Editor:
Road maintenance, particularly the snow removal and salting/sanding this winter, has been dreadful. This is a bad season so far. I knew it was coming and prepared for it. I don’t understand why an organization with the experience and capabilities of Capilano Highways seemingly didn’t make preparations to cope with the bad weather, which is here as a result of climate change and could get worse going forward.
I live in Pender Harbour, which has a high proportion of seniors and very hilly terrain. A lot of us have propane furnaces and automatic generators. We have experienced at least three power outages since Christmas. The first was 19 hours and I know that others on the Coast have had worse. Superior Propane has been struggling to keep up with demand as it is and has been seriously hampered by “road conditions,” which is their reason/excuse for not delivering to me. I have been out of propane for three days. Today (Tuesday, Jan. 4) the roads are extremely icy and I expect they won’t be here again. I know of many, many people in Pender Harbour who are out of propane or very close to it.
Propane delivery is just one example. What about ambulances, fire trucks, police, etc.? What about just being able to go get groceries? Is this the way our seniors should be treated? Are we not entitled to roads cleared (not just the highway) for our high tax dollars?
This is unacceptable. As a community which traditionally votes NDP I am appalled by the poor treatment we receive from the provincial government and its subcontractors, eg. Capilano Highways.
Our roads are an essential service and need to be treated accordingly. This could easily be an election issue going forward.
Heather Paget, Pender Harbour
