In Brief

Effective July 1st, the province has brought in new regulations restricting the size of campfires and requiring various safety measures. For details click here.

Effective noon on April 2, 2010, all open fires larger than one metre high and one metre wide are prohibited within the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction until Sept. 30, 2010, or until the ban is lifted. The prohibition is being implemented to limit the risk of a fire and for public safety. Specifically it refers to:

• Waste, slash or other burning, whether piled or unpiled, larger than one metre in height and one metre in width.
• More than two piles of waste, slash or other burning, whether piled or unpiled, of any size.
• Stubble or grass burning over any area.

The ban doesn’t apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to open fires, including campfires, that are one metre by one metre or smaller. Approved open fires used for resource management, such as ecosystem restoration, aren’t restricted under the prohibition. Read the full notice here.

The Cariboo Regional District Heritage Steering Committee is seeking nominations of buildings, structures or landscape features that are of heritage value in the Cariboo Region. If you know of a building, structure or landscape features that you feel deserves heritage distinction you are invited to complete the nomination form which is available on the CRD website.

The CRD Board resolved to support resort owners in their quest for relaxation of taxation as this industry has been extremely hard hit by steadily increasing taxation and the poor economic markets. In January, the South Cariboo Rural Caucus met with local resort owners to hear their concerns about the increase in property assessments and the expected impact on their tax bill and ultimately on their financial viability. The group has also met with the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, the Honourable Kevin Krueger, who was made aware of the issue and their concerns for the future.

A provincial Task Force has been established to make recommendations for legislative changes to improve the electoral process for local government elections (municipalities and regional districts).

The Task Force is considering the following issues:

• Campaign finance, including contribution/spending disclosure and limits, and tax credits
• Enforcement processes and outcomes
• Role of the chief electoral officer (B.C.) in local government elections
• Election cycle (term of office)
• Corporate vote
• Other agreed upon matters, (e.g. matters raised in UBCM resolutions such as eligibility of local government volunteers to be candidates)
• For more information including discussion papers on the above issues, see the Task Force website.