CASTANET: May 2
At a meeting during this week’s Southern Interior Local Government Association annual convention in Vernon, the mayors of the four largest Okanagan municipalities instructed senior staff to draft a bylaw that would facilitate inter-municipal collaboration on pressing issues impacting the entire Okanagan Valley. This is a concept that has been considered in the past but due to the complexity and cost in providing municipal services to our citizens this concept and the implementation thereof has become more compelling. The provincial government’s Climate Action plan initiative prompted the Mayors to determine the most cost effective way to accomplish these objectives was through cooperation. The Mayors recognized that a cooperative approach also applies to affordable housing, sustainability, economic development, water and air quality and transit – some of the major issues impacting all four jurisdictions – and cooperation will result in efficient action and a potential savings to taxpayers.
The Mayors have instructed their respective chief administrative officers to begin work on a mechanism that would result in an action-oriented, transparent and ‘ultra-light’ approach – one that makes use of existing resources rather than creating another level of bureaucracy and an additional burden for taxpayers. The four chief administrative officers were instructed to identify how their jurisdictions and the Valley as a whole would benefit from this type of collaboration and to present their findings to the mayors’ committee. A collaborative approach would allow the four municipalities – as well as any other local governments interested in participating – to partner for funding opportunities, share ideas and resources and, as a result, avoid the cost and time delays associated with “recreating the wheel” since cities facing similar pressures will likely be required to deal with them in similar ways. Additionally, the inter-municipal services initiative would enable municipalities within the Okanagan Valley to “harmonize” their regulations, creating continuity, a level playing field and a cohesive approach that helps communities avoid developing regulations that simply shift a problem from one jurisdiction to another. Examples could include bylaws related to drug houses, hillside development regulations, business licensing, and building regulations. The initiative would also allow for inter-municipal services such as transit.
An Inter-Municipal Service and Regulation Bylaw that would give the cities of Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Westside the authority under the Community Charter or Local Government Act to work together to provide inter-municipal services, address environmental and other issues of mutual concern, and harmonize their regulations will be developed. Later this month the four mayors will take this bylaw to their respective councils for consideration and approval in principal.
At a meeting during this week’s Southern Interior Local Government Association annual convention in Vernon, the mayors of the four largest Okanagan municipalities instructed senior staff to draft a bylaw that would facilitate inter-municipal collaboration on pressing issues impacting the entire Okanagan Valley. This is a concept that has been considered in the past but due to the complexity and cost in providing municipal services to our citizens this concept and the implementation thereof has become more compelling. The provincial government’s Climate Action plan initiative prompted the Mayors to determine the most cost effective way to accomplish these objectives was through cooperation. The Mayors recognized that a cooperative approach also applies to affordable housing, sustainability, economic development, water and air quality and transit – some of the major issues impacting all four jurisdictions – and cooperation will result in efficient action and a potential savings to taxpayers.
The Mayors have instructed their respective chief administrative officers to begin work on a mechanism that would result in an action-oriented, transparent and ‘ultra-light’ approach – one that makes use of existing resources rather than creating another level of bureaucracy and an additional burden for taxpayers. The four chief administrative officers were instructed to identify how their jurisdictions and the Valley as a whole would benefit from this type of collaboration and to present their findings to the mayors’ committee. A collaborative approach would allow the four municipalities – as well as any other local governments interested in participating – to partner for funding opportunities, share ideas and resources and, as a result, avoid the cost and time delays associated with “recreating the wheel” since cities facing similar pressures will likely be required to deal with them in similar ways. Additionally, the inter-municipal services initiative would enable municipalities within the Okanagan Valley to “harmonize” their regulations, creating continuity, a level playing field and a cohesive approach that helps communities avoid developing regulations that simply shift a problem from one jurisdiction to another. Examples could include bylaws related to drug houses, hillside development regulations, business licensing, and building regulations. The initiative would also allow for inter-municipal services such as transit.
An Inter-Municipal Service and Regulation Bylaw that would give the cities of Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Westside the authority under the Community Charter or Local Government Act to work together to provide inter-municipal services, address environmental and other issues of mutual concern, and harmonize their regulations will be developed. Later this month the four mayors will take this bylaw to their respective councils for consideration and approval in principal.
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