Regional Growth Strategy -- Re-Post

I support the motion to deny the amendment to the Regional Growth Strategy. To explain my position, I want to provide the following background information. Like many people, I needed to completely understand what the strategy is and what it really means for North Saanich, the Saanich Peninsula and the region.

The Capital Regional District Board adopted the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) on August 13, 2003. The strategy represents an agreement, developed and approved, by all member municipalities and the regional district in partnership, on social, economic and environmental goals and priority actions.

This is a landmark agreement, a landmark agreement as cited in a report prepared in March 2003 by the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, titled, The Capital Regional District Growth Strategy: Herding Cats onto the Road of Sustainability. In part, the report states:

- In many urban and rural areas, local citizens motivated by concerns about community disruption and environmental degradation have resisted development projects of various kinds. In some cases, these actions have reflected a broader concern that on a finite planet, or at least in a finite community or region, future growth in human demands will be increasingly destructive.

- The result has been a second wave of growth management that is expected to cover not just all factors that affect growth patterns, but also all consideration that affect long-term community and ecological sustainability.

- Sustainability is fundamentally a matter of applied ethics. It has a human focus but involves consideration of future as well as present interests and recognizes ultimate human dependence on the biosphere. Arguably, commitment to sustainability entails adoption of what Aldo Leopold called the “land ethic” – extending the definition of community from the social interaction of individuals to the linking of all components of the natural world, and requiring people to view themselves as stewards of the land.

- Development of this kind allows for the building of a shared local culture that encompasses history, values and traditions of a particular place or region.

In 1995, the BC government passed the Growth Strategies Statutes Amendment Act to facilitate better coordination of municipalities, regional districts and the provincial government to deal with complex growth management issues. However, its most significant provisions focus on the regional level. The act gave “legislative authority” for regional districts to voluntarily develop and adopt a Regional Growth Strategy.

A regional growth strategy is a regional vision that commits affected municipalities and regional districts to a course of action to meet common social, economic and environmental objectives. It also forms a part of a municipality’s Official Community Plan through a Regional Context Statement, which links the RGS to the municipal plan. The RGS is designed to outline the regional vision for the next 20 years.

The core objective of the Growth Strategies Act is “to promote human settlement that is socially, economically and environmentally healthy and makes efficient use of ... land and other resources.” The foremost priority goals for the RGS are:

- Avoiding urban sprawl and ensuring that development takes place where adequate facilities exist…

- Protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

- Maintaining the integrity of a secure, productive resource base, including agricultural, and forestland reserves.

- Protecting the quality and quantity of ground and surface water.

Conclusion:

Without consistent support and long term commitment from the Capital Regional District through its Regional Growth Strategy, municipal boundaries that keep urban containment compact will be vulnerable, resulting in unmanaged growth that will continue to threaten green and rural spaces, agriculture and farmland and forests and water resources. Local governments in the Capital Regional District must now decide how strong, consistent and effective they will be in the application of sound land use policy that considers critical factors such as:

- Regional energy planning and conservation

- Food production and security

- Efficient, economical and environmentally sound transportation planning

- Conservation and use of water resources

- Waste disposal

The Regional Growth Strategy enables local governments to manage growth with confidence and vision, to plan for the future and for an environmental legacy of which generations after us can be proud.

The report by the University of Waterloo concludes with the following statement that, for me, says it all in a nutshell:

If the necessary goodwill and commitment are to be found anywhere in British Columbia, they are to be found among the municipal leaders and residents of the Capital Regional District, given the long standing concern for quality of life issues in this region. What happens in the CRD will therefore be an important test of the Regional Growth Strategy mechanism. If effective growth management using the Regional Growth Strategy cannot be accomplished in the Capital Regional District, it is unlikely that the mechanism will work well anywhere in the Province.

Municipal Spending a Concern

I read with interest on November 6, 2009 the Times-Colonist article by reporter Bill Cleverley that suggests that municipalities spend too much, based on a recent study released by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Based on data collected between 2000 and 2007, North Saanich's "fiscal sustainability gap" was quoted at 2.98.

Results for other CRD municipalities varied between a low of 1.71 to a high of 8.62. Questions were raised in the article by some local Mayors about the validity and context of the data, given consistent provincial downloading to municipal governments during the past 8 or 9 years. It was argued that downloading programs and services negatively impacts local government's ability to meet and sustain demands, such as increased police services. Another factor is salaries paid to municipal staff that apparently average 35% higher than the private sector.

Financial issues and municipal spending are ongoing concerns of mine, especially for a municipality the size of North Saanich. Large infrastructure projects such as the new sewer system for Deep Cove/Pat Bay and McDonald Park Road was about a $15M bill that frankly should not have been imposed on taxpayers at a time when construction costs were at their highest and the real estate boom was at its peak. This capital cost, however, was just half of the equation; the cost of maintaining this infrastructure is the other half, borne by all North Saanich taxpayers.

