The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has launched three separate public assent processes to gauge voter support for borrowing money to fund a trio of new road rescue services.

In a statement released Thursday, the CSRD said the alternative approval process has started for new road rescue services in Electoral Areas C and G (South Shuswap, the North Shuswap and Falkland).

In order to fund the new road rescue services in these areas, there would be additional taxation for residents.

Road rescue services provide support to people in motor vehicle accidents with specialized skills and equipment including for vehicle extraction.

In its statement, the CSRD said the average North Shuswap residential property owner could see a maximum tax requisition of approximately $51.41 to fund the road rescue service. However the year-one budget for the service anticipates a more modest tax requisition of $28.27 for the average residential property owner.

The average Falkland residential property owner could see a maximum tax requisition of $232.79. The year-one budget for the service estimates a tax of $201.18 per average residential property.

In the South Shuswap, the maximum tax rate for the average residential property owner is estimated at $53.64 and the year-one budget anticipates an actual tax requisition of approximately $20.45 per average residential property.

“The new road rescue service would be provided by existing CSRD fire departments in those specified areas,” reads the statement from the regional district.

“Currently, these three areas either have no road rescue service or are under serviced due to the travel distances required by other already established road rescue providers.”

Eligible electors in those areas will have until June 30 to submit a response if they are opposed to the proposed establishment of road rescue services. If 10 per cent or more of the eligible electors submit responses in opposition to the new road rescue services, the proposals will not go forward.

The CSRD board of directors would have to decide to hold a referendum vote within 80 days or put the matter on hold while they consider alternative options.

AAP response forms and additional information about each area's proposed road rescue service are available on the CSRD's Elections and Elector Assent webpage .

At the March 20 CSRD board meeting when the board reached the decision to move forward with the AAPs, Director Jay Simpson, representing the North Shuswap, said it was "great to see that we've come to this point."

To avoid possible disruptions caused by Canada Post job action, the CSRD recommended residents submit elector response forms via email or drop them off in person at the CSRD office which is equipped with an after-hours mail slot.

The CSRD office is located at 555 Harbour Front Dr. NE, Salmon Arm.