It's been quiet on the homefront since Trail's boundary expansion proposal was delivered to government officials.
After a change of provincial hands that oversee the file, last month, Trail council met with the new minister-in-charge.
Peter Fassbender now leads the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, so city staff and the Trail mayor met with him two weeks ago in Victoria, during the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) conference. (former Minister Coralee Oakes now leads the Ministry of Small Business, Red-Tape Reduction and the Liquor Distribution Branch)
“We took the opportunity when meeting with Minister Fassbender and his staff, as part of the UBCM activities, to introduce ourselves and to ensure that boundary extension remained a priority with his ministry,” Trail Mayor Mike Martin told the Trail Times.
“The matter has been going on for far too long and needs to be resolved,” he added.
“The minister was well briefed on the file and agreed.”
Martin confirmed the ministry's commitment that the boundary expansion would be among the top priorities, but said, “the ball is squarely in their court at this time.”
He mentioned the ministry’s urgent assistance during last month's fast paced approval process for the loan authorization for the pipe pedestrian bridge.
“We are confident the matter of the boundary extension will receive a timely allocation of staff resources,” Martin said.
Alex Tully, a government public affairs officer, says Minister Fassbender was pleased to meet with the City of Trail at the UBCM to discuss the status of the boundary extension.
“The ministry is working with the City of Trail to fully understand the implications of the proposal before determining if and when the boundary extension is to move forward,” Tully wrote in an email to the Trail Times. “Once that work is complete, Ministry Fassbender will be fully briefed, and the ministry will reconnect with the City of Trail to further discuss the status of the proposal.”