The unexpected increase to the Panorama pool expansion was another major impact on North Saanich taxpayers that will be reflected in next year's tax bill. At $12M, up from approximately $5.7M as cited in the 2005 North Saanich pool expansion referendum, it seems to me project management and planning for the pool had challenges related to spending control. Many North Saanich taxpayers I talked to have been concerned about this and again, capital cost is one thing but ongoing maintenance and operation are others. I also understand that staffing at Panorama has increased by about 50% as a result of opening the new pool and it is argued that a larger more complex facility needs more staff to run it. Having said that, many see the pool expansion as a community asset that will benefit social and recreational needs over time.

But at a time when the economy is still fragile and private and public sectors continue to make significant cuts, it's my view that adding staff in any organization can be a difficult decision to sell to taxpayers who have to foot the bills.

In my opinion, these are just two examples that demonstrate local government's fundamental responsibility to carefully manage or scale back big projects that may not be fully sustainable or affordable over time. Sustainable spending is one of the reasons why I supported the current North Saanich Council when it moved to cap at 5% this year's municipal tax increase. Further, I believe that this Council is taking a prudent approach to any new spending, asking staff to ensure, on behalf of North Saanich taxpayers, that whatever we do spend we can afford to sustain.

It was argued during the last municipal election that a cautious approach might mean that North Saanich would be "shut down," with comments such as "No Saanich" making the rounds. But in reality, I believe that North Saanich residents and taxpayers opted for a new Mayor and Council majority they believe will check spending, bring greater fiscal accountability to financial management and make sure that taxpayers are respected. The saying that best fits this Mayor and Council majority's approach may be simply "Ask North Saanich Taxpayers Before We Spend."

Second Meeting on Marine Task Force Report Recommendations Calls for a Third Meeting

Citing the need to receive additional information on factors such as environmental impacts, re-zoning and jurisdictional issues related to building private docks on the waterfront, Council voted 6 to 1 against Councilor Sheilah Fea's motion to move ahead with private docks in North Saanich. I also agreed with the Council majority to defer to a third meeting the rest of the Marine Task Force (MTF) report's recommendations, including recommendation #7 related to private docks. A sometimes noisy waterfront group attended the October 29th Committee of the Whole special meeting, the second held by Council to address the MTF's 2008 report.

I knew going into these meetings that some recommendations would be controversial, particularly the recommendation dealing with private docks. As you know, North Saanich, since 1984, has restricted private docks, resulting in current Official Community Plan zoning limits known as M5 and M6. As a result, the North Saanich coastline is relatively unobstructed, making public access to our beaches and waterfront one of the attractions of living here -- I support public access to our beaches and will always try to find a balance between the need for public beach access and the desires of waterfront property owners.

As you know, some waterfront property owners disagree with North Saanich's current zoning restrictions for private docks, believing the municipality should allow private docks whenever a waterfront property owner makes an application. One waterfront owner at this week's meeting stated that he feels that it is his "right to have a private dock and unfettered access to deep water." But another waterfront property owner cautioned the municipality against allowing private docks that impede adjacent neighbours' sight lines and interfere with their views, acknowledging my belief that a significant factor that determines waterfront property values is the quality of the view.

Council also agreed to move ahead with the MTF's recommendation for a public boat launch on the West side of the Peninsula, below the airport. Mayor and Council plan to re-open talks with the Victoria Airport Authority, the Federal government and other community stakeholders to explore having a small public boat launch on the West side that provides vehicle parking and access for small boats, kayaks, canoes, etc. I understand from one resident who attended the meeting that Tulista Park will be one of the last small public boat launches left on the Peninsula, given that Van Isle Marina is rumoured to be closing its boat launch to allow expansion of a restaurant.

Regarding the MTF's recommendation on the Federal government's initiative to designate the Saanich Inlet a marine conservation area, Council agreed to invite Parks Canada to make a presentation to Council on the status of the initiative and on what impacts, if any, such a designation would have on waterfront property owners. Some owners express concern about a marine park/conservation area designation, suggesting that it might interfere with their property rights. We learned, however, thanks to Frances Pugh of the Saanich Inlet Protection Society, that a conservation area designation means only three things: no dumping, no dredging and no oil drilling. I can't imagine that the majority of North Saanich residents wouldn't wholeheartedly embrace such protection for the Saanich Inlet.

A new date for the next special Council meeting to address the MTF's report will be announced on the District website, in the District newsletter and I will ensure that the date is also announced on this blog. Stay tuned and watch for the date and time of the next meeting. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail and I will try to answer your questions. Thank you.

Heavy Traffic at McTavish Road Interchange Open House

It was standing room only last week when I dropped down to the McTavish Road Interchange Open House, hosted for local residents by the Provincial government, as part of its public consultation process. Local residents, North Saanich, Sidney and Central Saanich Council members, Victoria Airport Authority staff, project staff from the Province and other transportation staff mingled and chatted with the public as people poured into the Presbyterian Church at East Saanich Road and circulated around the room, browsing the various design displays. Of particular interest was an animated demonstration showing how the traffic will move through the new interchange and its three roundabouts.

