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South Okanagan Photos

RDOS takes issues to Vancouver municipal conference

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) Directors are attending the 2015 Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention this week.

UBCM is the venue each year where local government elected officials, are provided the opportunity to meet with Provincial Ministries concerning local issues.

This is a brief report of items touched on with Ministers:

The RDOS continues to work hard to build economically sustainable communities, and is doing so at UBCM by meeting with Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy to discuss the Fortis two-tier Rate Structure and BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) oversight and accountability. The Minister advised the RDOS that he has requested that the BCUC review the two-tier conservation rate and provide him with additional information, including options to address the financial impact on low-income British Columbians who have no alternative power source.

Village of Keremeos met with Terry Lake, Minister of Health to advocate for the re-opening of the Crossing, a youth long-term substance abuse center. The Minister indicated that they are planning to have the center re-opened by the end of the year, but perhaps for an older age group.
The RDOS also met with Minister Lake to discuss physician shortages in British Columbia. The Minister advised on some of the programs the Ministry is introducing to address the issue for rural and remote communities.

RDOS met with Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to discuss speed through Gallagher Lake, signage in Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure road right of ways, and issues concerning Hwy 97 through Okanagan Falls.

The RDOS group met with Mary Polak, Minister of Environment to present information to her on Campbell Mountain Landfill and the impact of the Landfill Gas Management Regulation. The RDOS will be making an application for “substituted requirements” to allow us to address methane gas through a bi-cover system. The Minister indicated that her department will be flexible and look forward to working with us. They won’t hold us to the deadline to have a gas capture system as long as we’re working on a solution.

Electoral Area “F” Director, Michael Brydon presented the case for the transfer of Sage Mesa water system to the Regional District, the benefits of a combined Sage Mesa/West Bench water system and the need for financial incentives for the system to transfer. The Minister indicated that while they can understand the need, funding is not available at this time. The RDOS will continue communications with the Ministry on this matter.

The RDOS continues to encourage member municipalities to work together. Electoral Area “E” Director, Karla Kozakevich sat in on the Village of Keremeos meeting with Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations department representatives to discuss the growing concern about itinerant campers on the Similkameen River. Director Kozakevich discussed similar concern by Okanagan Lake near Naramata. The Crown currently has a policy of allowing two week camping on Crown Land without enforcement. The Ministry has agreed to work with the RDOS and Keremeos for an answer.

Electoral Area “D” Director, Tom Siddon presented his request for funding to the Minister responsible for Housing, Rich Coleman, for an Assisted Living Facility in Okanagan Falls. The Minister indicated the Province is now open for applications to provide housing for low income residents. The Okanagan Falls application will need to resolve the land ownership and availability issue before they could move that application forward. The Regional District will continue to work with the Okanagan Falls Housing Society to develop their application.

The RDOS group also met with Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, department representatives to discuss a variety of issues, including Orphan Dykes, KVR Trail by Vaseaux Lake, and Wildfire Mitigation. The Ministry is aware of all of these issues. The lack of involvement in Orphan Dykes and Wildfire Mitigation comes down to funds, and the Ministry believes that Dykes should be a local government responsibility. The Ministry is supportive of expanding the trail network through the South Okanagan and will try to work with the RDOS to gain access to the trail on the west side of Vaseaux Lake.