As we dive into election season, it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s become an increasingly busy time for everyone as we strive to recognize the responsibilities and jurisdictions of Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments. The next month will see debates, differing perspectives and promises, which will ultimately lead up to election day. Despite the election91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s outcome, our community can take comfort in knowing that Kelowna91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s advocacy priorities remain strong and unwavering. We91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve positioned ourselves as a leading municipality in BC; one that is open to collaboration and collective action that goes beyond party lines and focuses on what matters most to our residents.
Our advocacy priorities are a direct response to what we are hearing from our community and where we have focused our efforts when attending tours and meetings, like the recent UBCM Convention in Vancouver.
Public safety remains a top concern for our residents, and we know that Mandatory compassionate care for those suffering from severe mental health and addiction issues needs to be implemented in an effective and meaningful way. I need to be clear 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ allowing those with severe mental health and addiction issues to suffer on our streets is not compassionate, it is neglect. As a City, we continue to press for the expansion of a regional mandatory care model inspired by the Red Fish Healing Centre. This centre offers a compassionate mandatory care approach for those in crisis. The recent provincial announcements are promising, and we will continue to advocate for bringing this life-saving model to our community.
To add to this, the need for more Crown prosecutors has never been more urgent. As Kelowna continues to grow, so too does the need for resources to support our justice system. We are pushing for at least five more Crown prosecutors to keep pace with the increasing demands on our courts. The current judicial system is stretched too thin and is not deterring repeat offender, many of whom have extensive criminal histories. By adding more resources, we can ensure a tougher approach is followed that holds repeat offenders accountable. We are also advocating the Province to add their voice to our request to the Federal government to enact bail reform on repeat property offenders.
On the infrastructure front, we are committed to transforming how our city moves and grows. The Clement Extension Partnership multi-modal corridor is one of the most exciting projects on the horizon. This would create a seamless connection between downtown Kelowna, Highway 33, McCurdy, the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), and the Kelowna International Airport (YLW), in parallel to Highway 97. The project is set to significantly enhance our transportation infrastructure by alleviating congestion on highway 97, increasing capacity for upgraded transit lanes, and improving travel times for residents as well as the movement of goods and services across the region.
This critical piece of infrastructure is also interconnected with transit as it is a key step in advancing the construction of our new Transit Operations Centre. Our community and region have outgrown the current facility at Hardy Street, and it is over capacity. This challenge impacts our ability to respond to current and future ridership demand. We must ensure that planning and commitments made today will meet the needs of our community as we grow.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ¯
The expansion of Kelowna91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s International Airport YLW is another key pillar of our economic development strategy. As the largest municipally-owned and operated airport in Canada, YLW and its aerospace campus has been a hub for innovation, job creation, and air service delivery to support industry, tourism, agriculture, trade and regional economic activity. We continue to seek opportunities for growth for our airport into the Eastlands to attract more partners that will continue to place Kelowna as a great place to invest in. In fact, as this article is being published, I am currently in Ottawa advocating for federal support to advance our Airport Campus Expansion.
The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), which represents 151 Municipalities and 38 Regional Districts, acts as a collective voice for challenges faced by all our communities. The annual convention is the main provincial forum for policy-making through resolution voting and debates. The busy week allows for collaborative discussions, sharing of best practices, gaining insights, and attending informative sessions. It offers a chance for in-person meetings and interactions with Ministers, enabling us to directly advocate for our community's needs. It also serves as a platform for recognition of excellence, and I am beyond proud of the City91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s asset management team for being awarded as a provincial leader in strong asset management and accelerated infrastructure delivery.
A highlight of the week was joining a coalition of mayors calling on the federal government to take stronger action on the key issues of mental health, addiction, and public safety.
These topics were at the forefront of many discussions, especially during the panel on impacts to public safety that I had the honour of being invited to participate in. I brought to light the financial and social toll that addiction is taking on our communities and the strain it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s putting on our first responders. Whether it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s our bylaw officers, RCMP, or firefighters, the impact is felt across the board. I made it clear that we need more support from both the provincial and federal government to address these challenges head-on 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ and particularly the need for the right agency to respond to the crisis: we wouldn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t send a doctor to respond to a robbery, so why are we sending police and bylaw officers to respond to a health incident?
A lot of the real work happened in one-on-one meetings with Premier Eby and 5 key provincial ministers. In these conversations, we went beyond just bringing awareness to our priorities and we pushed for real commitments through collaborative discussions.
We are now in the middle of a Provincial Election, with election day scheduled for October 19th and advance voting starting as early as October 10th. I encourage everyone to research the platforms, ask questions, and get out and vote for the candidates who prioritize the issues that matter most to you and our community. Whether it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s public safety, mental health and addictions, infrastructure, or economic development, every vote counts and will help shape the next four years of Canada91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s fastest growing region.
Monthly update from Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas on Council decisions, City business and more.