Comments on the project that I heard ranged from "too big and too complex for this area" to "too expensive when we are cutting everything else in this Province" to "we need the improvements for safety's sake" and "it's about time we did something at this intersection." I also heard some anxiety about drivers having to negotiate the roundabouts, which I agree can be daunting.

I remember well my first driving experience in Britain. I rented a Mini and drove 2,700 miles through England and Scotland but not before having to learn in the first 5 minutes, how to drive on the opposite side of the road, shift the manual transmission in the opposite direction with my left hand (I'm right-handed) and read a map. Things were going pretty well by the time I was 20 miles out until... I encountered my first roundabout!! You could hear my screams all the way around it while I was desperately trying to find my way out. But by the end of the trip, roundabouts and I had become friends and I have to admit, they are extremely efficient at keeping traffic moving; I am now a roundabout fan.

In general, my impression of public reaction during my visit to the Open House was that most people, while not wildly enthusiastic, were more accepting of recent modifications made to the design. Despite public concerns about cost and scope (which I appreciate), residents I talked to that day seemed to recognize that efforts had been made by provincial transportation planners to incorporate some of the public's feedback on design and to make subsequent changes.

Beyond original concerns about the finished product and its suitability to this area, people I spoke to have concerns about impacts during the construction phase, including road closures, re-routed traffic along East Saanich Road, emergency vehicle access to Lochside Drive and noise. I share these concerns as does the Mayor of North Saanich and other Council members. I observed that Heather Gartshore, North Saanich resident and one of our two community appointments to the McTavish Road Interchange Task Force (the other is Bob Williamson, Dean Park Resident and former North Saanich Councillor) was keeping close tabs on public input at the Open House. I know that Heather and Bob will follow up these concerns with the District as part of the Task Force process (established by Mayor and Council to give the community a voice in the project).

I want to stress, once again, that the District of North Saanich is not a contributing partner to this Interchange. YES, we supported in principle last year the Victoria Airport Authority's original request to make safety and access improvements at McTavish and the Pat Bay Highway but NO, we have no authority or responsibility for the project and no money invested.

Having said that, I can assure you that the District of North Saanich is concerned about how construction impacts will be managed until the project is completed. I understand that Mayor and Council will remain involved on your behalf through our McTavish Interchange Task Force. For questions, comments or more information, please contact your Interchange Task Force community representatives, Heather Gartshore at 250-656-0974 or Bob Williamson at 250-655-1270. And at anytime, please feel free to contact me directly (as well as other Council members) with your concerns. Thank you!

The McTavish Road Interchange Project

I have been asked by our North Saanich community appointees to the McTavish Road Interchange Committee (Heather Gartshore and Bob Williamson) to post this following letter regarding the project. You can also get further information from the Ministry of Transportation's website at http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayprojects/Hwy_17_McTavish_Interchange/index.htm

We wanted to let you know that we have been appointed by the District of North Saanich Council, as the two community representatives to to sit on the McTavish Road Interchange Task Force. Other members include representatives from North Saanich Staff and Council, Sidney Council, the Victoria Airport Authority, the RCMP, the Tseycum and Pauquachin First Nations and the Ministry of Transportation.

The purpose of the Task Force is to maintain consultation and dialogue with groups and individuals to identify and address community concerns during the detailed design and construction of the McTavish Road Interchange. We will represent community interests primarily in the geographic area bounded approximately by Amity Drive to the south, Dean Park to the west, Beacon Avenue to the north and Lochside Drive to the east, however we will accept comment from the community in general.

The BC Ministry of Transportation is proceeding with this project to improve safety, enhance transit and improve access to the Victoria International Airport. While we understand that you may have concerns about the design, timing and cost of this project, the Task Force is not in a position to consider those.

This is a Provincial project on Provincial land and as such, the Province can proceed. To qualify for supporting funds from the Federal Government, the project must be completed by March 2011.

After considering alternatives, the conceptual design comprising two roundabouts and a road bridge over the main highway has been complete and has now been accepted as the final design. The design contract has been awarded to a consulting engineering firm who will proceed with the detailed design. No fundamental changes can be made to the concept.

Citizens can provide input on bicycle paths, pedestrian paths, signage, landscaping, noise abatement and pollution control, but not on the design concept itself. On site construction activity is expected to commence as soon as October 2009.

As your community representatives, we would be pleased to communicate your concerns, suggestions and comments on topics where we can still exert some influence as the McTavish Road Interchange moves to the next phase.

The Task Force will be meeting at regularly scheduled intervals. You will find the project website at: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayprojects/Hwy_17_McTavish_Interchange/index.htm

Please feel free to pass this information along to friends and neighbors who will also be impacted by the McTavish Road Interchange.

Heather Gartshore heathergartshore@shaw.ca 250-656-0974

Bob Williamson prismoid@islandnet.com 250-655-1270

Marine Task Force Report Well Anchored

After first receiving the Marine Task Force (MTF) report last year (commissioned by the District of North Saanich in 2007), the former Mayor and Council accepted the report and its sixteen recommendations but voted to defer any action on the recommendations until after the municipal election in November 2008. Nearly a year later, the current Council has breathed new life into the report and planned two meetings (October 13 and 29, 2009 at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers) to address MTF recommendations and action items and to involve the public in these debates. The following highlights the results of our first meeting on October 13th.

