Study funded to examine North Westside governance

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The provincial government has provided a $60,000 grant for a study on governance and services on the North Westside of the Central Okanagan Regional District.

Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne says the grant will assist the RDCO over the next year and engage with residents to understand their concerns and interests about governance.

RDCO Board Chair Gail Given says while this is not an incorporation study, it will build on the findings of the work done in a previous study in 2017.

“This funding will help clarify governance roles and responsibilities and to address the awareness, education and misinformation issues that surfaced during the work of the North Westside Services and Issues Review. We look forward to developing some realistic options to address the issues and concerns raised and to improve the flow of information and understanding between the RDCO and residents.”

Some residents of the North Westside, including the communities in and around Killiney Beach, Fintry and La Casa, have been disillusioned with the RDCO and have made calls to incorporate into a distinct municipality. A formal study into the idea, which is challenged by the lack of commercial tax bases in the area, has never gotten off the ground.

A terms of reference for the new study will be confirmed, including the formation of a seven-to-12-member study committee, approved by the regional board and comprised of residents endorsed by Central Okanagan West Electoral Area Director Wayne Carson.

"This work will provide the information requested by this community to evaluate governance options and to understand the concerns and interests of the North Westside through an independent study. I look forward to getting this study underway so that we can receive the answers we have all been waiting for," Carson said.