North Westside restructure funding approved

A $60,000 provincial government restructure planning grant will help facilitate a governance and services study for the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area, with an emphasis on North Westside communities.

Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne said the grant will assist the RDCO over the next year, engage with residents to understand their concerns and interests about governance and to identify robust options within the regional district framework for addressing their most pressing needs.

In B.C., the provincial government is responsible for the structure of and any changes to local government.  It follows a detailed multi-step process which includes providing information to and engaging residents before authorizing any change in governance structure.

RDCO Board Chair Gail Given said while this is not an incorporation study, it will build on the findings of the work done 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.”

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.

“I am pleased to hear that the North Westside Community Association’s request for a Restructure Planning Grant has been approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs,” said 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.”

Once the study terms of reference and committee membership have been confirmed, it’s anticipated an experienced consultant will be retained to work with the study committee over the next year in order to provide a final report by the fall of 2022.