An audience of about 45 to 50 people attended the October 13th Committee of the Whole Meeting, representing the general public, waterfront property owners, former Marine Task Force members and representatives of environmental groups and interested organizations. Using a September 2008 staff report to guide Council deliberations, we debated roughly half of the sixteen recommendations and carried the rest over to the next meeting on October 29th. My view is that despite some potentially contentious issues, the meeting proceeded well and the audience was respectful and fully engaged.

The meeting was opened by the former Task Force Chair, Graham Williams who provided us with a brief overview and background on some of the report's key recommendations. Council then discussed briefly how we should proceed, finally deciding to deal with each of the recommendations separately and in order. At first, I was concerned about the process of tackling these recommendations and wanted to avoid getting bogged down in minute detail and putting our audience to sleep. Other Council members agreed so we kept focused on the general recommendations, opting to attack the detail at our next meeting.

Debate was thorough and members of the audience were keen to participate in discussion on following:

Better recognize marine heritage, economic contributions and boating interests (staff directed to prepare a report for Council on anticipated changes to the Official Community Plan (OCP), suggested policy changes, development of community values related to recreation and environmental impacts and inclusion in the OCP of shoreline maps provided in the recently completely Saanich Inlet and Peninsula Atlas of Shorelines 2009 Public Report;

Meet with local marina industry representatives to explore options for improved capacity related to recreational boating and development (includes options for dry land boat storage);

Agree to keep OCP boatshed regulations the same but also agree to discuss other boatshed options with marina industry that might reduce moorage costs but increase capacity;

Guidelines for private docks (M5 vs. M6 zones).

The most contentious of these four items is the issue of guidelines for private docks. Waterfront property owners who attended the meeting are fiercely protective of their property rights -- some PRPA members (a North Saanich waterfront property owners' group) even suggested that the District should change its policy on M6 zoning so that private docks are allowed in North Saanich. Such a change would represent a major departure from the North Saanich Official Community Plan.

In the end, Council acknowledged that this Mayor and Council must first decide whether to open up this debate at all, a discussion that may be brought to a later meeting. I am reminded by other North Saanich taxpayers that while waterfront property owners have strong feelings about their riparian rights, the North Saanich waterfront is also a significant environmental asset to all North Saanich residents who live and pay taxes here. Many residents have asked that we protect and preserve the waterfront wherever possible.

In conclusion, I believe that when citizens make time to attend our meetings, we need to ensure that information and processes are "user friendly," meaning that discussions are well understood and information is readily provided. Granted, some of our discussion seemed a bit dry and drawn out and I noticed members of the audience drifting out of the Chamber before the end of the meeting. Others noted that we tended to use acronyms they did not recognize and referenced documents not provided to the audience for their information. These concerns of "using too much jargon" and "not providing some reference materials to the public" were duly noted. I have in fact today requested copies of our OCP and the original MTF report be provided at our October 29th meeting for people to see and share.

The debate will continue on October 29, 2009 when Council re-convenes in the Council Chamber at 7:00 pm to continue its review of the MTF report and the rest of the recommendations. Please try to attend this important meeting and join the discussion on how best to establish a balance between marine economic development and environmental protection of our marine habitat.

No Price Tag on Democracy

In the last few weeks, a story out of Central Saanich suggests that something is not sitting well with some Central Saanich voters as a result of the last municipal election in November 2008. Both the Vancouver Sun and Times-Colonist have covered the issues from the perspective of those voters who believe that there may have been some impropriety related to municipal campaign financing. The allegations have certainly caught the attention of other municipalities. (To read the Times-Colonist article, click here: http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/editorials/Bringing+fairness+local+elections/2019398/story.html

As a sitting Council member here in North Saanich, I have been following this story with interest because the topic of unregulated campaign financing and funding is one near and dear to my heart. I have believed since the election of 2002, that municipal elections should be carefully regulated to ensure the independence of candidates and the integrity of the municipal election process. It goes without saying that the issue is a difficult one.

Ordinary citizens interested in making a meaningful contribution to their local community through public service as an elected official, face the reality that running for public office costs money; without donations, the possibility of incurring all the costs personally can make a difference for some between running and not running. Access to funding should not be a barrier to standing as a municipal candidate -- for me, such a barrier does not serve the best interests of the public, our local communities or the election process, and excludes potentially good people from holding public office.

In North Saanich, it is my understanding that political slates and heavily funded municipal election campaigns were unheard of until 2005 when the incumbent Mayor put together a well funded slate and campaign team, hired a campaign manager and opened a campaign office to run his Mayoralty campaign. It is my opinion that the incumbent Mayor and his supporters put together a campaign that seriously upped the stakes and made it possible for the incumbent Mayor and his team to access campaign election tools that significantly increased their reach and profile in the community.

