Merritt has a new mayor in Linda Brown, who dispatched incumbent Neil Menard with over 50 per cent of the vote.
Making up council will be Adam Etchart, who drew 75.9 per cent of votes, followed by Tony Luck (61.1 per cent), Kurt Christopherson (57.3 per cent), Travis Fehr (56.9 per cent), Mike Bhangu (48.2 per cent) and Melvina White (37.7 per cent).
Candidates
Mayor:
Linda Brown – elected
Neil Menard (incumbent)
Susan Roline
Council:
Catherine Belliveau
Mike Bhangu – elected
Kurt Christopherson (incumbent) – elected
Adam Etchart – elected
Travis Fehr – elected
Tony Luck – elected
Elijah Mack
Emma H. Martin
Ginny Prowal (incumbent)
Suzanne Saumure
Melvina White – elected
Boundary
Located in the Nicola Valley, Merritt sits right on the Nicola River, about 90 kilometres from Kamloops.
Population (2016)
7,139
History
The first settlers of the Merritt area were the Nlaka’pamux Nation, who were known to hunt, farm and fish there for thousands of years.
Europeans arrived in the 1850s as they searched for a route that would take them between the West Coast and the Interior.
Merritt’s vast grasslands allowed for cattle ranching, and large swaths of area where used for this purpose.
Mining is believed to have come to Merritt in 1885, when coal was discovered, bringing another industry to the region.
The Canadian Pacific Railway subsequently expanded to Merritt, helping to stir the growth of a community.
Its name became Merritt in 1906 after William Hamilton Merritt, who was a railway promoter and mining engineer.
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median
$112,026/$111,736
Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal/B.C.
124.36 (-13.43)/93.63 (-0.71)
RCMP — rural
73.87 (-15.41)/93.63 (-0.71)
Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal
126.80 (+3.66)/74.86 (-9.81)
RCMP — rural
81.76 (-2.59)/74.86 (-9.81)
Political representation
Federal
Dan Albas (Conservative)
Provincial
Jackie Tegart (BC Liberal)
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