A consultant is being hired by the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) as it works out a plan for communicating with the public about water ahead of summer, when the regional water system is most strained.
The idea to improve the way the SCRD communicates with the public came up at the board table in March. In early April, Sechelt director Darnelda Siegers proposed the idea of hiring a consultant.
At last week’s corporate services committee meeting, directors voted to spend $30,000 on the project.
Staff also included a preliminary roadmap for what that communications plan could look like.
Included in the plan are up to four “public engagement events” in May about changes to the drought management plan and the projects underway. Engagement would be sought on topics such as integrated watershed management, community involvement in watershed protection, water conservation initiatives, and climate change and its impact on water supply. Events would be held in Gibsons, Sechelt and on shíshálh Nation band lands.
Other communication tactics include attending public events in the summer, tours of the Chapman Water Treatment Plant, by-request presentations, and a communication plan specifically about outdoor watering rules, once they are updated.
A water summit where local stakeholders could make recommendations about long-term water management was also mentioned and staff recommended scheduling it for the fall.
Some directors expressed puzzlement about the end goals of the plan.
West Howe Sound director Mark Hiltz noted that “engagement” is “a loaded word.”
“Are we going to push information out or are we actually going to ask them how we want to run the water system?”
Siegers asked whether the SCRD is “actually engaging with the community.”
“Are we looking at informing or some kind of consultation or something?”
Infrastructure manager Remko Rosenboom said information on the drought plan would be shared initially, and engagement could happen later, possibly as a lead-up to a water summit which would be the “primary community engagement event.”
After more discussion, Elphinstone director Donna McMahon said “in the short term we are communicating and the long term we are engaging,” then added that she didn’t want to be too prescriptive. “It seems pretty clear our past attempts to communicate have not been really successful in changing public behaviour”
SCRD chair Lori Pratt called it a “two-pronged approach,” and that would involve engaging and informing the community. “It’s not sinking in in the community,” said Pratt. “We really need them on board to help us fix this issue.”
Directors also acknowledged the tight timeframe for coming up with a plan and actually communicating with the public. “I realize the time is short, it’s a very difficult timeframe, but it’s very important to do this,” said McMahon.
Staff told Coast Reporter the consultant will be hired within the next several weeks.