In North Saanich's case, it is entirely possible that a well-funded slate of candidates’ access to unlimited campaign funding may have made it more difficult for single, non-aligned grass roots candidates to compete against what appeared to be a well-oiled machine. The then Mayor ran a similar campaign in 2008 but lost to a grass roots candidate.

While I do think that the issue of slate candidates changed local election campaigning in North Saanich, certainly between 2002 and now, I also believe that North Saanich voters have changed. They are more wary and wise and have learned lessons about candidates that appear heavily funded and powered by machine-style election campaigns that are out of character for a small community like North Saanich. In the end, I want to believe that independent grass roots candidates can still run and get elected, not because they are well funded, but because they are well respected.

I believe that municipal elections should be regulated by Elections BC and that campaign financing and funding should be capped at 20% of whatever the individual stipend is for each Council position. The capping based on percentage is an idea put forward by North Saanich Council member Peter Chandler. It works like this: If a Councilor position in Oak Bay pays a stipend of $10,000, then a Councilor candidate running there cannot accept or spend more than $2,000 for his/her campaign. If the Mayor's position pays a stipend of $30,000, then the mayoralty candidate cannot accept or spend more than $6,000 for his/her campaign and so on.

If an elector organization, campaign organizer or individual endorses a slate of candidates, then donations are limited in the same way. It is a simple formula that levels the playing field and protects the integrity of the municipal election process that, otherwise, could be vulnerable to abuse.

Capping and regulating campaign financing/funding also prevents a "quid pro quo" situation, where special interest groups, organizers or individuals expect to have special influence on Council members making decisions. The mentality that says "I donated heavily to your campaign for a reason, now I expect a return on my investment," is one that we simply cannot afford to encourage, tolerate or ignore. Such a negative climate, whether real or perceived, compromises democracy and further reinforces the public's belief that the political process is somehow dishonest or corrupt. Sadly, that perception hurts all of us and damages our electoral and democratic processes.

At the upcoming UBCM Conference at the end of this month, a resolution (B104), made by Vancouver City Council, calls for a petition of the BC Government to amend the Local Government Act and the Vancouver Charter "to set limits on the annual amount of contributions that can be given by an individual or organization to an elector organization, campaign organizer or an individual seeking elected office." The resolution also calls for limiting the amount of money that can be spent annually during a general local election campaign and disallowing contributions from sources outside Canada.

I will support this resolution but I also intend to work to see it go further and that means setting a 20% cap across the board on campaign financing/funding.

Secondary Suites Well Received at Special Council Meeting

While we had expected a big potentially vocal crowd at the September 14 Special Council Meeting on Secondary Suites, the majority of 20 or so residents who did attend enthusiastically embraced the idea of secondary suites in North Saanich. So has the City of Victoria and Mayor Dean Fortin. Mayor Fortin and his senior planner also attended our meeting to make a presentation to Mayor and Council on their experiences with the city's secondary suite program.

While the differences between our two communities are obvious (urban vs. rural), Mayor Fortin confirmed that secondary suites have stabilized neighbourhoods, preserved their integrity and character, improved rental housing stock in a market where there is a nearly zero per cent vacancy rate, re-populated neighbourhoods with young people and families and provided new and older homeowners with opportunities to supplement a mortgage or age in place.

As it should be, I believe that North Saanich is taking a slow and cautious approach to secondary suites, remaining conscious of our commitment to our OCP and our Regional Growth Strategy (see open letter to Council written by resident Wendy Bjornsfeldt and posted on northsaanichonline.com). But the Sept. 15th meeting indicated that there is solid support for the idea.

Of the residents who attended the meeting, all but one or two expressed their unqualified support, both for secondary suites and for an opportunity to be part of a pilot program in the Southeast Quadrant (SEQ), (excluding Dean Park where properties are protected by covenants that prohibit rental suites but where it is interesting to note that about 49% of all existing "illegal" suites in North Saanich are located in the SEQ, which includes Dean Park).

Over the past year, I have had dozens of residents approach me and tell me that they support secondary suites. Among other advantages, they see secondary suites as a real alternative to high density development in North Saanich; they consider suites as generally unobtrusive, blending well with existing housing and neighbourhood character.

Critical to the success of any secondary suite program in my view will be the results of the one-year pilot evaluation based on specific criteria, including regular and ongoing communication with residents inside and outside of the pilot area. It is my understanding (and I will continue to press for this) that concerns related to increased traffic, congestion, parking, density, owner-occupation, impact on local services and property values will be closely tracked and monitored by the District of North Saanich during the evaluation phase.

I heard Mayor Finall state clearly at the meeting that she, Council and staff will be looking to residents, during the pilot phase, to let us know of any and all issues related to secondary suites.

Investigating the desirability of secondary suites in North Saanich also fulfills, I think, a commitment reflected in our Official Community Plan and housing strategy. There are still a variety of issues and details that must be addressed in consultation with our community and neighbourhoods before we proceed but I believe that we are heading in the right direction.

