The Mountain Resort Municipality of Jumbo Glacier is no more.
In a media release Tuesday, the NDP Government said it took the step to dissolve the municipality in the Legislature with changes toBill 26.
People across the Kootenays and the Ktunaxa Nation fought the development of Jumbo from the start, and todays announcement is a win shared by everyone who worked so hard to keep Jumbo wild, said Brittny Anderson, NDP MLA for Nelson-Creston in a media release.
From the beginning, Jumbo was a clear example of disregard by the BC Liberals for the environment and surrounding communities.
Our government is dissolving the fake municipality, and finally putting an end to this saga.
Prior to Mountain Resort Municipality of Jumbo Glacier, a municipality could not be created without residents.
However, the BC Liberals changed the legislation to allow the creation of the Mountain Resort Municipality of Jumbo Glacier in 2013.
Anderson said the Liberal government was so brazen as to award grants to a municipality with no residents while then BC Premier Christy Clark appointed mayor and council.
Despite having no residents to benefit from municipal services, Jumbo was slated to receive over $1 million in grants from the BC Liberal government over a five-year period.
In response, the Union of BC Municipalities passed amotionin 2014 opposing the funding of any municipalities without residents.
This is a huge win for our communities and people across B.C., said Anderson. Jumbo should never have been allowed to proceed to begin with, and the BC Liberals intention to appoint their friends and then give them public money reminds us all of what they truly stand for.
The Jumbo Glacier area is one of the largest remaining swathes of land in B.C. without paved roads and is important habitat for many species, including grizzlies.
The area was protected by the BC NDP, working with the federal government and Ktunaxa Nation, in January 2020 and will be known as Qatmuk, the Ktunaxa name meaningHome of the Grizzly Bear Spirit
Jumbo is the first local government to be dissolved in the province in roughly 100 years.
Anderson said these amendments in the legislation prevent future governments from creating Mountain Resort Municipalities with no residents again.
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