Editor:
There is one large problem with the Deloitte report on the Water Resource Centre (WRC) that was reported on by Christine Wood in last week’s paper (“Review finds deficiencies in treatment plant”). The Deloitte report said that the WRC will have to be expanded in 2023 at a cost of $13.2 million. However, this timeframe is only one of two scenarios in the revised April 21, 2016 Urban Systems report. Using the most aggressive growth rates provided by the District of Sechelt, there are 2,477 housing units being added by 2023, but the historical growth rates, which the district is using in its new DCC bylaw, has only 432 units added by 2023. In the historical growth rate scenario, the 2,477 units necessary for expansion are not reached until 2044. This means the WRC would not have to be expanded until then. This is a big difference and will confuse people who haven’t been following the issue closely. To report only the most aggressive scenario is verging on scare-mongering. This flawed, confusing report cost the taxpayers of the District of Sechelt $150,000. We have many pressing needs in our community including affordable housing, derelict boats and an inadequate water supply, to name but a few. Does anyone think that this $150,000 was well spent and produced good value for our tax dollars? I don’t.
Greg Deacon, Sechelt
