Rhonda Kopp (right) answering questions from the TNRD Board of Directors regarding her petition that garnered 275 signatures (Image credit: TNRD).

By Aaron Schulze

Tobiano-Cherry Creek Referendum

TNRD to proceed with Cherry Creek-Tobiano fire protection referendum after petition aims to challenge process

May 16, 2025 | 4:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) is moving ahead with a referendum for residents in Cherry Creek and Tobiano that will determine whether they want to pay for a new fire protection service that covers both communities.

During Thursday’s (May 15) regular meeting, the TNRD Board of Directors did not raise a motion to postpone or scrap the referendum set for June 21, after a petition challenging the referendum process garnered 275 signatures and was presented to the board.

Through the referendum, residents are being asked to approve the borrowing of $3 million to construct a new fire station at the corner of Buckhorn Road and Gardi Road and purchase a new fire engine and a water tender to service 648 properties in the area.

Image credit: TNRD

Stay Ahead of the Curve with Kamloops' Trusted Property Manager - Rohit Kumar

May 20, 2025

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Council faces integrity crisis

16h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Kamloops council needs to realize representative democracy is a conversation

Jun 09, 2025

Cherry Creek resident, Rhonda Kopp, who helped organize the petition, told the TNRD Board that she felt the referendum process was “biased and unfair” to residents in her community, as there are a greater number of homes and properties in Tobiano.

Michael Grenier, the TNRD Director for Electoral Area “J” – which covers Cherry Creek and Tobiano, recalled a meeting on April 17 between himself, Kopp, TNRD General Manager of Operations Jamie Vieira and other Cherry Creek residents. He said when he and Vieira went to explain why the previous referendum proposal was rejected by the B.C. government in 2022, nearly 80 per cent of the people who signed the petition had already done so.

“Was there any opportunity to get back to the people who signed the petition about the provincial ruling?” Grenier asked. “I don’t see in this submission to the TNRD that there’s any reference to the province’s decision which is really where the TNRD has to follow the process that they set out.”

While Kopp noted she hadn’t been able to circle back to all the residents who signed the petition, she said said she spoken to several of them, and that they felt the wording of the petition would not work.

“Cherry Creek does not have the multimillion dollar homes that Tobiano does, so of course they would be paying a higher share,” Kopp said. “However, going around and talking to everybody in Cherry Creek and meeting the locals, a lot of these people… they live in a definitely lower level of economy than [Tobiano] does.”

Kopp cited concerns of some Cherry Creek residents who she said may not be able to afford the additional taxes if the referendum is successful. She said some fear they would have to sell their properties to developers.

“The people in Cherry Creek with the 225 homes, they want to be able to have our community as a separate entity from Tobiano,” Kopp said. ‘The 66 per cent of these people who signed our petition, we’re very angry.”

According to the TNRD, the Cherry Creek-Tobiano fire protection service area would cost residents $114 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

“The average home assessment in the entire proposed service area – Cherry Creek and Tobiano – is $800,000. It works out to $960 per year. If you break out Cherry Creek separately, the average home value is $560,000 – so about $600 per year,” Vieira said.

Vieira also noted the TNRD has posted information about B.C.’s property tax deferment program on its website and will share the information in other ways.

Kamloops Councillor Bill Sarai asked if Cherry Creek residents would benefit from having a fire hall being paid for by more residents in Tobiano rather than pursuing an endeavour on their own.

“When you talk about economic hardship on your residents, how hard would it to be when you have to do your own fire hall?” Sarai asked. “You would be paying even more because you’re doing it one off. I’m just struggling with that piece.”

In response, Kopp said potential fire service in Cherry Creek would not have to come in the form of the proposed $3 million fire hall.

“What I heard from others going around, the residents have suggested we do a separate referendum for ourselves, and we decide what level of fire protection service we would like in our community,” she said.

Residents ask questions at community meetings

The TNRD also held public presentations this week where residents could ask questions and learn about the proposed fire hall.

“There were tons of questions related to all sorts of aspects of the costs and the tax rate,”d TNRD Communications and Marketing Manager Colton Davies said.

“The other big topic was about various parts of the service logistics and the department itself, the response time, members getting to the hall and their ability to use equipment with winter driving and navigating the area.”

If the referendum fails, Davies said the TNRD will look to bring a fire hall to Tobiano as its current one is based out of a temporary location.

“We’d be looking at full completion of a fire hall, equipment purchased and on site, by 2027,” Davies said. “If the referendum does not pass, people in Tobiano will still have the Fire Protection Service. People in Cherry Creek will not which is how it exists now.”

As it stands, general voting day for the referendum will take place on June 21. Residents can also vote in advance on June 11 or request a mail-in ballot.

You can find more information here.

Image credit: TNRD