The final report is in.

The committee looking into the options for possible area-wide governance in the Okanagan-Similkameen area has handed its report to Community Services Minister, Ida Chong.

The chairs of the Okanagan Similkameen, Central Okanagan and North Okanagan regional districts presented the report to Chong during a meeting in Victoria.

Governance committee chair, Robert Hobson, says it was a very good session.

“The Minister asked several questions about the process undertaken by the committee since it began its work in November last year and she stressed that the issues related to growth management and climate change are not going to go away. She was also aware that further research and review is necessary, but wants to study the report and consider other information, before deciding what the next steps might be,” says Hobson.

He says the Minister will provide her comments and any directions on a future course of action to local governments in the Okanagan-Similkameen before the end of May.

“The final report identifies two possible governance options: an inter-regional authority and the merger of three regional districts into one. The Committee report suggests that further review and detailed analysis is needed to clarify and determine which option, or a yet to be determined option, may best serve the interests of the Okanagan Similkameen.“

Hobson says the work will require a lot of provincial resources for things like development models and cost benefit analysis.

The entire final report and an executive summary are now available on the home page of the committee’s website.

Link: Valley Governance website