Local Gov'ts/First Nations Working Together

Joint Release of the City of Williams Lake, Cariboo Regional District & Williams Lake Indian Band:

The Cariboo Regional District, the City of Williams Lake and the Williams Lake Indian Band met on Thursday, Jan. 16 from 1-4:30 p.m. as part of a Community to Community forum sponsored by the province of British Columbia. The focus of the meeting was to improve communications between all three organizations and look for other opportunities to work together.

Emerging from the meeting, a new working group comprised of elected officials and staff from all three organizations was established. Meetings will commence within the next 30 days. The mandate of the group will be to identify areas of mutual interest and potential shared services which could be addressed collectively to benefit all residents of the region.

“This was an excellent meeting, and I would like to thank Chief Ann Louie and the Williams Lake Indian Band for bringing us together,” stated CRD Chair Al Richmond. “This event was just the beginning and we look forward to continuing to build our communities together.”

"The City of Williams Lake places a very high value on partnerships, and this working group involving our neighbouring governments is an excellent example of working together,” says Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook. “I look forward to moving forward together for all of our residents.”

“This was an excellent day and hopefully the beginning of meaningful collaboration between these three governments,” added Williams Lake Indian Band Chief Ann Louie. “We need to work together with ‎mutual respect for the betterment of all our communities and the entire region. Once we establish the working group envisioned by this Community to Community Forum, the real work can begin.”