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Columbia Shuswap eyeing municipality amalgamation of Blind Bay and Sorrento

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says it will be asking the province to fund a study “examining the potential creation of a new municipality” between Blind Bay and Sorrento. Columbia Shuswap Regional District

The B.C. Interior communities of Blind Bay and Sorrento could be combined into a new municipality, according to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

On Tuesday, the regional district announced that it will be asking the province to fund a study “examining the potential creation of a new municipality,” which would include the two small unincorporated communities.

The regional district said its directors made the decision regarding the composition of Electoral Area C at a Feb. 21 meeting. The regional district said if incorporation of Blind Bay and Sorrento isn’t feasible, it supports the idea of dividing Electoral Area C into two separate electoral areas.

“The board decision to pursue funding for an incorporation study is a major milestone for Area C,” said director Paul Demenok. “The results of this study will provide South Shuswap residents with the information they will need to make a fully informed decision about our future governance structure.”

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The regional district said a 77-page boundary analysis report included options of a standalone Sorrento municipality, a separate Blind Bay municipality, the Sorrento/Blind Bay municipality or the creation of two electoral areas.

The regional district said Electoral Area C is the most populous region of the CSRD. The estimated population for the potential incorporation area would be 4,700. This would leave Electoral Area C with a population of approximately 3,200.

The regional district said a decision on incorporation would have to go through a referendum vote.

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