Oyster River Flood Protection Service

On July 13, 2022, the Regional Board adopted Bylaw No. 457 which establishes a service to fund the operation and maintenance of flood protection infrastructure in the Oyster River area of Electoral Area D. The adoption of Bylaw No. 457 followed the conclusion of an alternative approval process whereby the approximately 800 electors affected by the initiative were provided an opportunity to object to passage of the bylaw without the Regional District holding a vote of the electors. No objections to Bylaw No. 457 were filed prior to the July 4, 2022 deadline.

Bylaw No. 457 will allow the Regional District to requisition up to $8,350 annually (or approximately $0.0270 per 1,000 of property assessments) to operate and maintain flood protection infrastructure in the area. This includes the Glenmore Road dike structure and related infrastructure which was upgraded to modern standards in 2019 using funds provided by the Province of BC. Prior to Bylaw No. 457 being adopted, the Regional District had no reliable mechanism for raising funds to meet annual maintenance needs.

“I am very pleased that the people in the Oyster River area have supported this initiative” said Brenda Leigh, Director for Electoral Area D. “The Oyster River has a long history of seasonal flooding and this will certainly allow the Regional District to be more proactive in ensuring that damage from such events is minimized”. The Chair of the Regional Board, Brad Unger also stated “although the Regional Board is often focused on larger regional issues, we cannot forget that serving our unincorporated communities is one of our primary responsibilities, and I’m glad that we were able to assist in this initiative.”

Although the Regional District will be unable to raise funds for the new service until 2023, it will now be able to start the process of ensuring that plans are in place for annual inspections, performance monitoring, and any repairs or maintenance tasks that are required.

Questions?

If you require further information, please contact:
Tom Yates, SRD Corporate Services Manager
administration@srd.ca  |  250-830-6704