Community dialogues
The Sunshine Coast Regional District’s (SCRD)round of community dialogues wrapped up this week, except for two planned on Gambier and Keats Islands in July.
It‘s the second year for the program, and SCRD chief administrative officer Janette Loveys told Coast Reporter the attendance hasn’t been as strong as it was last year, but “the quality of the conversations with residents has been very valuable and substantive.”
She said the topics that seemed to generate the most interest have been water projects, taxes, short-term rentals, and recreation.
Nohr said he’s been impressed with the quality of the displays and information prepared by regional district staff for the dialogues. “It’s a great team thing for the staff of the SCRD to work together… The staff have gone out of their way to make something more visual for the people who come,” he said, adding that people found the displays showing the timelines for various projects especially useful.
Gambier Island national park study
The infrastructure services committee also recommended the SCRD draft a letter of support for the idea of a Parks Canada feasibility study of a potential national park on Gambier Island, but not without some hesitation.
A couple of directors, Lorne Lewis of Elphinstone and Jeremy Valeriote of Gibsons, said they were concerned the national park idea could conflict with the push to get Howe Sound declared as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. “If I could choose one or the other, I would choose the UN biosphere,” Lewis said. The other concern raised at the committee was whether the Squamish First Nation is fully supportive. As a result, the phrase “SCRD acknowledges the importance of conservation of ecological and culturally significant areas and will respectfully consider the position on First Nations when it becomes known” was added to the motion for a letter of support.
Organics and recyclables diversion
SCRD directors were updated May 18 on how well the regional district has done hitting solid waste diversion targets since the adoption of the most recent Solid Waste Management Plan in 2011.
A staff report presented at the infrastructure services committee notes the target for 2016 was diversion (waste sent for recycling or composting out of total waste handled) of 65 to 69 per cent.
The actual diversion for 2016 is estimated at 56 per cent. That could change once product stewardship agencies release their 2016 figures.
The SCRD is currently working on an organics diversion strategy and is collecting input via an online survey at www.scrd.ca.
West Howe Sound director Ian Winn said he was concerned that “we’re quite a ways off target on diversion” and wondered how that will affect the life expectancy of the Sechelt Landfill. Regional district staff said they’ll have more information on that in a report due late this year.
Garry Nohr of Halfmoon Bay pointed out that the possibility of introducing curbside recycling is still a very active concern for residents of Area B and suggested it might be time to look into a partnership with Sechelt.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell, the committee chair, said, “To me it emphasizes the need to move forward on organics, which is where the lowest hanging fruit are, and the greatest proportion of what can be diverted and isn’t currently.“
