Greater Vernon’s water referendum appears doomed for failure.
On Thursday, all of Vernon’s mayoralty candidates and all of the council hopefuls (one was absent) pledged they would vote no during the Nov. 15 referendum to borrow $70 million for upgrades to the water utility. This comes on top of some high-profile Coldstream politicians also expressing opposition to the initiative.
Now there is no question that $70 million is a lot of money, particularly given the other financial burdens facing taxpayers — aging infrastructure, the new sports complex, already completed water utility upgrades and the prospect of a new ice sheet, art gallery and museum. The public’s ability to pay is narrowing.
However, there is the reality that Greater Vernon is not in charge of its own destiny. The provincial government, through the Interior Health Authority, stipulates what measures have to be taken in terms of water quality. Many of these measures are based more on reducing liability than addressing actual health issues, but the government ultimately sets the tone. If the referendum fails, Victoria could order the upgrades to proceed, forcing the cost on to taxpayers.
It’s interesting to point out that some of the candidates voting no in the referendum raised their hands as regional district directors to proceed with the master water plan. Have they had second thoughts about the viability of the proposal or have they realized there is widespread public concern during an election campaign?
In the end, voters are likely to vote down borrowing $70 million given the direction taken by council candidates. But given IHA’s overall authority, residents won’t be able to ignore the matter forever.
