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Penticton  

New rural area in RDOS

Area D in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will officially been be split into two separate electoral areas.

The RDOS confirmed on Tuesday that the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. approved the change. Area I will come into effect in October, ahead of the municipal election.

Communities in Area D will only include OK Falls, Skaha Estates, Heritage Hills, Upper Carmi and Vaseux Lake. 

The new Area I will be made up of Kaleden, Twin Lakes, St. Andrews, Marron Valley and Apex.

The new electoral area means a new director will be added to the board table in October, which will then consist of nine rural directors and 10 municipal directors.

Area D had 5,874 residents in the 2016 census count, making it significantly more populous than the other seven rural areas.

"Now with the creation of two electoral areas, the electoral directors will have increased capacity to attend meetings across the area and will be able to better understand and represent the views of the residents," the RDOS said in a news release.

Current Area D director Tom Siddon, who has said he won't seek re-election this year, has voiced support for the area split.

The regional district said in August that the cost to divide the area would be $1.68 per residence. 

The RDOS added that funds currently reserved for projects in Area D will be split between the two areas, based on their populations.



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