The 2025 Year in Review is taking stock of our progress and setting our sights on the year ahead.
This year marked the completion of some sizeable projects and saw the opening of the Radium Transfer Station and the Cold Spring Creek Mitigation Project. The Wycliffe Park Campground welcomed visitors for its first summer, and the fall brought extensive public engagement for both the Accessory Dwelling Unit and Rockyview Official Community Plan planning processes.
We were fortunate to see fewer days of smoke this past year, with a lower number of wildfires in the Southeast than in recent years. The East Kootenay Emergency Management Program remained busy with a variety of activations, preparation, planning, and training workshops. Our RDEK firefighters had another busy year between calls and extensive training completed. We saw a successful recruitment drive this past fall and are grateful to all our firefighters, both new and seasoned, for their service.
This year we were honoured to celebrate the RDEK’s 60th anniversary. Sixty years of collaboration, service, and steady growth. The RDEK has developed from a handful of essential functions to an extensive network of utilities, parks, emergency management programs, and community planning efforts that support residents across the region. The issues are evolving. From climate adaptation to housing, from sustainability to emergency preparedness, but the values that guide us remain constant: collaboration, service, and stewardship.
We would like to send congratulations to the Cranbrook Public Library on their milestone 100th anniversary this year. Electoral Area C has participated as a 20% funder for the library for many years and recognizes the important role they play within our region.
As we review completed projects and talk about upcoming endeavours, it is important to note that staff and volunteers put in a considerable amount of work to secure grant funding for projects to alleviate the taxpayer. Examples of such granted projects that were undertaken in 2025 include the Cold Spring Creek Debris Flow Mitigation project – requiring the management of multiple grants & funding sources, campground construction at Wycliffe Regional Park, construction of the Jaffray Trail, and the beginning of the Edgewater Connectivity Project – Phase 1 – planned to carry forward into 2026. Other granted capital expenditures we saw this past year encompassed the new emergency management mobile Emergency Support Services Centre (custom trailer), the emergency management pickup truck to haul the trailer, a mobile generator to keep water and sewer systems operating in prolonged power outages, deposit payments for three fire engines to be delivered in 2026/27 – 50% of the full cost of the trucks to be grant funded, as well as a wildfire structural protection trailer and wildfire gear for firefighters. Departmental staff search and apply for grant funding for these various projects and purchases. These grants come with strict communications and reporting requirements, as well as sometimes tight timelines for spending. We applaud the effort that goes into seeking and administering grant opportunities that help to provide improved service levels while minimizing taxation impacts.
Volunteers were at the forefront of community efforts made this year and we were pleased to recognize our Volunteers of the Year: Rosemary Brydon (Area A), Curtis Gleeson (Area B), Bill Sanderman (Area C), Sherry Shields (Area E), Gerriann Donahue (Area F), and Roxanne Wowdzia (Area G) this past spring. We have dozens of volunteers that sit on RDEK committees, commissions, and advisory groups and we know there are hundreds of volunteers across the region who contribute to their community’s spirit through their dedication, energy, ideas, time and talents. To each and every volunteer, thank you. Our region would not be what it is without you. One volunteering opportunity I would like to highlight this year is the position of FireSmart Neighbourhood Champion. The East Kootenay FireSmart Program remains highly active, with 68 RDEK neighbourhoods being nationally recognized this year. If you are looking to get involved, but do not have an active Champion in your area, reach out to our team at engage.rdek.bc.ca/firesmart to find out how you can fill that spot.
The Building team has been kept busy with over 454 building permits issued and 139 dwellings created in the rural areas of the RDEK as of December 1. In 2023, the Short-Term Rental (STR) policy was adopted, and we thank those who have registered and obtained a Temporary Use Permit. We encourage those who have not done so to take those steps to ensure that they come into compliance. In November, RDEK Compliance Officers were provided with access tothe Province’s Short-Term Rental Data Registry. Currently, the RDEK Compliance Officers are forwarding addresses of STRs operating without an approved Temporary Use Permit to the Province, who then requires removal from online listing platforms.
