WHEREAS the Okanagan Valley, including the regional districts of Okanagan-Similkameen, Central Okanagan, North Okanagan, Columbia Shuswap, Kootenay Boundary and Thompson Nicola are high-risk zones for West Nile Virus and the virus is now established in the southern BC interior; AND WHEREAS local governments are legislated under the BC Public Health Act and West Nile Virus Control Regulation BC Reg. 3572004 to mitigate the West Nile Virus health hazard by mosquito larviciding as directed by local medical health officers: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM recommend to the provincial government to provide local governments in West Nile Virus high-risk zones with adequate sustained funding to carry out mosquito larviciding each spring and summer.
Ministry of Health Services The Ministry of Health Services MoHS has reviewed the UBCM resolution. MoHS supports a targeted high risk zone West Nile Virus mosquito larviciding program this year. Provincial funding to support this program is under active consideration and a decision is expected shortly.