SWC Referendum

Property owners and residents will decide if the Shuswap Watershed Council should be funded on a permanent basis.

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) Board is recommending a referendum be conducted for the continued use of a parcel tax to fund the activities of the Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) on a permanent basis. This decision needs Provincial approval which is expected and a Referendum is likely this Summer or Fall. Click here for the link to the CSRD Press Release.

SWC received 5 years of funding beginning in 2015 so this question should have been decided in 2020. With Covid restrictions preventing communication with taxpayers the Province allowed CSRD to continue this tax for an additional 3 years. We now have had 8 years to see if SWC is a necessary expense for local taxpayers. Your SWOA Board is happy to see that the CSRD Board decided to go to referendum for this decision. Taxpayers will get a chance to have their voices heard on the value of SWC.

More information will be coming from the CSRD once the Province has approved the bylaw. Who will be allowed to vote and how voting will happen has not been advertised. Local elections do not allow property owners who do not live in British Columbia to vote and we expect that will be the case for this Referendum. SWOA will keep you informed.

Your SWOA Board has talked extensively on the pros and cons of SWC. Considerations are that;

  • SWC does not have regulatory ability. They act more as a taxpayer funded lobby group to encourage other levels of government to enforce regulations that protect our watershed and promote water safety.
  • SWC does get funding from other taxpayers besides Electoral Areas C, D, E, F, G and the District of Sicamous but our taxpayers fund 60% of the total costs and we do not know if the other ‘partners’ will continue funding.
         Per current Contribution Agreement:
         CSRD (Areas C, D, E, F, G and the District of Sicamous)     $160,000
         Thompson-Nicola Regional District                         $53,600
         City of Salmon Arm                                                 $40,000
         Adams Lake Indian Band                                              $1,300
         Transport Canada—Boating Safety Contribution Program      $22,900
    Parcel tax is preferred over ad valorem which is when tax is based on assessed value. You will pay a parcel tax for each of your parcels and waterfront owners with a dock generally receive two assessments and therefore pay this parcel tax twice.

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