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Joint Indigenous and Local Government Initiatives and Relations
| A collection of resources related to initiatives, agreements, arrangements, partnerships, and the provision of services between Indigenous governments and organizations, and local governments in British Columbia. |  Service Partner |
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New First Nations service proposed by Central Okanagan regional district
WFN flag was added to the Central Okanagan regional district's boardroom in 2008. Now, the local government is proposing to create a new 'First Nations Engagement Service'.
A $50,000 local government initiative is designed to enhance and improve relations with Indigenous people in the Central Okanagan.
The funding is proposed for a study to determine whether to create a new "First Nations Engagement Service" under the auspices of the Central Okanagan Regional District.
The proposed service would aim to support reconciliation efforts "in a more meaningful way through respectful dialogue, learning, and relationship building", according to regional district administrator Brian Reardon.
Currently, regional district services include such things as parks creation and maintenance, economic development, dog control, waste management, and the provision of local government services to rural areas in the Central Okanagan.
The regional district's involvement with Indigenous organizations such as Westbank First Nation is mainly on specific and distinct files such as development of sanitary sewer systems, new parks, fire protection, thinning of forests to reduce fire risk, and crime prevention.
The regional district wants "to do something more than just celebrate project successes," Reardon says.
The proposed new First Nations Engagement Service would have a broader scope, Reardon says, and extend beyond the WFN to include the Vernon-based Okanagan Indian Band and the Okanagan Nation Alliance.
If regional directors agree at a Thursday meeting to authorize the $50,000 needed for the study, and that study recommends the new service be created, additional funding would be required in the years ahead, Reardon says.