As Mayor Fortin aptly put it, before we leap, we first sleep, then creep. In other words, North Saanich will tread carefully during the next few months to ensure that we have sufficient community support and have ironed out all the details. One comment by Mayor Fortin last night stayed with me -- before he ran for Victoria City Council, he was warned by people that legitimizing secondary suites could spell political disaster. But what happened in the end when the secondary suite program was launched in Victoria was surprising to him and to other Council members -- Victoria residents asked, "What took you so long?"

Please contact me or other Council members with comments or questions on this article or topic.

My Take on Suggested Amalgamation of Firefighting and Emergency Services on the Saanich Peninsula

First term Central Saanich Councillor and realtor Ron Kubek recently called for amalgamation of fire protection and emergency services on the Saanich Peninsula. He suggests discussions begin soon between Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney and the Victoria Airport Authority to explore the cost benefits of an amalgamated model. He argues that such a model can save money. On the face of it, his suggestion sounds logical. Who doesn't want to save money these days?

But what concerns me most about Mr. Kubek's comments is his description of Peninsula residents and taxpayers as "customers." Yes, residents certainly are taxpayers, but they can hardly be described as "customers" when it comes to the provision of fire and emergency services. Our residents and taxpayers don't "shop" these services, looking for big sales and great deals. Service delivery is not about competition and price-cutting but about competence and protecting lives and property. Merely applying a business model to such vital community services is, in my opinion, ill-informed and unwise.

Believe me, when faced with a traumatic incident such as a house fire or emergency where lives are potentially at risk, a resident in distress is not going to stop to ask, "What does this cost?" I speak with some authority given that we suffered a major house fire in 1998 and if it had not been for the very quick and effective response of North Saanich volunteer firefighters, we would have lost the house. So when Mr. Kubek states, "Let's get real..." I say that there are some very "real" issues we must consider in any discussion about possible changes to fire protection and emergency services.

It's true that other jurisdictions have bought into the simplicity of Mr. Kubek's argument and jumped on the amalgamation bandwagon, only to later learn that results were more costly and did not provide better, more efficient service delivery. My understanding of the "real" story is that communities, especially smaller ones, can end up paying more for less and, because services and decision-making are centralized, a larger organization can be less flexible and responsive to local needs and concerns, particularly at the neighbourhood level.

Toronto, Halifax and Hamilton are just a few of the Canadian cities that have amalgamated and now realize that there is no panacea to bigger centralized local government or consolidation of services. In September 2008, Blake Hutcheson, Chair of Toronto's Independent Fiscal Review Panel, said during an interview that "...It's been 10 years since amalgamation. We now have 44 councillors...you have huge, fractious decision-making. Clearly, when we set out with amalgamation as a province and a city, there were all kinds of hopes that we could get greater efficiencies, reduce our real estate, reduce our municipal staff, etc. The fact is we've added 4,000 jobs, we have not sold off any of the major real estate assets that anchored the once great cities, and we haven't been able to progress and gain the efficiencies that were promised..."

In a recent newspaper interview, North Saanich Fire Chief Gary Wilton points out that an amalgamated or consolidated model for the Peninsula will not save money or substantially improve service delivery. There appears to be some truth to Chief Wilton's observations. Closer to home, I understand that amalgamation or consolidation specific to fire and police services in Esquimalt is posing real challenges to the town's budget and service delivery -- Esquimalt is learning that amalgamation has brought with it escalating costs and less control.

North Saanich has been fortunate to have a volunteer firefighting and emergency services' model that focuses on high level training and competence. This was confirmed by a 2007 Ipsos-Reid survey of North Saanich residents where they ranked their satisfaction with our local firefighting and emergency services higher than for any other category, making it clear that they feel well protected and well served. Our North Saanich firefighters are uniquely all volunteer but no less professional, effective and respected.

"Real" differences also exist between fire protection and emergency service providers on the Saanich Peninsula. For example, Sidney and Central Saanich have forces combined of both volunteers and paid unionized staff, which introduces a new and complicated dynamic that increases costs for labour relations and union contract administration, in addition to salary costs (contract wage settlements for firefighters in the CRD have historically been some of the highest among unionized employees). The Victoria Airport Authority is located on federal land and is therefore a separate entity with a different mandate.

Recent cost comparisons for firehall improvements and upgrades also reveal differences -- Central Saanich and the airport have budgeted multi-millions while North Saanich will spend only a little over $2M for a new firehall addition. North Saanich also enjoys the lowest residential property tax rate on the Saanich Peninsula and one of the lowest in the region. What do you think might happen to North Saanich taxes if we amalgamated fire and emergency services with the rest of the Peninsula?

Despite these differences, it's well known that there is a strong history of mutual cooperation and collaboration between Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney and Victoria Airport Authority firefighters in a number of key areas such as training and professional development, emergency planning and coordination and in response to major regional emergencies.

Before exploring the suggestion of consolidating firefighting and emergency services on the Saanich Peninsula, we need to listen to our North Saanich residents and consult widely with our firefighting professionals. After all, I will place no price tag on health and safety if I believe that these very "real" priorities could in any way be compromised by consolidation or amalgamation.

Stay tuned.

