The Salt Spring Island Incorporation Study Committee is receiving $135,000 in additional funding to complete its work on potential impacts of incorporation as an island municipality, Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender said today. 

Appointed in June 2015, the nine-member volunteer Incorporation Study Committee is charged with overseeing a study and public engagement process that provides those living on Salt Spring Island with the facts needed to make an informed decision on the option of incorporation, if asked in a referendum vote.

The new funding will allow for:

• preparation of a road condition assessment report by an independent consulting engineer;
• additional public events to disseminate the road assessment results;
• an update of the financial information in the study to match property tax bills scheduled for distribution in May 2016; and
• research and analysis to address issues and questions raised by the community and integration of the provincial restructure assistance offer, once issued.

Combined with an initial grant of $120,000, the additional funding brings the total provincial support for the committee to $255,000.

Government expects the final study report to be completed during the fall of 2016.

Quotes:

Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender –

“The B.C. government granted additional funds requested by the incorporation study committee because it is important that the final report on incorporation be as thorough as possible. The Salt Spring Island community members must get the answers they need about the financial, technical and governance implications of transitioning from an electoral area to a municipality.”

Salt Spring Island Incorporation Study Committee chair Mark Aston –

“The Salt Spring Island Incorporation Study Committee is very grateful for the government’s continued support to enable the community to examine the option of municipal incorporation. A comprehensive and reliable assessment of the condition of on-island roads was a clear priority for the committee and the community. The committee feels confident that with this further support from government, it will be able to complete its task.”

Quick Facts:

The final study will:

• report on the effects and costs of incorporation for Salt Spring Island;
• outline the benefits of integrated governance and administration;
• provide a broad tax impact analysis;
• describe the transition to a new municipal administration; and
• include a recommendation from the study committee to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development on whether to proceed with a local vote on incorporation.

The additional funding provided will allow the committee to more fully respond to the over 700 pieces of feedback received to date from the community on the preliminary incorporation study report and to hold additional public meetings to engage the community on the final report.

Members of the Salt Spring Island Incorporation Study Committee were appointed by the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, based on the recommendations of local elected officials.

Learn More:

To find out more about the Salt Spring Island Incorporation Study Committee, visit:
http://www.ssiincorporationstudy.com/

Check out the provincial government’s role in supporting communities, sport, arts and culture through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development: http://www.gov.bc.ca/cscd