Local governments in the Kootenay-Boundary have rejected a resolution calling on the provincial government to hire back unvaccinated health care workers.
Trail mayor Colleen Jones said the resolution made it to floor at the meeting of the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments in Cranbrook last weekend, but was defeated.
“That was a bit of controversy,” she said. “It was not endorsed because we didn’t have enough information to endorse that. But the conversation went on for quite a while. It was a good one to listen to, to have both sides of it.”
The resolution suggested the government make up for a shortage of qualified health care workers by hiring back people who lost their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the province has indicated vaccine requirements will be permanent.
Jones said another resolution that was defeated, but that she spoke in favor of, called for additional funding for local governments for education and protective services in the wake of the decriminalization of certain illicit drugs.
“We feel like we need more help,” Jones said. “But again, because it’s a new program, we didn’t feel there was enough data to endorse it, so there was no recommendation going forward.”
Resolutions adopted at the local level will be forwarded to the Union of BC Municipalities convention in September for further debate.
All of Trail city council attended last week’s meeting. Jones said while the city did not bring any resolutions of its own, it did support several others.
Among those that were endorsed were one calling for the province to top up grant funding to recognize the higher cost of doing business these days.
“Everything has increased: wages, supplies, the cost of getting supplies and equipment,” Jones said. “We’re asking the government to top up those provincial grants so we can get the work we planned to get done done without it costing extra.”
They are also looking for extra funding to help with emergency response on the highways. Jones said they are hoping ICBC can identify compensation for local governments and fire departments who respond to crashes.
Jones was re-elected a director of the association while the incumbent president, councillor Keith Page of Nelson, and incumbent vice-president, councillor Kevin McIsaac of Fernie, were both acclaimed for another term.
Jones said the organization provides “a great opportunity to see what’s happening our region.”
“What is happening in the West Kootenay is also happening in the East Kootenay, but they might have a different resolution or another way of looking at the issue,” she said.
“Maybe they’re doing something we can learn from and vice versa. Both areas are struggling with certain issues such as housing and the homeless situation. It’s good to collaborate and know we’re supporting each other.”
