On Wednesday, Sept. 28 at the Union of BC Municipalities convention, members of West Kelowna council met with B.C.害羞草研究所檚 finance minister.
The topic for discussion was a PST exemption on municipal projects and BC Hydro to get an update on the West Kelowna Transmission Project.
West Kelowna reps also joined the Regional District of Central Okanagan in its meeting with B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Environment Minister to discuss biosolids.
The City of West Kelowna presented the following notes regarding the UBCM meetings in a press release.
On Wednesday, council members met with the Hon. Michael de Jong, Minister of Finance to discuss the city害羞草研究所檚 interest in seeing municipalities exempt from paying the Provincial Sales Tax on critical infrastructure projects. This is also the subject of a resolution put forward by the City of West Kelowna for consideration by the UBCM membership.
害羞草研究所淚 would say he found it to be a very interesting idea,害羞草研究所� Mayor Doug Findlater said in the press release. 害羞草研究所漁bviously the province is looking at the revenue side of things with PST, but we made our case.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� BC Hydro representatives to get an update on the West Kelowna Transmission Project and whether a location has been identified for the line which will provide backup power security for West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Peachland.
害羞草研究所淲e got a very good briefing on the status of the project," Findlater was quoted. "They are starting to narrow down the options and are very close to taking some off the table. They have done a detailed wildfire risk analysis of the options and they are still saying that their best case scenario is that we害羞草研究所檒l have a second transmission line in place by 2020.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� West Kelowna representatives also joined representatives of RDCO, as well as Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and Peachland, to meet with B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Environment Minister Mary Polak to discuss biosolids and the difficulty with finding appropriate locations for disposal of the biosolids for this area.
害羞草研究所淲e were advised that the province is making progress with the review of the Organic Matter Recycling regulations and told us there would be an announcement in the coming months,害羞草研究所� Findlater said.
The mayor attended the Mayors害羞草研究所� Caucus meeting Monday morning which featured an address from Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, and advised that Premier Christy Clark spoke to the delegates Wednesday.
害羞草研究所淲e heard a few messages, first at the Mayors害羞草研究所� Caucus, and then from the Premier that infrastructure funding would be coming to municipalities,害羞草研究所� Findlater said. 害羞草研究所淲e heard repeatedly that water and wastewater projects would have priority and I know West Kelowna council will be discussing how to accelerate our Water Master Plan projects to take advantage of this.害羞草研究所�
Following is the City of West Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 resolution submission to the UBCM:
WHEREAS local governments within the Province of British Columbia are responsible for essential infrastructure in areas such as water, sewer and storm sewer mains as well as roads;
AND WHEREAS these critical infrastructures, which were constructed years ago using a dollar which had a greater purchasing power, are subject to provincial health and safety regulations which require local governments to upgrade or replace the infrastructure despite limited funds and grant opportunities:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities lobby the Ministry of Finance to provide a provincial sales tax exemption on the upgrade or replacement of local government infrastructure projects.
