Following are the board highlights from the Oct. 28 Cariboo Regional District (CRD) meeting.
CCCTA supported
The CRD will provide a letter supporting a Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA) resolution directed to the provincial government.
The resolution calls for several legislative changes, including increasing the $150,000 threshold limits of the Tourist Accommodation Assessment Relief Act to $500,000, to alleviate seasonal resort tax burdens.
This falls on the heels of a related resolution for providing resort taxation relief that didn't pass at the recent Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) conference. It was the second consecutive year it failed to gain support at the convention.
Several local tourism operators and associations had previously approached the CRD board and Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett for assistance with their plight, and have since worked with both offices toward potential solutions for the tax burden on seasonal operators.
MLA provides update
Barnett provided directors with an update about priorities and projects the B.C. Liberal government is working on.
She summarized further details of the Jobs Plan recently announced by Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell. This included streamlined processes for permits, dealing with the backlog of applications for forestry and mining permits and a new tourism strategy.
The Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA told the board the province will be working with regional tourism associations, such as the CCCTA, on marketing, and talked about a new provincial marketing association. She also discussed Premier Christy Clark's delegation to China, Japan and other parts of Asia to promote economic and educational opportunities.
During the meeting, Barnett presented awards of appreciation to retiring Area H Director Art Dumaresq, as well as to three other northern directors who are stepping down.