The week of September 27, Mayor Jim Ogilvie and Councillors Brent Bush and Paddy Weston are off to Whistler for the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention.

The convention is an opportunity to network with other municipal politicians and to meet with government Ministers.

“We’ve identified those Ministers which may have an interest in what we’re trying to do. For instance we’ve been trying to do something for affordable housing so we have an appointment with the Minister of Housing.”

Ogilvie will also meet with people from the Environment Ministry with more discussion on getting Cominco lands through the environmental release process but also the deer issue.

“We want to discuss what level of support there will be for the urban ungulate committee,” Ogilvie said. “There is no sense in proceeding on our own without the Ministry. After all deer are a provincial responsibility even though they have taken up residence in Kimberley.”

The Kimberley contingent is also scheduled to meet with the Minister of Community Services.

In addition, Ogilvie will attend a meeting of the Resort Collaborative. The Resort Collaborative is the group of 13 BC communities who have achieved Resort Community status and signed an agreement with the provincial government which allows them to access hotel tax funds.

“Our issue right now is how revenues will be handled with the HST. Things have changed. We have assurances the money will be there for a couple of years, but we’d like to settle it long term.”