Telkwa Council is looking at making a human rights complaint against the province for what Mayor Darcy Repen says is an unfair distribution of revenues.
He argues other resource-rich towns are getting larger transfer payments than Telkwa.
“It’s clear that we’re breaking new ground, I don’t think any municipality has filed a human rights complaint against the province,” says Repen.
With a low water capacity in the village and the desperate need for a new water tower, Repen says their backs are up against the wall.
“When we’re not getting the funding for what we need over and over again, you need to try a different approach. And talking to the province doesn’t seem to help.”
“We’re frustrated in our region. We’ve been trying to move forward with a revenue-sharing agreement for the industry that we have. We’ve certainly pumped enough into the provincial coffers over the last century in logging revenue and mining revenue.”
Telkwa is a part of the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance made up of 21 municipalities that are pressuring the province for a more fair return on resource dollars generated in the area.
Repen says there’s been no indication of funding for a new water tower from the province, something he argues is holding back the village’s economic development.
ICBC currently groups Telkwa residents with Prince George instead of Smithers, forcing them to pay higher rates. That ongoing issue will be added to the potential complaint, says Repen.
Telkwa staff will look at the viability of launching a human rights complaint against the province before any decision, or motion from council, is made.
Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
