The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is entering the New Year both as a new beginning and as the ending of the current board's term.
SCRD chair Ed Steeves said the board is looking forward to starting 2008 so they can finish some of the goals and projects started in 2007.
"Foremost is continuing to protect the watershed," said Steeves.
Also on the agenda is finishing off the Gibsons community centre and the Dakota Ridge road.
"The SCRD has worked very hard on Coast-wide services," said Steeves, adding this wouldn't have been possible without Coast-wide co-operation.
One of the SCRD's biggest accomplishments of 2007, Steeves said, was the work done as the local board of health. Through the work the board did, Steeves said there is greater recognition for the quandary the SCRD is in by not having power over the activities in the watershed. Comments from Judge Butler in handing down his decision in September reinforced the contradiction faced by the SCRD of being responsible for clean, safe drinking water, but not the jurisdictional ability to fully protect the water from potentially damaging activities. This is still a priority issue for the SCRD, Steeves said.
Paul Fenwick, manager of community services and acting chief administrative officer, said SCRD staff have also been busy working on the New Year's objectives. He said the SCRD will continue working with the province and the Sechelt Indian Band on integrated land management plans.
Another important area of focus for 2008, Fenwick said, is developing the terms of intent for the regional growth strategy and a vision for the Coast. Also in development is the corporate strategy plan, and embraced in that is the watershed mapping project that will be completed in 2008.
Steeves said the SCRD has contracted Polar Geoscience Ltd. to map and gather information on all regional district watersheds and the activities or proposed activities in the watersheds. Once completed, the maps will identify key watersheds, location of intakes for water services, roads and cutblocks, and the SCRD will have information on watershed boundaries, community/reserve watersheds and a description of forestry licencee's tenures and work in the area. "By identifying forestry tenures and assessing forestry plans to determine their potential impact on watersheds, we are developing the information we need to make informed decisions," Steeves said.
