The following are briefs from a regular meeting of District of Sechelt council, held May, 7.
Mandatory good neighbour agreement
Sechelt has received support from both the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), and Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), in its quest to urge the provincial government and BC Housing to have all supportive housing and shelter operators enter into a “good neighbour agreement” with local governments.
In February, councillors Brenda Rowe and Alton Toth presented a motion asking that local governments across B.C., which are experiencing challenges related to supportive housing and shelter facilities, “including concerns about community safety, property maintenance, and local accountability," urge the province and BC Housing to require supportive housing and shelter operators to enter into good neighbour agreements with the local governments. The agreements, according to the motion, are to "ensure clear expectations regarding community impact mitigation, security measures, and ongoing engagement with local government and residents.”
In December, the district proposed a motion that BC Housing terminate its contract with RainCity Housing and Support Society due to concerns the society, has “not sufficiently contributed to alleviating safety concerns in the surrounding neighbourhood, including ongoing issues with crime, theft, vandalism; and whereas these issues are negatively impacting the quality of life for local residents, businesses, and emergency responders.” That motion was later amended to first request an FOI into the contract between BC Housing and RainCity.
The district received a letter from UBCM dated April 23, in which union president Trish Mandewo stated the proposed good neighbour resolution “received endorsement at the 2025 AVICC Spring Convention.”
“As such,” the letter continued, “the resolution(s) will be included in the UBCM resolutions book for the 2025 UBCM convention in September.”
Stop work order
District of Sechelt staff received approval from council to register a notice of bylaw contravention in the Land Title Office against the owners of 5688 Mason Road in West Sechelt, due to unauthorized construction discovered on the property, prompting a stop work order.
A report to council says the owner received a registered letter demanding the necessary building permits be applied for within 14 days, but no action was taken.
James Nyhus, chief building official for the district, told council the unauthorized construction includes recreational vehicles placed on the property, with decks built around them “with every intention that they would be used as dwellings.”
He added a garage had also been enclosed and converted into a dwelling without proper permits.
“Since we warned the owner that we were seeking notice on title for violation of the building bylaw, there's been no communication,” said Nyhus, adding the owner had still not applied for the required permits at the time of the May 7 meeting.
Solid waste bins
Better hope your bear-repellent tactics work, because the cost to replace solid-waste bins within the District of Sechelt have been added to the district's bylaw.
The change is meant to bring the replacement fees for garbage and recycling bins to cost-recovery rates.
At an April 16 regular meeting of council, the fees and charges amendment to Bylaw 575-18 was read a first, second and third time. According to a report presented at the time, when the solid waste program was first implemented, each residence in the district received a set of new bins, which were included in the solid waste fees.
In cases where bins are damaged, stolen or in need of replacement, property owners are required to purchase new bins from the district.
Bin replacement costs
Garbage bin (black/grey): $100
Organic bin (green/black): $100
Recycle bin (blue): $110
New organic wildlife-resistant bin (green/black): $200
Organic wildlife resistant (green/black) bin: $100
