The threat of invasive mussels, the economy and concerns with B.C.’s Tenancy Act will be factored into resolutions Sicamous council plans to raise at this year’s Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) conference.
At the Jan. 11 committee of the whole meeting, Coun. Pam Beech brought up the threat of invasive mussels, and the lack of action the provincial government has taken on past requests for preventative measures being implemented. She added B.C. is the only province that hasn’t mandated a clean, drain and dry policy. The government website states all watercraft launching in B.C. waters are “encouraged” to do so.
“I’ve been looking at how long all of the municipalities, or many of us, have been asking for action, and how little anything has progressed,” said Beech. “In fact, it’s gone backwards since our peak time of having 12 [inspection] stations in 2019.
“I kind of feel it’s gross negligence, because we’re the ones that are going to be footing the bill and trying to manage this issue.”
With the recent discovery of quagga mussels found in Idaho’s Snake River, which poses a threat to downstream bodies of water in B.C., such as Osoyoos Lake, Beech said the issue is now “seriously an emergency.”
“It’s going to show up in our province,” she stated. “And we need to be ready for it.”
Coun. Ian Baillie agreed, and pointed to the possible economic impacts of invasive mussels, while also expanding the issue to other factors already challenging the local economy.
“We’ve had a couple challenging summers… that are really affecting our business climate here,” said Baillie. :In two of the last three years, we’ve seen great impact… and I think that’s not necessarily taken seriously at the provincial level. I think we need to start thinking about economic resiliency.”
Also on council’s radar is affordable and accessible housing, with the Housing Committee having also stated the need for a SILGA resolution after Mayor Colleen Anderson recently said the restrictions of B.C.s Tenancy Act could be affecting long-term rentals in the community. Coun. Siobhan Rich brought an initial motion forward at the Jan. 11 committee meeting.
“The act is old… and people don’t want to rent because of this act,” she said. “My biggest thing is that it goes to SILGA and we as a town ask that the whole Tenancy Act is revisited, and it starts working for both parties.”
Staff will work with specific councillors on resolutions regarding invasive mussels, economic resiliency and the Tenancy Act in in preparation of the SILGA convention, which takes place in Kamloops from April 30 to May 3.
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