Sickle Point purchase in jeopardy
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The planned public purchase of a piece of land in the South Okanagan has hit a snag.
A total of 805 qualified elector response forms were received in opposition to a plan by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to borrow up to $3.5 million to buy Sickle Point, near Kaleden, the local government announced Tuesday. Under the alternate approval process, only 182 registered opponents were needed. Now, the RDOS must decide whether to hold a referendum or stop the process.
As 2021 begins with COVID-19 vaccination rollout plans in the news on a daily basis, a recent survey of B.C. residents shows that many aren’t entirely supportive of the current distribution plans and hold differing opinions about the prioritization of the list of initial recipients.
Unlike the support received for most of the previous provincial government initiatives and policies relating to the pandemic, one of the policy plans has been met with significant opposition.
In fact, the majority of residents do not give the overall vaccination rollout plans a positive review, as 51% rate the overall rollout plan as ‘fair’ (31%), ‘poor’ (14%), or ‘very poor’ (7%), and only a minority (35%) rate the current plan as ‘good’ (30%) or ‘excellent’ (5%).
A similar rating is seen for the clarity of the order of who will get vaccinated as only 39% consider the clarity of the rollout plan/prioritization to be ‘good’ (28%) or ‘excellent’ (11%), while most (53%) provide fair, poor or very poor ratings.
While a majority approve of the fairness of the prioritization/who receives the vaccinations first (51% rate the plan as ‘good’ (34%) or ‘excellent’ (17%), there is a significant minority who are not in favour (38% rate it fair, poor or very poor.
Further, low scores are given to the execution of the plan to date as only 30% rate it good or excellent, while most (57%) provide lower ratings.
Despite concerns about the vaccine rollout plans and the order of recipients, the vast majority are ready to roll up their sleeves to be vaccinated when their time comes.
Most (80%) will ‘definitely’ (58%) or ‘probably’ (22%) get the vaccine when its available, and only very few indicate they are opposed to it (7% ‘definitely will not’ and 5% ‘probably will not’).
Older residents (55 years-plus) are more likely to ‘definitely’ get vaccinated (67%) than those in younger age groups (52% 18-34 and 53% 35-54 years).
The list of those who will receive the first vaccines is not without controversy, as there is strong support for placing a number of groups on the priority list ahead of some already there.
The first and highest ‘miss’ on the list is those with underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
In addition, about half think police (51%), teachers (50%), firefighters (47%), other healthcare providers who are not on the original list (46%) and essential service workers (45%) should have been placed higher on the priority list.