Posted on: April 4, 2016 

Council Highlights February 29, 2016

Council approved the following donations:

  • $800 to the Syilx Junior Basketball Teams represented the Okanagan Nation at the Provincial Junior All Native Basketball Tournament in Williams Lake during spring break. The teams included some WFN Members.
  • $800 to the 2016 Spirit of Syilx Youth Unity Run scheduled to take place míktúʔtin (May) 12-15, 2016 when youth will run 438 kms from Christina Lake to Revelstoke, B.C. The 3 major goals of the Unity Run are to:
    • 1.Create awareness of high violence and youth suicide within the Okanagan nation;
    • 2.Promote a sense of nationhood among the youth; and
    • 3.Promote healthy living.

For more information on the Unity Run, please contact Jennifer Houde, Child, Youth, Family, and Health Services Manager at 250-707-0095, ext. 128 or jhoude@syilx.org.

Council gave First Reading to WFN Public Works Capital Expenditure Bylaw No. 16-TX-01 for the expenditure of up to $143,000 for capital fleet replacement, equipment upgrades, landscaping projects, and public safety. It’s anticipated that Third Reading and enactment would have taken place at the pəckɬtán (March) 29th Council meeting. For more information on the Bylaw, please contact Ernest Jack, xatus iʔ k'əl sx̌aq'əq' (Surveyor of Taxes), at 250-769-2400 or ejack@wfn.ca.

Council approved the expenditure of $114,632.36 for security improvements to WFN facilities. The purpose of the improvements is to increase safety for employees who work alone or after hours. The funding for the improvements will come from the Capital Budget. For more information on the improvements, please contact Lori Ann Swite, Property Supervisor, at 250-769-4999 or laswite@wfn.ca.

$635,000 in end-of-the-year funding was received from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada for the infrastructure and improvements on Falcon Lane. Despite doggedly pursuing the funding, Development Services staff didn’t anticipate receiving it so this is very good news! For more information on the funding, please contact Loretta Ghostkeeper, Manager of Engineering, at 250-769-4999 or lghostkeeper@wfn.ca.

Council gave Stage Two Development Permit and Servicing Agreement Approvals to the following developments:

  • Indigenous World Winery wine tasting and sales building on Lot 302-5, Plan 73194 CLSR, with some parking on Lot 323-1, Plan 3566R RSBC, IR #10 (Katherine Road.) The owner of the winery is looking for a location to attract interested customers to sample and purchase some of the wine being made at the winery and feels that this location, just north of Horizon Drive, has good commercial exposure from Highway 97. Council also approved the construction and operation of a craft distillery at this location (on Lot 323-1.) No sales of distilled products will be allowed from the site and best practices must be used for the disposal of all by-products of the distillation process. For more information on this development, please contact Dan Brown, Director of Development Services, at 250-769-4999 or dbrown@wfn.ca
  • Okanagan Tech Centre Recreational Vehicle Park on Lots 373 to 377 CLSR 95837 and Lots 30-21 and 30-22 CLSR between Old Okanagan Highway and Marmot Lane. The Member developers wish to construct a 90 unit recreational vehicle park on the back portion of the lands. For more information on this development please contact Planner Jayden Riley at 250-769-4999 or jriley@wfn.ca
  • Storage Bear Self-Storage on Lot 360-60 Plan 93595 CLSR, IR #9 located between Carrington Road and Highway 97 at the end of Moose Road. The development will consist of premanufactured storage containers that encircle the development site. Additional storage containers are proposed to be placed in vehicle accessible rows within the site.
  • Phase 11 of Elkridge Residential Development at Lots 427 and 458 to 460 Plan 97849 and Lot 404-2 Plan 101301 CLSR, IR #9.
  • Lot 529, Plan 104182 CLSR, IR #9 on Cougar Road. The developer wishes to construct a single family home with secondary suite.  

For more information on these last 3 developments, please contact Graeme Dimmick, Senior Planner, at 250-769-4999 or gdimmick@wfn.ca.

Council received presentations from the Regional District of Central Okanagan (“RDCO”) on:

  • The Draft Westside Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant Service Review. The purpose of the draft plan is to assess current and future demands, compare the cost of service with other facilities of similar scale and age, and proactively identify new sites if the current location becomes problematic due to development or other factors, all for the overall purpose of helping to guide decision-making. Due to WFN being a stakeholder in the plant, RDCO wished to get Council’s feedback and input on the draft service review.
  • The Draft Biosolids Management Plan. The purpose of the draft plan is to outline the process that should be followed to ensure that RDCO is identifying and implementing the most cost effective and sustainable solution.
    For more information on these plans, please contact Dan Brown, Director of Development Services, at 250-769-4999 or dbrown@wfn.ca.


Council reappointed Aaron Derickson, by acclamation, to the Community Member Seat of the Sensisyusten School Board
for another 3 year term effective February 29, 2016 and in accordance with the Terms of Reference for the Sensiyusten School Board.

Council approved the movement of WFN into the 50th percentile for salary ranges of the Broader Public Sector in order to ensure that WFN remains competitive in the broader marketplace. The resulting salary increases will be phased in over the next 3 years in order to lessen the impact to the overall budget. For more information on this matter, please contact Shannon Gabriel, Acting Manager of Human Resources, at 250-769-4999 or sgabriel@wfn.ca.