Warfield village council has unanimously agreed to move forward with a proposed study examining whether the village should amalgamate with the City of Trail.
Council approved proceeding with the study during its June 8 meeting, conditional on Trail also agreeing to participate through a memorandum of understanding outlining how the project would be managed.
“Through a memorandum of understanding, we’re hoping to set out terms and conditions where we can work with the city to effectively address the review of the potential to amalgamate the two communities,” said Warfield chief administrative officer David Perehudoff.
In 2025, the village undertook a municipal sustainability study examining the long-term viability of the community. Perehudoff said the study identified governance restructuring as an option worth further exploration.
He said the study found challenges related to infrastructure, staffing succession and the village’s limited tax base.
“One of the options or recommendations coming from that report was to look at the potential for the two communities to amalgamate, which would potentially address the sustainability issues that were identified for the village,” he said.
According to a staff report, the amalgamation study would examine the financial, governance and service-delivery implications of combining the two municipalities. It would also include extensive public engagement with residents, local First Nations and other stakeholders.
Perehudoff said council was unanimous in supporting the next phase.
“I know council is 100 per cent unanimously behind proceeding and they see the value and at least exploring this further to determine if there is benefit to both communities,” he said.
The staff report said the study would not determine whether amalgamation should occur. Instead, it would provide information to help determine whether there is sufficient rationale and public interest to warrant a referendum.
If both municipalities ultimately supported amalgamation, separate referendums would be required in each community. A majority of voters in both municipalities would need to approve the proposal.
The project would be supported by a $90,000 provincial restructuring-planning grant. Consultant Neilson Strategies Inc. has proposed a study budget of $175,000, with the remaining costs shared equally by Warfield and Trail.
Perehudoff said the immediate next step is obtaining Trail’s approval of the memorandum of understanding.
“The next most critical step is we’re waiting on the City of Trail to review the memorandum of understanding that the village prepared.”
The City of Trail is expected to consider the agreement later this month, though council has previously signalled it supports the idea.
If both municipalities approve it, Perehudoff said Neilson Strategies would be retained to lead the study and help establish a joint steering committee made up of elected officials and residents from both communities.
He expects the study to take about 18 months, with completion anticipated by the end of next year. A referendum would follow.
“I think the schedule calls for the study to effectively be completed by December 31st, 2027 and then depending on the findings there, there may be an additional process if the decision is made to proceed to a referendum,” he said.
“Then there’d be a whole new legal process, and that may take some time to get it before the taxpayer. You’d be into 2028 before there’d actually be an official decision on whether or not the two communities would amalgamate.”
He added that discussions about governance restructuring in Greater Trail have been ongoing for years and that the study will help determine whether amalgamation would provide equal benefits for residents of both communities.
“It’s been a long-standing issue with respect to governance in Greater Trail and the number of local governments and what makes most sense for the taxpayer.”
He said the review makes sense given the close relationship between the two communities, which already share and jointly fund several services.
“Ideally you’re going to address the issues through providing the most effective form of local government and looking at amalgamation is one way to do that with the potential obviously to restructure and potentially do things better and ideally cheaper for the taxpayer.”
Perehudoff, who previously worked for the City of Trail, said he has been involved in discussions about the issue for decades and is pleased to see the process move forward.
“Personally, I’m hopeful to see this move forward and just determine what the eventual sort of outcome will be for the taxpayers in both communities.”
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