A new voting date is to be set for the Shuswap Watershed Council referendum that was postponed in August.

Due to the evacuations caused by the Bush Creek East wildfire, Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) residents were unable to attend ballot stations on Aug. 26 as was originally scheduled and a provincial ministerial order was issued to cancel the voting day.

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In a post by the regional district on Sept. 28, three days after the wildfire was considered 鈥榟eld鈥� and no longer 鈥榦ut of control鈥�, it was announced that a new general voting day will be set for a Saturday in early February 2024.

The CSRD said ballots already cast for the referendum in the advance and mail-in voting phases will be securely retained until the new date is officially set and all votes will be included in the count.

Cancellation of voting was required in areas directly affected by wildfire and ensuing evacuation orders, including Electoral Areas F (North Shuswap) and G (Blind Bay, Sorrento and Notch Hill). Both are part of the Shuswap Watershed Council鈥檚 (SWC) referendum voting area, along with the District of Sicamous and electoral areas C, D and E, said the CSRD.

The regional district used a 鈥榮pecial voting referendum鈥� and on Aug. 21, 2023, voted to give three readings to an amendment bylaw that extends the watershed council鈥檚 service by one year, until Dec. 31, 2024. The CSRD board adopted this at the September board meeting, reads a CSRD media release.

鈥淭he Shuswap Watershed Council service may continue to be funded and remain in operation for an additional year, pending the results of the assent voting,鈥� said the CSRD.

In 2015, the board adopted with elector assent a bylaw to contribute funds to the SWC. The bylaw included a sunset clause requiring voter assent for the SWC to continue operation beyond 2020. Due to the pandemic, the board sought and received permission to extend the service without the assent of the public until Dec. 31, 2023.

If the referendum is held in February and the vote is no, the Shuswap Watershed Council would be longer have services funded and would expire on Dec. 31, 2024. If the referendum result is a yes, the service could continue in perpetuity.

The CSRD is now looking for appropriate voting locations to allow for a general voting day in February, and once this has been determined, an official date will be set. Another mail-in ballot option will also be set up for eligible voters to cast referendum ballots.

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