Brief: BC Liberal party leader Andrew Wilkinson visits Revelstoke

BC Liberal party leader Andrew Wilkinson says Revelstoke should be proud of the efforts its made to maintain viability as it emerges into a well-known tourist destination in the province.

Wilkinson made several stops during a visit to Revelstoke earlier this week that included a Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce lunch, stops at Downie Timber and Vic Van Isle Construction and a brief presentation at the regular city council meeting on Tuesday, June 12.

Wilkinson told city council he wanted to get a handle on the state of Revelstoke’s local economy and the employment profile, saying it’s fascinating to see how well the town is doing.

“It’s exciting, it’s a great place to be. [Revelstoke’s] obviously thriving. Every community has its issues and things that are a concern, but this is a place that is a very healthy community,” said Wilkinson.

Wilkinson cautioned Revelstoke city councillors to keep an eye on talks by the current NDP government to make changes to the Municipal and Regional District Tax program (MRDT). Currently MRDT taxes are used by designated communities to help with the costs of tourism marketing, programs and projects. Wilkinson said he would like to see an industry based approach continue

“I encourage you to continue to keep an eye on it because the current government seems to think they could redirect that, which would case some degree of grief in the hotel industry,” he said.

In their 2018 budget, the NDP government proposed diverting some of the MRDT funding to help pay for affordable housing in communities like Revelstoke, a move that was opposed by the Revelstoke Accommodation Association.