP. For the two properties, the Province has allocated an infrastructure budget of up to $6.87 million for Barkerville, and up to $1.83 million for Fort Steele.
A recent economic impact study showed Barkerville creates the equivalent of 156 full-year jobs in the region for B.C. residents, with wages and salaries totaling $6.6 million in 2009.
Fort Steele supports the equivalent of 295 year-round jobs for residents in the region, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
Barkerville and Fort Steele are two of 11 provincial heritage properties open to the public.
They are operated and managed in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investment through heritage site management agreements with community organizations.
Since 2001, the Province has invested $28.3 million in provincial heritage properties around British Columbia.
