Vernon City Hall (File photo/Vernon Matters)

By Pete McIntyre

Vernon-Monashee

UPDATE: Vernon council to oppose riding changes

Nov 14, 2022 | 5:00 AM

UPDATE: 5 p.m.

Vernon council decided to write to the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission requesting that Vernon in its entirety, along with Coldstream and RDNO Areas ‘B’ and ‘C,’ remain in the same electoral boundary.

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Vernon council urged to reject riding changes
Nov 14, 2022 | 5:00 AM

Vernon council is being encouraged to oppose proposed changes to the Vernon-Monashee provincial riding that would shift parts of the city into the Kelowna-Lake Country riding.

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City administration is recommending that city council send a letter to the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission requesting that Vernon in its entirety, along with Coldstream and RDNO Areas ‘B’and ‘C,’ remain in the same electoral boundary.

The commission issued a preliminary report last month with recommendations for changing B.C.’s electoral districts for the next two provincial general elections. The panel proposes the creation of six additional electoral districts, bringing the total to 93.

The report also suggests a boundary adjustment that would split Vernon into two electoral district ridings; Vernon-Monashee and Kelowna-Lake Country.

“Based on 2021 Census data, approximately 9,000 Vernon residents would be included in the Kelowna-Lake Country riding and approximately 34,900 would remain in the Vernon-Monashee riding,” Kevin Poole, the city’s director of community safety, lands and administration, said in a report to council.

The areas of Vernon that would move into the southern riding would be Predator Ridge, Beachcomber Bay, Okanagan Landing and Bella Vista Highlands.

The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is also opposed to moving parts of Vernon into another riding. The Chamber said the change will mean a large part of Vernon’s population would be separated from the community that provides the municipal services, including economic development, planning and infrastructure, at the provincial level.

The commission is now beginning the final round of public consultations with the deadline for public input on the preliminary report being November 22, 2022.

The final report must be released by April 3, 2023.