Eight Months On and the Clock is Ticking – My View

Can you believe that it has been eight months since the last municipal election? Time has literally flown by and while it feels like a new Council, I realize that in November, we will have been elected a full year. I also realize that as time is passing quickly, there is still a lot left to do. I believe that to determine where you are going requires you to look back to see where you have been and so with this in mind, I recently took the opportunity to reflect on this Council's achievements since December 2008. I know that each of us will interpret for ourselves what this Council has and has not accomplished since being elected but, since I am directly involved as a sitting Councillor, I hope that my own insights are helpful in assessing this Council's progress to date.

I am reminded that Council work is truly "a work in progress." Improving local services while addressing local needs, most related to land use, are what municipalities spend the majority of their time doing. They do this primarily through a complicated set of regulatory bylaws and statutes that involve taxation and compliance, where success is most often defined by whatever side of the counter or issue you happen to be on. I have always believed that local government is a process that tries to avoid collisions between people, politics and issues. But when they do collide, Council is faced with trying to make good decisions about not so good situations. As you know, emotions can run high, anger can overshadow reason and tempests in teapots can blow the lid. Working through the angst and trying to find the best solution is one of the more challenging aspects of this work.

There are indeed challenges ahead for this Mayor and Council but I sense in the last eight months, North Saanich seems a lot less confrontational; people seem more willing to listen and to understand different points of view (at least on a few issues). I credit some of this change to a change in leadership at the Mayor's level, resulting in a renewed sense of purpose among the majority of Council members. I believe that for the first time in many years, North Saanich is also undergoing a significant transition that is taking it FROM small rural-residential community often seen as merely an extension of Sidney TO vibrant independent community that boasts some of the most valuable agricultural lands, natural rural spaces and environmental habitats left on southern Vancouver Island.

North Saanich is shifting to becoming a regional leader on agriculture and food security, environmental protection and conservation, preserving lifestyle quality and enhancing an enviable network of unique trails, beaches, parks and green spaces. North Saanich is also becoming recognized as a District where building capacity for the future includes an emphasis on local government that should be affordable. Those eager to develop and urbanize North Saanich's land base (more density = more services = higher taxes) are having to learn to work with a stated community desire for new ideas that are less about exploitation and more about making sound decisions for long term sustainability, environmental protection and conservation. One only has to look to other Vancouver Island communities such as Tofino to realize how necessary conservation is to land use planning -- rapid growth and density development on the Pacific Rim are threatening the community's available water supply.

As a footnote, I predict that without careful planning that focuses on conservation, other Vancouver Island communities face a similar fate -- water tomorrow will become as valuable as oil today.

There is another shift occurring in the context of more complex local and regional government. Since implementation of the Province's Community Charter legislation, local governments are expected to deliver more and more programs and services previously provided by the Province. I think our greatest challenge ahead is to maintain our ability to balance budgets with the pressure to meet community needs during a time of unprecedented provincial downloading and shrinking funds. That's why I believe that sustainability cannot be limited to the environment -- it must be applied as a universal planning tool to all aspects of local government and land use. Fortunately for North Saanich, it seems that the current Mayor and Council majority agree.

I am encouraged to see North Saanich taking its rightful place in the capital region as a community concerned about the future, its role on the Saanich Peninsula and how it can protect its natural environment, one that continues to draw people to this area. I am an enthusiastic supporter of Mayor Finall's priority that North Saanich should have a strong regional voice through the Capital Regional District (CRD) where she and other North Saanich Council members participate on various CRD committees -- North Saanich is demonstrating leadership on issues such as food security, homelessness, environmental protection, low income/subsidized housing, parks and agricultural planning.

With these realities as the backdrop, the North Saanich Council majority represents what I call a "working Mayor and Council." The work may not grab headlines in the local paper but I believe it has deeper meaning for our community and for those of us who share a long term commitment to strong local government. That's why I believe so much of the past eight months has been intentionally focused internally on incremental change i.e. gradually bringing about better accountability and consistency to municipal practices, policies and procedures.

The work of North Saanich Council also involves changing a culture, and re-defining the development paradigm beyond land use and bricks and mortar. The work is now more about addressing issues such as improved communication between staff and Council and between Council and the public. "Development" now involves community-building, improving and developing new community partnerships, recognizing shared responsibilities and sharing information with residents/taxpayers, with neighbouring municipalities, with North Saanich First Nations communities and with small and large business/industry partners. Whether it's working with the Victoria Airport Authority on developing transportation or with the Deep Cove Market on developing local retail, the goal is the same: to DEVELOP and maintain working relationships that are respectful, open and in the best interests of the community at large.

The following are some examples of changes and decisions since December 2008 that I believe have a direct impact on North Saanich residents:

Council procedures changed to ensure greater public access and input to Council meetings and governance (a campaign promise).

Improved Council to Council relationships with Sidney and Central Saanich (tri-municipal).

Regular committee reports prepared and submitted by individual Councillors at the Mayor's request and as part of Council agendas.

Former role of Committee of the Whole restored so that open debate occurs first before decisions are made a week later at the regular Council meeting (gives Council members, municipal staff and the public more time to reflect on the matter or to obtain, receive and consider new information).

