Okanagan Falls will soon become B.C.'s newest municipality. Residents voted to incorporate it earlier this year, but the change could come with a whole new identity.

Okanagan Falls

Okanagan Falls, located south of Penticton, is poised to become the newest municipality in British Columbia after residents voted in favour of incorporation. The process has sparked a debate over a potential name change, with some residents expressing concern about losing the community's established identity, which is reflected in local businesses and daily life.

The discussion comes in the context of the province's adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. While the regional district director believes the decision on a name change should rest with the new municipal government, the chief of the local Assoyus Indian Band argues that renaming is an important step toward reconciliation and should involve broader consultation. The issue remains contentious within the community.

Okanagan Falls to become B.C.'s newest municipality

BC will soon have a new municipality, Okanagan Falls. It's located 20 kilometers south of Penticton. Residents voted to incorporate earlier this year but that change could come with a whole new identity. Our Tiffany Goodwin has been looking into this. Tiffany, tell us a bit about the name change controversy that is brewing in this small community. Yeah, this possible name change has really put a damper on incorporation. Residents here in Okanagan Falls are frankly upset. Back in March, they voted 53% in favor of becoming BC's newest municipality. But after the referendum, Matt Taylor, the regional district director, was asked by the province if they would consider a name change. The community is the first to incorporate ever since the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was adopted in 2019. Now, the act is meant to serve as a framework for reconciliation, but the area director believes a possible name change should have been known prior to the referendum and any kind of name change. This community should be up to the new mayor and council to decide. Now, just walking along Okanagan Falls here on the main street, you can see a lot of businesses named the OK Falls Hotel and the OK Falls Restaurant and the OK Falls convenience store. So, the name has really become a huge part of the community's identity and there's a lot of concern here about what's going to happen if that were to change. Now, what has some of the community reaction have been like leading up to this? Yeah, you know what? On the other side of that is the local Assoyus Indian Band. So, Chief Clarence Louis, the chief there, says name changes are an important part of reconciliation and are long overdue. He also shot back at the regional district director for suggesting that this should be a mayor and council decision saying that true reconciliation is between First Nations, the provincial and federal government, not municipalities. He also says Okanagan Falls is a very special place for his people as they had a reserve there. So, two very different sides on this very highly contentious issue here in Okanagan Falls. All right. Thank you, Tiffany.

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