Category: SCRD Updates
Why Has My Utility Bill Increased?
There’s a big uproar going on over increases to SCRD utility rates. So first, an apology. Thanks to COVID-19 it’s been a hairy six weeks at local government, and everybody thought somebody was going to …
Washouts Spark Community Concern
On February 1, there was an alarming washout of Whittaker Creek, which forced the closure of Lower Road and the emergency evacuation of several Roberts Creek properties. Below are photos, some taken by me and …
Board Wrestles with Short Term Rentals
On February 13, the thorny issue of short term rentals (STRs) came back to the SCRD Planning Committee for decisions. The rural directors voted 4-1 not to proceed with Temporary Use Permits (TUPs) as a …
AVICC Resolutions
The SCRD board drafted the following resolutions which will be submitted to the next conference of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (April 17-19, 2020 in Nanaimo). If passed, these resolutions will be …
About Rural Director Pay
On Jan. 23 the board voted to have our CAO strike an independent task force to review the way that SCRD directors are paid. I’ve been agitating about this since before I was elected, and …
Should Youth Travel for Free?
It was great to see high school students presenting to the SCRD board on the subject of transit fares for students on Dec. 3. It’s important for youth to get involved and learn how local …
Reservoirs vs. Aquifers
Following some coverage in the local papers about a manmade reservoir proposal, a few people took me to task for “voting against water.” Hell, no, I am NOT voting against water. But I am voting against a …
The Week That Was
Union of BC Municipalities – Sept. 23-27 Two thousand politicians and lobbyists in a giant conference centre makes for a strange petri dish with lots of street theatre, including the logging truck driveby and the …
How Much Rain is Enough?
We’ve had quite a bit of rain in Elphinstone in early July, which is great for our forests and gardens, but when it comes to our drinking water supply, what matters is how much …
More About Water
Chapman Lake Revisited Lately there’s been a letter writing campaign by people who want the province to reverse its decision and remove Chapman Lake from Tetrahedron Provincial Park. I don’t favour reviving a rancorous public …