The B.C. government has provided another $8.3 million in funding to support ongoing recovery efforts in the Village of Lytton.

In a statement, the province says $6.26 million will help the community manage “significant” wildfire response and recovery costs like fixing the water and wastewater system, legal and governance issues, recovery consultation, debris removal, as well as things like environmental and archeological remediation.

The other $2.1 million will support core operations in Lytton for three years, given the village time to focus on planning, recovery and rebuilding, without having to worry about generating revenue.

“We know there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, and our government is committed to supporting this recovery,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “As recovery liaisons to the Village of Lytton, Parliamentary Secretary Roly Russell and I are supporting the village as it recovers from a devastating wildfire. This funding support from our government and the re-establishment of their bylaws are two significant and positive steps in their recovery.”

The government also says legislative changes will allow Lytton village council to repeal and replace bylaws as all of the village’s records and backup servers were lost during the fire on June 30, 2021. The village will be looking to replace things like administrative bylaws, including records management, regulatory bylaws to support elections, as well as land-use bylaws for building and zoning purposes.

“We know this has been an incredibly difficult time for people in Lytton and our government is taking the necessary steps to support the council and staff with their recovery,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs, Josie Osborne, added.

“Through new operating funding and legislative changes, we’re ensuring the village has the resources they need and the legal ground necessary to take important actions toward rebuilding.”

In a statement, Mayor Jan Polderman says the rebuilding process has been complex.

“We appreciate the hard work of staff, both the Village Recovery Team and ministry folks who put together the legislative amendments on our behalf,” he said. “We are grateful to now have access to funding in order to put in place the framework and increase capacity to get the reconstruction underway, which will allow us to ramp up the infrastructure rebuild.”

In December, the province also announced a $1-million grant to support the economic recovery in Lytton.