Vernon British Columbia - Politicians in the North Okanagan and Shuswap are to begin a lobbying campaign to get grant funding from senior levels of government to buy a portion of an abandoned Canadian Pacific (CP) line.
 
There are hopes it will one day be used as a multi-use recreational corridor, similar to the Canadian National (CN) line between Vernon and Kelowna.
 
The lobbying effort comes at the same time a technical team, made up of representatives from the Splatsin First Nation, North Okanagan Regional District, and Columbia Shuswap Regional District, negotiates agreement details for the land sale.
 
The team was set up earlier this month.
 
Discontinuation of the 50 kilometre CP line between Sicamous and Armstrong was announced in 2009.
 
In Dec 2014 the Splatsin announced it had acquired 11.7 hectares of the abandoned railway line.
 
"We are pleased with these next steps taken toward acquiring the abandoned CP lands as a contiguous corridor," said Splatsin Chief Wayne Christian, commenting on the joint effort.
 
Talks with CP officials have taken place several times over the past year however there is no deadline for a land deal.
 
A formal purchase and sale agreement for the railway lands will need to be finalized, funding approvals secured from the respective jurisdictions, and grant funding from provincial and federal sources will also likely need to be obtained for a viable business case, according to a press release.
 
"The technical team will work with CP on moving forward with the purchase and the development of a business model to oversee the corridor on a go-forward basis," said Rhona Martin, chairperson of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.
 
"There is strong support among the partners to acquire the rail line as a contiguous corridor as this will provide our communities with a wide range of recreational opportunities and provide an enduring legacy for the North Okanagan Shuswap."
 
Kate Bouey.