by John Boivin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice
Voters in RDCK Area H will be asked this fall if they want to join a fund to support environmental protection projects in the Slocan Valley and Kootenay Lake areas.
They’ll vote on whether they want to join the RDCK’s Local Conservation Fund as part of the Oct. 15 municipal elections.
If a majority chooses to join the fund, each parcel of land in Area H (Slocan Valley) will be charged $15 annually to support local environmental research and programs in the Slocan Valley. That money is often used to leverage even larger amounts to support environmental conservation projects.
“The intent is to provide funding for conservation projects that are not the existing responsibility of the federal, provincial or local governments,” says an RDCK web page on the vote.
The fund is already in effect in Areas A, D and E (surrounding the entirety of Kootenay Lake, with the exception of Kaslo).