As we look ahead to 2026, we will see a survey on rural transfer station use coming out in the new year, to gather feedback on how residents are currently using rural transfer stations, and services they would like to see. It is important to note that no decisions have been made regarding changes to rural waste transfer stations. As we begin the Rural Optimization project, your feedback is needed as we continue to explore new options for the expansion of recycling and waste diversion services for residents and businesses through extended producer responsibility programs.
The RDEK will be phasing out the Yellow Bin Program. We often hear people say that it doesn’t matter if they put recyclables in the Yellow Bins instead of taking them to a Recycle BC depot because the products all end in the same place anyway. We would like to remind everyone that these two programs are completely separate. The Yellow Bin System has been in place for over 25 years and bins are still found throughout the region outside schools, businesses and in rural areas. This system was a great option for the East Kootenay for a long time; however, as the recycling landscape has changed in BC this program is no longer meeting the same needs and is incredibly expensive to operate.
Some important points to note on the differences between the two are that Recycle BC accepts far more products and categories, while the Yellow Bins accept only paper, cardboard, tin cans, grocery bags and plastics 1-6 (no styrofoam). On average the RDEK earns $420/tonne for materials brought to Recycle BC depots. By contrast it costs $413/tonne to operate the Yellow Bins. In 2025, the Yellow Bin program is expected to cost $2 million to operate. It is important that residents take the time to think about the rural transfer station use and then fill out the survey when it comes out in January.
The RDEK launched a project in September 2025 to explore whether residents and property owners across the region want more opportunities to have Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—small additional homes located on the same property as a main residence. The RDEK Board of Directors made some zoning changes in 2024, as required by the Province, but are now seeking feedback from residents and property owners about what types of ADU opportunities they would—or would not—like to see. Since September, thirteen in-person open houses and one online open house have been held, along with an online survey and opportunities for people to share comments by email or one-on-one meetings. “What We Heard” reports will be available publicly in early January. In January, two online workshops will be held to review the findings and help inform the development of draft bylaw amendments. The draft amendments resulting from this consultation will not use a one-size-fits-all approach and will be available for public review in the Spring of 2026. The goal is to complete the project by the end of July 2026.
The update to the Rockyview Official Community Plan was re-launched this year and a draft will be available for the public to review in early 2026.
The Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation is heading up the Connect the Basin project, which will bring high-speed connectivity to more rural communities and areas in the Columbia Basin. This multi-year project is being funded by the federal and provincial governments and will expand access to high-speed internet across multiple regional districts, including 1,355 homes in the East Kootenay. This project is expected to be completed in March of 2027.
The next general local elections will be held on October 17, 2026. General local elections include elections for regional district directors. Candidate nomination period is September 1 – 11, 2026, with the campaign period beginning on September 19, 2026. For those considering running, as an elected official, you will be entrusted with making decisions that directly affect the daily lives of residents, families, local business owners and many others in the community. It is important to think about how you can best serve your community if you are elected and your expectations of being an electoral area director. By the Spring, the RDEK website and a General Local Election project page will be established with key dates and information for both candidates and voters. In the interim if you have any questions about the upcoming general local election, please email elections@rdek.bc.ca.
The Board continues to advance the goals in our Strategic Plan, working to balance service costs, responsible asset management, and what it means for taxpayers. It’s been another active
year, and we give thanks to our RDEK staff, whose everyday commitment ensures residents receive excellent service. We are truly grateful for their work and the positive impact it has on the region. To stay informed or provide input on active projects, visit engage.rdek.bc.ca or join the RDEK email group on www.rdek.bc.ca. If you haven’t joined the RDEK email group, it is another excellent way to stay informed about the activities, projects and services of your regional government.
On behalf of the Board and staff, we hope this holiday season is healthy and safe, and that the New Year brings you much happiness and prosperity.
RDEK Board Chair – Rob Gay
