At a public hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, Sechelt council heard unanimous support for a move to allow bed and breakfasts to operate three rooms instead of the current two.
Eleven stakeholders, most of them bed and breakfast owners, presented their submissions. Most emphasized the economic spinoff benefits for the whole Sechelt community.
"Each guest is said to spend approximately $200 per day," said bed and breakfast owner Nancy Moudahi. "These are visitors who are spending their money at local restaurants, pubs, grocery stores, gift shops, gas stations, art galleries, local artisans, kayak rental outfits, other tourism operators such as boat rentals or horseback riding, purchasing Sunshine Coast tourism mementos and so on, and so on And in a time when traditional industries of logging and fishing have disappeared on the Coast, increased tourism in Sechelt will help create jobs and keep our economy vibrant."
Others emphasized an accommodation shortage in Sechelt particularly in the summer months.
"We already know that in peak times in the summer particularly, there's a shortage of accommodation," said Jean Billingsley, speaking on behalf of Sunshine Coast Tourism. "So impediments to the accommodation industry would be counterproductive to our efforts to build a strong tourism economy. We know that a healthy bed and breakfast sector is essential to destination marketing on the Coast."
Others emphasized the risks of not allowing the bylaw change.
"This is not a strong economic time," said Dale Schweighardt, bed and breakfast owner, local businessperson and a director for both the Sechelt Chamber of Commerce and the Sunshine Coast Tourism Board. "If council chooses to defeat this bylaw, council is putting people out of work. And that's not good for this community."
Shay Moudahi emphasized the stakes for bed and breakfast owners.
"For us, being able to have three suites is a question of whether we're staying in business or not," he said. "If [the bylaw amendment]'s not adopted, it will mean folding the tent and leaving the Coast."
But while there was unanimous support for allowing three rooms, many had come out to speak about a more contentious issue: an increase in business licence fees, plus hikes in garbage and sewer fees topics which chair Coun. Alice Lutes explained were not being considered by this particular hearing.
Bed and breakfast operator Ian Winn nonetheless managed to briefly voice the prevailing view in the room.
"The main issue that people have here is that we have not had that opportunity to speak to council regarding those three other bylaw amendments," Winn said. "In regards to the council's direction to also amend the bylaws for business licences, sewer system usage and garbage disposal usage, applicable to all B&Bs, I strongly disagree."
To single out this business sector from all others in the District of Sechelt is discriminatory and unfair."
Lutes told him that there would be opportunity for the public to weigh in on these issues, whether at committee of the whole or at a future council meeting.
"I hear exactly what you're saying and I would just like to reassure you that the rest of council has heard that too through the written submissions that we have received in this book, and I assure you, you're being heard," she said.
