A second online public engagement session will soon be underway as part of the Columbia Lake Management Plan process.

“We have compiled the input provided by the public earlier this spring and have used that in conjunction with ongoing discussions with other partners and government organizations to help inform some draft management options,” explains RDEK Planner Kris Belanger. “The options are detailed in the survey tool and we are urging residents and property owners of the plan area to review them and provide feedback.”

The draft management options and survey are posted on engage.rdek.bc.ca/columbialake and will be open from August 24^th to September 7^th.

For those without access to a computer or who would like to provide input in more traditional ways, Belanger can be contacted at the RDEK office at 250-489-0903. “We don’t want technology to be a barrier for people. I am available by phone and we can arrange to send hard copies of information to those who do not have access to a computer or smart phone. Everyone’s voice matters,” stresses Belanger.

A summary of the survey responses from the first engagement session earlier this spring is posted on the project page at engage.rdek.bc.ca/columbialake as is all other project-related information.

“I can’t stress enough how valuable the public participation is in this planning process and I’m really encouraging people to review the new information, ask questions, and provide their input,” adds Belanger. While the public engagement continues to be run largely online at this time, as guidance around public meetings during COVID-19 evolves, the RDEK will continue to look for opportunities to engage with people in-person as conditions allow.

The Plan, which will replace the existing 1997 Columbia Lake Management Strategy, will guide local government decisions affecting Columbia Lake and is being led by the RDEK in partnership with the Village of Canal Flats.

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