The transportation committee of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) moved into the big boardroom in anticipation of a large gathering to discuss recent snow removal operations on Monday morning.
Representatives from all local and provincial governments, Ministry of Transportation (MOT), Capilano Highways, transit and school buses, BC Ferries and the public attended the meeting.
"There's a breakdown in understanding in who's responsible for what on the Sunshine Coast," said Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk, who chairs the committee.
A microphone was passed around the gallery and MOT, Cap Highways and SCRD staff answered questions as best they could. Several stories were told about how people weathered the storms over the last few weeks.
"There were so many people in a bad situation and they didn't have anybody to talk to," said Eric Graham, Egmont/Pender Harbour director.
A teacher rolled her truck, a school bus (thankfully empty) slid down a big hill in the Egmont area, residents on Gambier and Keats islands abandoned vehicles and bought YakTrax to strap to their feet and walked everywhere, while a BC Hydro crew had to use snowmobiles to reach an area in a power outage. Dialysis patients in Elphinstone barely made it to appointments, and semi-trucks wound up stuck on the ferry terminal hill.
Seeing the last few weeks in a bigger context of emergency preparedness, Pender Harbour resident Barbara DeMott raised her concerns."We need to look at the seriousness of the situation and emergencies that arise," she said. "Other events will precipitate a similar event with vulnerable people [at risk]."
Sechelt director Mayor Darren Inkster said if the hill at Davis Bay is not kept clear, trucks that move essentials like food to grocery stores up in Halfmoon Bay, Madeira Park and Egmont could cause a crisis.
Brian Atkins with MOT answered many of the questions posed. "From the ministry's perspective we thought with an event this size they [Capilano Highway] did really well," Atkins said. "We can't get a lot of the work done because there are cars all over the road, so the contractor couldn't get in."
Atkins said Capilano Highways' overtime bill is three times what they spend every year and MOT will be sitting down with them to talk about what changes would improve service in the future.
"We don't track hours in the region by electoral areas, but foreman areas. They logged more than 5,000 hours over three weeks," said Steve Drummond from Cap Highways.
Addressing a few complaints that plows and equipment were seen parked idle in the Pender Harbour area while main roads were in poor conditions, Drummond said, "We don't park our trucks in a snowstorm."
Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis was holding his emotions barely in check when he said, "The ministry is the employee of tax payers and shouldn't justify the inaction of the contractor."
Communication was the issue raised repeatedly during the meeting. SCRD directors said they did not know who to phone and often were being called at home by distressed residents who said voicemail with Capilano Highway was full.
Capilano Highways has a 1-800 number. Drummond said that is what people should be dialing if they want specific information about snow clearing or particularly bad areas of the roads. Callers will get a live person on the other end of the line at all times. That number is 1-800-665-3135.
After an hour of debriefing, a motion was passed to organize future meetings between the rural area directors and MOT, Capilano Highways, transit and B.C. Ferries to discuss the prioritization of road clearing classifications and to increase communication among all parties when a storm hits.
