Kamloops, BC—May 3, 2021— The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) will not be expanding its mosquito reduction service into the community of Blue River.
A public assent vote was held for electors in Blue River to vote on whether a mosquito reduction service area would be established, with only 32% of the required 50% of eligible properties returning a signed petition.
The assent process was initiated in response to a community meeting held last fall. While the majority of those in attendance at the meeting were in favour of additional taxation for a mosquito reduction service in their community, the results of the petition process show that the property owners do not support the proposed service.
For the petition to be successful, over 50% of the eligible properties are required to return a signed petition and the petitions would need to represent over 50% of the assessed value of the service area. Of the total 217 eligible properties, 69 signed petitions were received representing only 32% of properties. The combined assessed property value of the petitions was $13,970,000 representing only 27% of the total value of $51,454,900.
The estimated costs of the service was $125,000 per year which, if successful, would have resulted in a property tax increase of approximately $130 per $100,000 of assessed property value, per year for residential properties.
The TNRD operates a mosquito reduction service in Electoral Areas “A”, “O”, “P”, “L”, “J”, “M”, “N”, and including the municipalities of Clearwater, Barriere, Chase, Sun Peaks, Kamloops, and Logan Lake.
The Official Signed Results for the petition can be viewed on our website. For more information, go to www.tnrd.ca/nuisance-mosquito-reduction.
Media contact:
Jamie Vieira, Manager of Environmental Services Thompson-Nicola Regional District
Tel.: 250-377-7197
Email: jvieira@tnrd.ca