Cranbrook residents have spoken and they want fluoride to stay.

On Saturday, a referendum question on whether the city should continue the practice of adding Hydrofluorisilicic Acid to the municipal water supply should continue. The referendum failed with 2,794 voting no to keep fluoride and 2,473 voting yes to get rid of it.

There was it seems some confusion about the referendum question itself and voting officials were on hand to explain the question.

The referendum question read: “Are you in favour of Council adopting City of Cranbrook Cease Fluoridation Bylaw No. 3799, 2014, which authorizes swtopping the addition of fluoride to the municipal water supply effective January 1, 2015?”

Prince George also had a referendum on its practice of fluoridation and there is was voted out 10,171 to 8,764.

There, the question read: “The City of Prince George currently fluoridates its water supply. Are you in favour of the City of Prince George fluoridating its water supply?”

Sparwood also voted out fluoride in the drinking water. That city’s question was almost identical to Cranbrook’s:

“Are you in favour of Council adopting Bylaw 1145, Cease Fluoridation Bylaw 1145, 2014 which authorizes removal of fluoride from the municipal water supply effective January 1, 2015?”

Residents there voted 578 in favour of scrapping fluoride and 419 against.

That means Cranbrook is now among the last few municipalities in B.C. that still fluoridate the water. The other three are Fort Saint John, Prince Rupert and Terrace.

The process costs the city $30,000 a year.