RDCK Board Highlights - February 2024
February 22, 2024
RDCK Budget – Public Budget Information Session Schedule
As part of the annual budget process, the RDCK will be hosting public budget information sessions for all its Municipalities and Electoral Areas. The RDCK invites the public to join for a breakdown of the financial landscape and to understand what goes into the development of the 2024-2028 RDCK Financial Plan. Read the 2024-2028 RDCK Draft Financial Plan.
All meetings will be available to attend in-person or online. Click on the links below for information on how to join virtually.
| Sub Region | Date and Time (Local) | Location |
| Salmo & Area G |
Thursday, February 22 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Salmo Village Chambers, 423 Davies Avenue |
| Kaslo & Area D |
Monday, February 26 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Kaslo Council Chambers, 413 4th Street |
| Slocan & Area H |
Tuesday, February 27 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Slocan Park Hall, 3036 Highway 6 |
| New Denver, Silverton, & Area H |
Wednesday, February 28 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Bosun Hall, 710 Bellevue Street |
| Nakusp & Area K |
Monday, March 4 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Nakusp Emergency Services Building, 300 8th Avenue NW |
| East Shore – Area A North |
Tuesday, March 5 6:00 pm MST (hybrid) |
Riondel Community Centre, 1417-1421 Eastman Avenue |
| Castlegar, Area I & J |
Monday, March 11 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
Castlegar & District Community Complex, 2101 6th Avenue |
| Nelson, Area E & F |
Tuesday, March 12 6:00 pm PST (hybrid) |
RDCK Board Room, 202 Lakeside Drive |
| Creston, Area A, B & C |
Wednesday, March 13 6:00 pm MST (hybrid) |
Creston & District Community Complex, 312 19th Avenue N |
|
RDCK Regular Board Meeting Financial Plan Adoption |
Thursday, March 21
9:00 am PST (hybrid) |
RDCK Board Room,
202 Lakeside Drive |
Curbside collection referendum ballot question
On May 11, 2024, the RDCK will hold two separate referendums to determine if electors are in favour of the establishment of curbside collection service in their respective area. The Board approved the following ballot questions for each referendum.
In a defined portion of Electoral Area J the question for voters will be:
Are you in favour of the Regional District of Central Kootenay adopting Defined Area J Curbside Collection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2934, 2023, which will permit the Regional District to establish a curbside collection service for defined portions of Electoral Area J; which if approved will result in an annual requisition not to exceed $406,818.39 based on a cost per household of $283.06.
For more information about the referendum, including how to register to vote, service maps, advance voting, and upcoming public information sessions go to www.rdck.ca/JCurbside.
In defined portions of Electoral Area F and H the question for voters will be:
Are you in favour of the Regional District of Central Kootenay adopting Defined Areas F & H Curbside Collection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2933, 2023, which will permit the Regional District to establish a three-stream curbside collection service with waste, organics and recycling for defined portions of Electoral Areas F & H; which if approved will result in an annual requisition not to exceed $596,235.28 based on a cost per household of $280.02.
For more information about the referendum, including how to register to vote, service maps, advance voting, and upcoming public information sessions go to www.rdck.ca/FHCurbside.
Draft Climate Action Plan Community Feedback
From April to October 2023, the RDCK engaged with the public to receive feedback on its draft Climate Action Plan. During this time, the RDCK held 20 open houses, six dialogue circles, six webinars, utilized its public engagement platform (http://engage.rdck.ca), received emails, letters, phone calls, as well as having countless informal conversations with residents. The key themes of the feedback included:
- Concerns with the engagement process, communications, and affordability;
- Desires for freedom of choice, a local perspective, and support for farmers;
- Cautions around building regulations and electric vehicles; and
- Interest in improved transit/active transportation, emergency preparedness, water stewardship, renewable energy, and grid resilience.
Click here for a full breakdown of the public engagement process.
Moving forward the Board approved staff to solicit additional feedback from the Directors via survey and from there staff will use all feedback to identify different possible Climate Action Plan versions, which they will provide to the Board for direction.
Emergency and Disaster Management Act
In November 2023, the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA) was adopted by the Province of BC, replacing the Emergency Program Act. The goal of EDMA is to reflect the realities of the modern world and shifts focusing on emergency response to the four phases of Emergency Management: mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery. As part of the phased implementation, the Province was seeking feedback from local governments.
While EDMA brings important changes to emergency management in BC, the RDCK Board of Directors and Staff have concerns about increasing demands on local authorities. The Board approved staff sending a second letter to the Premier of British Columbia, the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy expressing its deepening concern to the Province on its Emergency and Disaster Management Act and related Regulation for Local Authorities; including its concerns over funding and the cost to the tax payer, as well as addressing residents’ concerns. The letter will also be copied to all 27 Regional Districts, municipalities in the RDCK, and MLAs for the RDCK.
February 2024 Board Report
Letter to Premier Eby and the Honourable Bowinn Ma - December 20, 2023
December 2023 Board Report
Local Conservation Fund
The Board approved $129,976.85 in grant funds for the Local Conservation Fund to be spread among eight different projects. The fund provides grants to support local conservation efforts in Electoral Areas A, D, E, and H focused on the conservation of water and aquatic systems, as well as wildlife and habitat. Here are the eight projects:
|
PROJECT |
PROPONENT |
AMOUNT |
|
Enhancing bat habitat and monitoring populations in the West Kootenays |
Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada |
$22,865 |
|
Grizzly Bear Coexistence Solution |
Lardeau Valley Opportunity Links |
$13,800 |
|
Creation and protection of anthropogenic bat habitat in the RDCK region |
Okanagan Nation Alliance |
$18.095 |
|
Kootenay BroomBusters – A Community Led Pulling Together Program |
Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society |
$9,316.85 |
|
Slocan Valley Pollinator Highway Project: Phase 1 |
Elk Root Conservation Farm Society |
$18,000 |
|
Crooked Horn Farm: Phase 2 |
BC Wildlife Federation |
$20,000 |
|
Snk’mip Marsh Sanctuary habitat enhancement and invasive plant management |
Valhalla Foundation for Ecology |
$14,400 |
|
North Slocan Bull Trout Conservation Project |
Slocan Lake Stewardship Society |
$13,500 |
Director’s Reports
RDCK Directors provide monthly reports outlining what they have been working on. Click here to read the February reports in the Board minutes.
RDCK Quarterly Report
For the latest RDCK Quarterly Report, which details the current projects and initiatives of the RDCK, please follow the link.
Click here to view a print-friendly PDF version.
The content on this page was last updated February 22 2024 at 4:56 AM