West Kelowna Talks Transportation at UBCM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2019

At today’s meetings at the 2019 Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver, West Kelowna Mayor, Council and staff met with Hon. Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to discuss continued improvements along Highway 97, including at Boucherie Road and Westlake Road, and met with Ministry staff along with Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin to discuss obtaining the necessarily right-of-way to connect Trail 2000 between Peachland and West Kelowna.

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. Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to relay Council’s support for the Ministry’s continued investments along Highway 97 not only at Boucherie Road and at Westlake Road, but along the Highway 97 corridor through West Kelowna.

“Expanding the capacity of Highway 97 through West Kelowna is critical to our residents to not only improve the safety of this busy corridor, but to attract new investment and supporting economic growth and the Ministry is very aware of this,” says Mayor Milsom. “We advised the Minister that we are very supportive of the interchange project at Boucherie Road and hope to see an interchange constructed at Westlake Road in the near-term as well. We’re thankful that the Ministry continues to work hand-in-hand with West Kelowna to advance the design and infrastructure improvements to Highway 97.”

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Staff to discuss Trail 2000, which is a long term vision to establish a trail from the William R. Bennett Bridge through to Peachland. It forms part of the “Trail of the Okanagan.” Sections are complete and well used and other sections are in the planning phase.

“We discussed significant challenges with the portion of the trail between Seclusion Bay Road and Robson Place in Peachland, just past where the trail leaves West Kelowna. This section requires a right-of-way from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,” says Mayor Milsom. “We talked to the Ministry about working together to obtain the right-of-way as soon as possible to connect these sections of the trail, bringing us closer to the goal of Trail 2000.”

The City’s two resolutions submitted for consideration at the convention were also endorsed by the membership. These resolutions, with all other endorsed resolutions, will be sent to the Provincial Government for consideration.

The City’s resolutions are:

Local Government Photo Radar Implementation

Whereas local governments, with limited and competing resources, must address traffic safety challenges to ensure the well-being of our residents;

And whereas traffic speed enforcement in residential areas, playgrounds, and school zones is labour intensive and the ability to use photo radar as a deterrent has proven to be effective and efficient in the management of speed:

Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to permit local governments to independently implement photo radar, with the focus on changing driver behaviour, on local roads at the local government’s request and expense.

Regulate E-Cigarettes/Vapour Products to Minors

Whereas results from the 2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey, Balance and Connection in BC: The Health and Well-being of our Youth (McCreary Centre Society) show that 21 per cent of BC students have used a vaping product with nicotine in the past month and while the long term effect of using e-cigarettes and vapour products are being assessed, the effect of nicotine on youth are known to be detrimental to brain development;

And whereas e-cigarettes and vapour products are being specifically marketed to youth through fruit and candy flavours and easily concealed products:

Therefore be it resolved that the Province of BC enact strict regulations regarding the marketing and selling of e-cigarettes and vapour products to minors.