Rail approval process delayed

Posted: Tuesday, January 6, 2015 7:57 pm Kelowna Daily Courier
An approval process for Lake Country’s plan to borrow $2.5 million for a railway purchase plan won’t begin as soon as had been thought. Provincial officials have still not endorsed the town’s plan to gain voter consent by using a counter-petition. We thought we would have heard back from the province by now,” Lake Country Mayor James Baker said Tuesday. The plan had been for council to launch the alternate approval process this week, making the counter petition forms available at the town hall. Lake Country and other local governments intend to buy the abandoned Vernon-Kelowna railway corridor from CN for $22 million. The average Lake Country homeowner would see a $27 rise in their property taxes for each of the next 20 years to pay for the town’s contribution. If 900 people sign petitions against the plan during a 30-day window that opens once the alternate approval process is formally engaged, Lake Country would likely put the railway purchase idea before voters in a referendum. Whenever the province authorizes the alternate approval process, town council will hold a special meeting so the forms can be made available as quickly as possible, Baker said.