Regional District

Regional Districts have mixed authority because within the district there is also the municipal authority. The municipal authority supersedes the regional district authority within the municipal bounds. However, as a connecting body, regional districts can influence larger areas and in some cases airsheds.

Regional districts authority to monitor air quality comes from the Local Government Act, which allows them to "establish and operate the extended services of control of pollution, nuisances, unwholesome or noxious materials, odours and disturbances".

Air pollutant emissions fall under the category of ". .. nuisances, unwholesome or noxious materials, odours and disturbances", which gives regional districts the authority to create bylaws.

The Central Okanagan Regional District created The Smoke Control Bylaw No. 773, by defining smoke as the nuisance. If you would like to see the Central Okanagan Regional District's bylaw No. 733, there is a PDF in the Resources Section.

Another avenue for the regional district to create a bylaw related to air quality is through the public health or fire protection channel; but this is an indirect route takes longer.