Taxpayers in three areas of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District have been weighing in on a proposal to establish enhanced road rescue services — including specialized equipment like the “Jaws of Life” — aimed at improving emergency response along key highways east of Kamloops and around Shuswap Lake.
The CSRD launched an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) this spring in the North Shuswap, South Shuswap (Electoral Areas C and G), and Falkland (Area D), asking local property owners if they support funding their local volunteer fire departments to acquire rescue equipment and training.
Strong Support in North and South Shuswap
Preliminary results released this week show strong support for the proposals in the North and South Shuswap. In these areas, only a small number of electors submitted opposition forms — 26 in the North Shuswap and just 13 in the South Shuswap — well below the 10% opposition thresholds of 272 and 753 respectively required to halt the plans.
“This shows a clear community endorsement of improved road rescue capabilities closer to home,” said Derek Sutherland, head of Community and Protective Services with the CSRD. “For years, volunteer fire departments in these areas have lacked the specialized tools needed to quickly and safely extract crash victims, often relying on distant services to fill that gap.”
Opposition Mounts in Falkland
The situation in Falkland is markedly different. More than 216 elector response forms opposing the proposal were submitted, more than double the 99 needed to prevent the service from moving forward without a referendum. This significant opposition puts the future of road rescue funding in Falkland in question.
Residents in Falkland face the steepest financial ask of the three areas, with an estimated one-time tax increase of $200 to $235 per property to fund equipment purchases and training. After the initial year, ongoing costs are expected to be about $67 annually.
By comparison, North Shuswap property owners are expected to pay an additional $29 to $52 in the first year, dropping to about $10 annually thereafter. South Shuswap residents face a similar scale, with a one-time cost estimated between $20 and $52.
Background: The Need for Local Road Rescue
Currently, many volunteer fire departments in the CSRD lack adequate road rescue equipment, meaning help often arrives from outside the region, resulting in slower response times. The Alternative Approval Process follows a 2022 feasibility study that identified service gaps in the North Shuswap, South Shuswap, and Falkland areas.
Sutherland notes the issue has been debated for over a decade. The proposed new service aims to bridge that gap and enhance public safety along critical travel corridors such as the TransCanada Highway and Highway 97.
What Happens Next?
If opposition reaches the 10% threshold in any area, the CSRD Board must decide whether to proceed with a full referendum, revise the proposals, or abandon them. The final deadline for submitting opposition forms was June 30th.
The CSRD Board will review the preliminary AAP results and discuss next steps at its regular meeting scheduled for July 17.
