West Kelowna Meets With Ministers at UBCM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2019

At September 25’s meetings at the 2019 Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver, West Kelowna Mayor, Council and staff met with Hon. Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, to continue discussions around West Kelowna’s need for an urgent and primary care centre, and with Hon. Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to discuss West Kelowna’s interest in ensuring rural policing levels are adequate to serve the needs of the community.

Mayor Gord Milsom, members of West Kelowna Council and staff were provided with short face-to-face meetings with ministry representatives and discussed the following:

Hon. Adrian Dix, Minister of Health to discuss working collaboratively with the City and the Interior Health Authority to seek a partnership opportunity to advance an urgent and primary care centre in West Kelowna.

The City of West Kelowna, together with the District of Peachland and Westbank First Nation, represent more than 50,000 citizens. Currently, the area is serviced by the Kelowna Regional Hospital for all urgent and primary care needs, which can result in significant access challenges for the residents of the greater Westside area.

“The Minister understands that an urgent and primary care facility in West Kelowna has been our priority over the last number of years,” says Mayor Milsom. “We remain encouraged to work with the Interior Health Authority and the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice to improve access to health services on the Westside. We strongly believe that health care access continues to be an issue in our community. We are keeping our conversations ongoing with the Ministry and the Interior Health Authority to improve health care services for our greater Westside communities.”

Hon. Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to discuss rural detachment policing levels in West Kelowna. Today, the delegation was pleased to be advised that the Province of B.C. will be adding one new rural police officer in West Kelowna. Since 2009, the City has added eight police officers to the integrated West Kelowna Detachment.

“We were extremely pleased to hear that the Minister is adding one new regular rural member to the provincial detachment anticipated by the end of the year,” says Mayor Milsom. “This is a great step forward. Increasing the number of rural police officers begins to address the continued need for rural police services as the greater Westside continues to grow.”

West Kelowna delegates also met with Ministry of Finance staff in continued discussions regarding West Kelowna’s strong support to be removed from the Speculation and Vacancy Tax. The Ministry has received and is reviewing West Kelowna’s submission to be removed from the tax and the Ministry anticipates an update of their analysis by the end of the year.

Tomorrow, the West Kelowna delegates have two meetings with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: Council will meet with Hon. Clair Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to discuss improvements along Highway 97 at Boucherie Road and Westlake Road in West Kelowna; and Council will meet with Ministry staff along with Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin, to discuss Trail 2000, which is a long term vision to establish a trail from the William R. Bennett Bridge through to Peachland.