
Reed Road Forest Update
Due to many factors, including a provincial election, restructuring of FLNRORD (the ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operation and Rural Development), a federal election, and Covid, there hasn’t been a lot of progress in …

What happens at “secret” meetings?
I used to sit for long hours in the SCRD boardroom reporting for a local newspaper. Often we’d reach a point in the meeting where a motion was read: “that the public be excluded from …

Local governments respond to climate change
I was featured in an August 23, 2021 article in the Nelson Times. ‘We knew it was coming’: Climate Caucus responds to dire climate change report

Steps to a New Well
If you’re on Facebook, you’ve probably seen a post something like this: “My cousin Wayne borrowed a backhoe and scrounged up some pipe and he dug a well over one weekend for $100 including a …

July 2021 “Fringe” Roads Update
On July 14 I met with staff from the Town of Gibsons (ToG) and (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) to discuss the Town’s plans for traffic calming on Gower Point Road, plus other transportation …

Curbside Recycling Pick-Up: Why Not?
Published June 2021, Updated April 2023 This spring a survey on curbside recycling pick-up received over 1700 responses—the largest public participation in an SCRD survey ever. So one thing is very clear. There are a …

Thrown Under the Ferry
News Flash: As of April 30 the Summer Trial has been cancelled. There’s been a huge outcry against the SCRD for “approving” BC Ferries’ summer reservations trial (see Coast Reporter article), so here’s some background. …

The Good News About Water
The 2013 Comprehensive Regional Water Plan is hopelessly out of date after only eight years, and that’s a wonderful thing! I’ll tell you why. The Chapman water treatment plant was commissioned in 2004, and by …

“Corridor Study” Fails on Every Count
On January 21 staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure presented their Hwy 101 Corridor Study to the Transportation Advisory Committee. I came away from the experience feeling like a patient with a badly …

Elected to Receive Rational Pay
After all the loud complaining I’ve done about how SCRD directors are paid (see old post), I am extremely pleased to report that the Remuneration Review Task Force reported in on Jan. 14 and we …