The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has announced it will move forward with a referendum in Electoral Area G to determine if taxpayers support funding for five community halls in the area.

Voters in Electoral Area G, which includes Sorrento, Blind Bay and Notch Hill, will be asked if they are willing to provide funding to help operate and maintain five community halls in the area.

None of the halls are owned by the CSRD, and are instead owned and operated by non-profit societies.

“Currently, many of these community halls are struggling with finding enough money to keep up with costs of operation, replacing worn-out infrastructure and insurance,” reads a statement published Monday on the district website.

The halls being considered for funding are Carlin Hall, Blind Bay Hall, Notch Hill Hall, Cedar Heights Hall and the Sorrento Hall.

A referendum will be held to see if taxpayers will support providing $10,000 per year to Carlin Hall, Notch Hill Hall, Blind Bay Hall, and Cedar Heights Hall, as well as $7,500 each to The Drop-in Society and Sorrento Hall Society which jointly operate Sorrento Hall.

Director Nataly Melnychuk, who represents Electoral Area G, has supported moving forward with a parcel tax to pay for this funding.

This tax would be a flat rate tax applied to all properties within the electoral area, and it is estimated to be approximately $16.54 per parcel of land.

No date has been set for the referendum, but CSRD staff said it is expected to take place before October 2025 in order to allow the service to begin in 2026.