Coldstream considers joining call for agricultural cost supports

A local municipality has been asked to join a call for the province to aide communities that have large swaths of agricultural properties.

At the meeting Monday, June 22, Coldstream Council received a presentation from Summerland Mayor, Doug Holmes, asking to join a proposed Agricultural Municipality Initiative (AMI).

AMI would be an advocacy group that would seek provincial support to cover the financial implications related to maintaining roads, drainage and other critical infrastructure that serve rural and farming areas, as those costs can often exceed the property tax revenue generated from those lands. This initiative would also call for the province to recognize the role local governments play in supporting agricultural production and maintaining infrastructure that benefits the sector.

AMI would be modeled after the Resort Municipality Initiative, which sees the province provide funding for tourism-based communities to help offset infrastructure and service demands.