Council Committees, Commissions & Board Appointments
Learn about committees and commissions in the District of Elkford.
Per the Community Charter, Council may appoint committees and commissions to provide advice on a matter to—or operate a service on behalf of—the governing body. These groups include appointed members of council and the public and are supported by district staff. These committees and commissions provide council and staff with input about a variety of matters through meetings, discussions, presentations and recommendations.
View Current Board and Committee Appointments
View Committee and Commission Agendas and Minutes
Wonder what your council is doing outside of council chambers to advocate for our community and citizens? Members of council are appointed to a multitude of boards and committees, allowing the district and its citizens to have a voice in decisions and initiatives made by external agencies and organizations that directly affect our community.
All meetings of district committees and commissions are open to the public. Portions of meetings may be closed to the public when sensitive or confidential information is being considered. The authority to close meetings is limited to only those circumstances set out in section 90 of the Community Charter.
Get Involved
When new committees and commissions are established, or when vacancies become available, we advertise these volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in serving your community as a committee member, we encourage you to monitor our website, social media and advertising for opportunities!
Board of Variance
All municipalities with a zoning bylaw in place must maintain public members to a Board of Variance. The Board’s role is to consider applications for variances to the District’s Zoning Bylaw where compliance to applicable legislation would cause hardship. This group operates independently from council under the Local Government Act.
Elkford’s Board of Variance consists of three members of the public, appointed by council, and it meets on an as-needed basis.
How to Apply
Before applying to the Board of Variance, you should review your plans and drawings with the District’s Planning and Development Services Department to determine if a variance is required. Contact the Director of Planning & Development Services at planning@elkford.ca or 250.865.4000.
The application fee and process are outlined in the Board of Variance Bylaw.
Elk Valley Accessibility Committee
The District of Elkford is developing an Accessibility Plan to guide our organization and facilities toward being accessible for everyone. Guided by the Elk Valley Accessibility Committee and in collaboration with the District of Sparwood and the City of Fernie, the Accessibility Plan will outline policy and practical directions for review and improvement of District facilities, communications, and operations.
We will use this page to provide project updates and gather feedback on accessibility in Elkford. Accessiblity@elkford.ca has been created to receive feedback about accessibility challenges in Elkford.
The District has partnered with the District of Sparwood and City of Fernie to establish the Elk Valley Accessibility Committee (EVAC). The EVAC is a citizen-led committee that will assist our communities in developing accessibility plans and in identifying and removing physical and social barriers to interacting with our local governments. You can review the EVAC Terms of Reference here.
The Accessibility British Columbia Act came into effect in June 2021. The Act requires municipalities and other organizations to identify how the organization will identify, remove, and prevent barriers to those in your organization and those who interact with it. The Act requires municipalities to:
- Have an Accessibility Plan;
- Have an Accessibility Committee to advise on how to remove existing barriers and prevent future barriers; and,
- Have a feedback tool to receive feedback on their Accessibility Plan and how accessible the organization is generally.
For more information, visit www.elkford.ca/accessibility or contact accessibility@elkford.ca.
Official Community Plan (OCP) Advisory Committee
Founded in 2023, this committee's mandate and purpose are to represent the community’s interest and provide input and direction to support District of Elkford staff and consultants in shaping the draft goals, objectives, policies and implementation strategies for the Official Community Plan (OCP); to review and make recommendations on various OCP-related topics, reports, and during various stages of the update process; to raise the profile of the OCP update process in the community; and to act in an advisory role to council, who may consider the advice and recommendations of the committee.
Urban Wildlife Committee
In 2023, council established the Urban Wildlife Committee to advise on issues related to urban wildlife within the boundaries of the District of Elkford, including conservation, minimization of human-wildlife conflicts, tracking statistics and public education methods.
This newly established committee replaces the former Urban Wildlife Management Advisory Committee, which was dissolved in October 2022.
Youth Action Network Commission
Founded in 2016, Elkford’s Youth Action Network goes by the name SYS.tem. The Youth Network Coordinator engages with Elkford’s youth, other youth networks, and a variety of stakeholders, businesses and non-profit groups to offer initiatives that interest and cater to the youth in our community.
Supported entirely by grant funding from the Columbia Basin Trust, the purpose of the Youth Action Network Commission is to assist in operation of the Youth Action Network group, which is focused on increasing opportunities for meaningful youth engagement and supporting youth driven projects and ideas.
Wondering how to get involved or take part in SYS.tem’s youth activities? Find them on Facebook @SYStem-Elkford and Instagram @sys.tem_elkford.