One of Interior residents' favourite areas is about to get much more pleasant.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District announced plans to reinstate its mosquito control program in the Scotch Creek area this spring. This action is still pending budget approval in March.
At a Thursday board meeting, CSRD directors endorsed a five-year service agreement amendment with the Little Shuswap Lake Band, which allows the resumption of nuisance mosquito control treatments. The service was temporarily interrupted in 2019.
This interuption occurred after the band decided it did not want the CSRD to treat for nuisance mosquitos on their lands in the Hilliam Road area. BC Parks also denied the CSRD application to conduct the work in the Shuswap Lake and Tsutswecw Provincial Parks.
Throughout 2020, there was a significant rise in mosquito complaints from residents and visitors to Scotch Creek. This led to the CSRD and the band discussing bringing back the program in time for the 2021 mosquito season.
The CSRD will also be talking to BC Parks to see if they can conduct control treatments in the two provincial parks.
Altogether, the program costs approximately $35,000 per year.
