INCORPORATION REFERENDUM APRIL 30, 2022

INCORPORATION REFERENDUM APRIL 30, 2022

By Barbra Fairclough

“Are you in favor of the incorporation of the municipality of the District of Sorrento-Blind Bay?” Yes or No.

The provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs has given final approval to a request from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District to hold a referendum on incorporation of Sorrento Blind Bay. At the March 17 regular board meeting of the CSRD, the board supported the Incorporation Committee’s recommendation that a referendum be held.

The vote will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 8 am to 8 pm at Sorrento Memorial Hall 1150 Passchendaele Road, Sorrento and Blind Bay Memorial Hall 2510 Blind Bay Road, Blind Bay. All eligible voters living within the proposed incorporation area will be able to go to the polls to determine whether the area should be incorporated or not.

At the March 17 CSRD board meeting Allan Neilson consultant to the incorporation committee, outlined the work of the committee in a draft final report. Contained in the report is the work of the committee in a 25- page summary of steps and components of the study. All the information contained in the appendices have been reviewed by the committee. It is a written record of the work that has been undertaken. It also outlines the committee process and highlights the impact of Covid 19. Also included is a statement from First Nations.

The process towards a referendum vote began with preliminary studies in 2016 and experienced some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting in-person gatherings.

“This has been an enormous job under very challenging circumstances,” says Electoral Area C Director Paul Demenok, who was a non-voting, ex officio member of the Incorporation Study Advisory Committee. “The community wants to vote on this, as well they should. It’s time to vote on going forward.”

On April 30, should a majority of voters support the option of incorporation, the proposed areas of Sorrento and Blind Bay would become a municipality with its own local government separate from the CSRD. This new municipality would then appoint one representative to sit on the CSRD Board.

The subsequent vote on a new municipal mayor and council would likely take place as part of the Local Government General Election 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 at the CSRD Board table. Adding an additional Director will create a more equal distribution of elected representation across the region.

A draft budget for a new municipality has also been prepared to give voters an idea of the implications to their property taxes.

All incorporation documents and supporting information including recorded panel discussion are available on the CSRD Incorporation home page. Mr. Neilson will answer any question you have. Just submit them on the Q and A button on the CSRD webpage.

Groups remain welcome to ask for a one-hour presentation by the consultant. The final date for presentations is April 22. Hard copies of all documents are available in the South Shuswap Library Branch in Upper Blind Bay. You can see the questions that have been submitted to FAQ.

To find out if you live within the proposed Incorporation boundary area go to the Maps section of the incorporation page on the CSRD website and search your address. CSRD Incorporation Website is https://www.csrd.bc.ca/ areas/sorrento-blind-bay-incorporation-study.

Applications for volunteer scrutineer positions are being received until April 14. Only those who qualify to vote in the referendum qualify. There will be one scrutineer for and one scrutineer against the question appointed for each voting place if sufficient applications are received. An application form can be found on the CSRD website.

Advance voting- April 20, 2022, 8 am to 8pm at CSRD Office 555 Harbourfront Drive NE, Salmon Arm.

Mail in Ballot - electors can request a mail in ballot by requesting a mail ballot package until 4pm on April 19. Mail in ballot request form is available at the Sorrento Blind Bay Incorporation page of the CSRD website, www.csrd.bc.ca (please note email and telephone requests will not be accepted.) To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer at the CSRD office no later than 8pm on Saturday April 30, 2022. Once you request a mail ballot, you will not be issued another ballot for this assent vote.

Elector Registration - Pre-Registration is not required. Registration of qualified electors with two pieces of identification, will take place at the time and place of voting. Full registration requirement details on page 5 & 7 of this Scoop.