April 10 Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) committee and board meeting agendas were lighter than usual, as elected officials were set to travel to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Association convention in Nanaimo. That event ran April 11 to 13.
Here’s a review of highlights from the two meetings.
Local transit could net federal funding
At the committee of the whole meeting, along with the groundwater investigation results, directors reviewed correspondence from B.C. Transit (BCT) about the Canada Public Transit Fund. That indicated the Sunshine Coast’s transit system could benefit from an infusion of just over $2.2 million over 10 years, starting in 2026.
The letter detailed steps BCT would be taking to access the federal funds for its range of partner systems, including Sunshine Coast Transit. This will require regional staff to work with BCT to meet the funding program requirements. One condition of funding awards for communities like the Coast with populations over 30,000, is the completion of a Housing Needs Assessment, which the SCRD finalized in late 2024.
In discussion, community services manager Shelley Gagnon explained that the majority of the money is to go into BCT’s fleet replacement program. She said if BCT is successful in securing the funds, the impact for the SCRD will show up in future year’s transit fleet leasing costs.
'Extreme' cost increases with dock structures
A contract approved Nov. 23, 2023 for just over $670,000 for five years of annual inspections plus preventative repairs and maintenance on the SCRD’s nine docks was amended to allow spending of up to a whopping $1.34 million at the day’s board meeting.
The budget for the work had been increased as part of the 2024-2029 financial plan adoption, which happened after the original contract was issued to Summerhill Fine Homes.
As the director with the most regional dock facilities in her area, West Howe Sound’s Kate-Louise Stamford commented that the region faces “extreme cost increases” in the ports function which concerns her “on many levels." In her view, these are critical pieces of community infrastructure that need good maintenance.
Deer Crossing/The Art Farm public hearing
A zoning bylaw amendment to add housing units and make changes to allowed property uses for Deer Crossing/The Art Farm (in Area F at 1747 Storvold Road) received second reading at the board meeting, which will permit it to proceed to a public hearing. No date for that event was discussed by the board.
