The valley is blessed in many ways — most obviously by the incredible nature surrounding it, but just as critically, by having the good fortune to sit in the Canadian portion of the massive Columbia Valley watershed, and correspondingly being recipient to the financial windfall that is the Columbia Basin Trust.

The trust funds a mind-boggling array of projects. Its hard to think of anybody who doesn’t benefit from it in some way, shape or form.  Arts and culture groups environmental protection work, affordable housing projects, recreation facilities and much more beside ,all see money flow from the fund.

The Kootenay region is alone in this regard, no other part of the province has a similar program to draw on. Good news them, in Dan Walton’s front page story, that revenue from the CBT’s numerous power projects is up, possibly translating into even more grant money for the trust to hand out. The valley ought to thank its lucky stars.