An inter-regional authority to take action on select issues is preferred by civic politicians over an amalgamation of the three regional districts in the Okanagan and Similkameen. In an informal vote taken by some of the civic leaders meeting in Kelowna last week, nearly twice the number voted in favour of that option over a single regional district, and very few voted in favour of the third option, an inter-regional alliance. Just over half the politicians from councils and regional districts from Enderby to Osoyoos and west to Princeton met to discuss the three options for changing the current system of three regional districts, and listed the pros and cons of each of the three possibilities. They also added a few additional ones, such as a phasing in from the inter-regional authority to a single regional district; creating two instead of three regional districts; uploading the common issues to the province; and getting rid of the 40-year-old regional district system in favour of district municipalities which would include rural areas with the nearest urban centre. However, there was considerable frustrated at the lack of information they had on which to base decisions on the options.
A complete lack of information about the potential costs of each option was an issue brought up repeatedly, but they were also concerned about how each option would actually work and be structured and how rural areas would be represented. Central Okanagan Regional District chairman Robert Hobson, who is chairman of the steering committee said there are only two meetings left, so there’s no practical way to send their final report around to all jurisdictions, then include their comments and concerns, but he said there will be opportunities for that after Community Services Minister Ida Chong has the report by her deadline of March 31. More work will need to be done after she receives the report, although it’s not known who will be spearheading it, he said. In addition to the politicians, a few staff attended the meeting, including executive-director for the Okanagan Basin Water Board, Anna Warwick Sears, who commented at the end of the day, “It’s kind of a messy process, but it is an opportunity to look at what works and what doesn’t.” Even if nothing changes, she said it’s been a worthwhile process for people to look at the current system and grapple with what needs to be changed about it. While urban-rural issues are of local concern, the province seems more concerned about the issue of growth management, she noted.The last meeting of the steering committee is March 19 in Penticton, then a final report will be presented to the minister in Victoria March 26.
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