In 2024, the District of Sechelt installed 40 hanging flower baskets, received more than 552,000 emails, issued 418 bylaw tickets and enjoyed more than 5,000 hours of mobile vending choices.
Those are just some of the details included in the district’s (draft) 2024 annual report, which was presented to council at a committee of the whole meeting, May 28.
Advancing housing solutions, progressing infrastructure replacement, completing vital projects and laying the groundwork for future developments are more highlights of the document, says Andrew Yeates, chief administrative officer for the District of Sechelt, who headed up the 61-page report.
“Our staff worked diligently on council’s priorities and I am pleased to note that this annual report highlights several completed projects and initiatives from the Strategic Plan,” Yeates wrote in the report.
The Strategic Plan is a statement of the district’s overall vision and priorities, which provides a roadmap for council, staff and the community to support implementation of six key strategic priorities, including, effective growth, housing, community safety and well being, ensuring financial balance, commitment to climate change mitigation, adaptation and the preservation of the natural environment, and fostering a vibrant downtown core.
Effective growth
Some of the growth highlights include adopting zoning changes to support small-scale, multi-unit housing, partnering with shíshálh Nation and the Sunshine Coast Regional District to conduct a Community Land Development Analysis focused on servicing and land use in the Sechelt area, preparing bylaw amendments for a new francophone school on Medusa Street, and approved a development permit for a childcare facility on Cowrie Street.
The district also distributed community grants to recipients, gathered information about mobile vending via survey to better serve the needs of the community, and completed active transportation projects in West Sechelt, Reeves Road, Crowston Road and part of Ripple Way.
Housing
Among the lengthy list of housing initiatives, the district adopted the official community plan amendment bylaw to streamline development of missing middle housing, partnered with a consultant to complete the 2024 Housing Needs Report, which identified that 2,900 new housing units would be needed in Sechelt by 2041, received third reading for a rezoning application for 89 apartment units and commercial space at 5700 East Porpoise Bay, and adopted rezoning for an eight-lot subdivision on Mills Road.
Community safety and well being
There was plenty going on in Sechelt regarding community safety in 2024, including the installation of four security cameras near the Friendship Park washrooms, the renewal of the security patrol contract and a move to collect data to assess coverage and effectiveness, coordinating with the RCMP to remove derelict vehicles on Hightide Avenue and to improve the cleanliness and public safety in the area, which includes weekly cleanup and visits and outreach with occupants of the area.
As for “wellbeing,” the district presented the Sechelt Festival of the Arts in an updated format, donated art space in Rockwood Lodge to local artists as a venue for the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, and recruited and coordinated volunteers to serve on the 2025 Community Investment Program Grant Review Committee, among other initiatives.
Ensuring financial balance
District staff prepared 2023 audit field work and completed 2023 financial statements, presented the 2024 budget, later approved by council, applied for and received Complete Communities and Connecting Sechelt Youth grants, applied for and received a grant to support 2024 syiyaya Days and Sechelt Summer Music Series from the BC Fairs, Festivals and Events Fund, and prepared and distributed the 2024 property tax notices.
Commitment to climate change mitigation, adaptation and the preservation of the natural environment
The district drafted the Wildfire Development Permit Area for inclusion in the new official community plan, planted 47 trees as part of the community Request-A-Tree program, planted 16 trees using structural cells as part of the Inlet Avenue roadwork project and installed an electric vehicle charging station for two vehicles at municipal hall.
As well, among its many initiatives, the district hired a Climate and Wildfire Policy intern/student with a grant from Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions and completed fleet tracking software project on public works vehicles.
Fostering a vibrant downtown core
While building permits were issued for two large apartment buildings in the downtown core – Greenecourt on Medusa Street and Telus Living on Inlet Avenue – the district also supported development and building permit submissions for community services housing on Inlet Avenue.
As well, the district supported Car Free Day, hosted two pop-up stands at Snickett Park to engage with residents, and added two new art wraps to BC Hydro boxes on Trail and Inlet avenues.
District-organized events include coordinated Halloween trick-or-treating in partnership with business owners, the Sechelt Arts Festival, organized the Festival of Lights Parade and Bright Nights, and purchased a vinyl dance floor for Hackett Park stage.
