UPDATE: Voters reject incorporation for Shuswap communities

Voters have overwhelmingly said no to a proposal to incorporate two Shuswap communities.

In an assent vote held Saturday in Blind Bay and Sorrento, 2,027 residents voted No and 272 voted Yes to the following question:

“Are you in favor of the incorporation of the municipality of the District of Sorrento-Blind Bay?”

That works out to 88.2 per cent No and 11.8 per cent in favour.

“All polls have now closed and these preliminary results are based on the ballot accounts prepared at each of the voting places. They are subject to determination of official election results by the Chief Election Officer,” said a statement on the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s website.

The district said the official results will be announced by the chief election officer before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

The outcome is expected to result in Electoral Area C of the CSRD being divided into two smaller areas, each with their own elected director on the CSRD board.

If the vote had supported incorporation, the new municipality would have been formed and a vote on a new municipal council would have taken place as part of the municipal elections this  October.

Once confirmed, the declaration of official results will be posted to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s website.

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The Shuswap communities of Sorrento and Blind Bay will decide whether they want to incorporate this weekend.

An assent vote is set for Saturday at the Sorrento and Blind Bay Memorial Halls. Polling stations will be open between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Currently, both communities are unincorporated and governed through the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District (CSRD).

In addition to being adult Canadian citizens, eligible voters must live or own property within the proposed boundaries of the new incorporated municipality.

The CSRD says there is no need for pre-registration.

If the vote supports incorporation, the new municipality would be formed and a vote on a new municipal council would likely take place as part of the municipal elections scheduled for October 15, 2022.

If the voters decide against incorporation, Electoral Area C will be divided into two smaller areas, each with their own elected director on the CSRD board.

“This is because the population of the area has grown significantly. Adding an additional director will create a more equal distribution of elected representation across the region,” the CSRD stated.

For more information on the vote from CSRD, click here.