RDNO office in Coldstream (Photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Services Feasibility Study

More studies required before bringing North Westside into RDNO

Jan 17, 2023 | 6:00 AM

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) is still considering adding the North Westside area, but decisions won’t be finalized until further work is done.

In 2022, the RDCO (Central Okanagan) established the Electoral Area West and North Westside Governance and Services Study Committee to explore the option of moving a portion, or the entirety, of the North Westside into the RDNO.

During public input for the study, 73 per cent of North Westside respondents said they were not receiving good value for the taxes paid for their local services, and 87 per cent felt the North Westside’s local interests were not well represented in the RDCO decision-making processes.

The committee presented the RDCO with a report that endorsed moving the area into the RDNO, and a request for the boundary be redrawn was forwarded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

A new report from RDNO staff stated the province requires their feedback before any changes to the boundaries can be implemented.

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The report said the investigation so far has focused on the interest of exploring alternate governance models for the area in question, but did not look at the impact the changes would have on the RDNO or its services.

It’s recommended that the RDNO board task staff with investigating the impact the North Westside will have on existing services and the feasibility of providing those services to the area.

A time frame for the study is expected to be part of the discussion when the matter is discussed at the RDNO board meeting Wednesday, Jan. 18.