Comprehensive policy review/revision completed this fall (all District policies and procedures reviewed for relevancy, efficiency and effectiveness).

2009 tax increase reflected attempts to hold the line on new spending, with budgets capped at roughly 5%, a full 3% less than previous tax increases.

Service agreement with BC Ferries reached that will enable the Corporation to hook up to North Saanich sewer system ($600,000 up front to North Saanich and annual payments to follow).

Phased zoning bylaw revision completed this fall to address anomalies/inconsistencies.

Consultant hired to conduct Agricultural Area Plan process for fall completion.

Revised District newsletter mailed out to individual households on a more frequent basis.

Website improvements made to streamline information and provide more efficient online services to residents and taxpayers.

Citizens' Liaison Committee established to address public concerns about proposed McTavish Rd. Interchange.

New relationship established with Pauquachin First Nation as part of Relationship Agreement development.

Expanded role and membership initiated by the Mayor through a variety of CRD committees and initiatives.

Wain Road Firehall expansion approved to meet growing emergency service delivery and training needs.

Secondary suite initiative moved ahead, with recent approval for a pilot program.

Local park acquisition identified as a priority for new Parks Plan.

Daily office hours established for the Mayor that enables her to be more accessible and available to staff and residents.

New customer satisfaction survey introduced to support planned improvements.

North Saanich formally requested other affected municipalities to support efforts to lobby senior levels of government and others to clean up Tod Inlet.

New signage approved for North Saanich beach accesses.

Regular neighbourhood meetings restored.

Permanent North Saanich Farm Market approved.

In-depth report on Panorama Recreation Centre and pool expansion approved.

Audit of sewer project (Deep Cove/Pat Bay/McDonald Park Road) approved.

Review of history of legal costs to the municipality with a view to reducing them.


As an individual Councillor reflecting on the past eight months, I believe that this Mayor and Council majority, through these achievements, have made a sincere attempt to restore trust and confidence in North Saanich's municipal administration. But the clock is ticking and there is still a lot to do, as follows:

Budget management in a time of recession and limited government funding.

Traffic management and transportation (e.g., speeding, parking, McTavish Road Interchange project, improved bus service to areas such as Dean Park).

Role of the OCP related to development pressure.

Increased parkland acquisition, including improvements to beach accesses.

Future of Dunsmuir Lodge.

Implementation of Marine Task Force and Agricultural Area Plan recommendations.

Succession planning to address significant municipal staff retirements occurring during the next 12 months.

Restoration of Scoter Trail.

These represent only a few of the many issues that are of public concern and I know that there are expectations of this Council by residents/taxpayers to resolve them. I can assure you that during this term, as an individual Councillor, I will continue to make an effort to keep these issues at the top of Council's agenda.

I will also continue to make decisions on your behalf that are ethical, fair and transparent. In fact, in my experience, Mayor Finall encourages these same values and expects no less from other Council members and municipal staff. There's an old saying: "If you expect the best, you very often get it."

I welcome your comments and questions on this article or on anything else that you read on this blog. Remember, communication is a two-way process. Please contact me anytime by phone or by e-mail.

Have a safe and happy rest of the summer!

Affordable Housing - Re-post

Given the recent presentation by Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to N.S. Council (June 22), I felt it timely to re-post my article on Affordable Housing that I did last fall during the municipal election campaign:

The issue of “affordable” housing is a popular topic. Individuals of all ages are talking about whether North Saanich will provide housing that young families, young singles, single parent families, people with disabilities and seniors on fixed incomes can afford. Providing real social housing in a North Saanich real estate market is a huge challenge that requires more than just developers, politicians and real estate agents telling us that it should and can be done.

The hot real estate market was accelerated by three major factors -- the Federal government, through CMHC, relaxed mortgage regulations by introducing 0% down, the Bank of Canada and central banks kept interest rates low and major lenders increased maximum amortization periods from 25 years up to 40 years -- buyers could borrow more, pay less and for much longer. These changes opened the market to new home-buyers who would otherwise have little access to an inflated housing market.

Now, in a seriously declining housing market and economy, it is possible that housing needs can be met by lower prices and greater inventory.

So what do we really mean by the term “affordable” in North Saanich? This is a fair question when you see that earlier this year; the average market price of a single-family dwelling in North Saanich was about $723,000, second highest in the CRD behind Oak Bay. In fact, the history of new housing built in North Saanich since 2002, tells the real story -- all units (single-family dwellings and condominiums in particular, including new lots) were priced according to market supply and demand, a market that had been one of the highest in more than 12 years and geared to maximum profitability, including higher income, off shore or non-resident buyers.

For the sake of argument, delete the word “affordable” and instead use the term “below market” housing. In a higher end real estate market such as North Saanich, what would “below market” housing look like? We need to examine the facts about income levels, employment markets and the disparity between land value and new housing costs in North Saanich with the second highest property assessments in the capital region.

In my view, developers define “affordable” housing in North Saanich as what they can afford to build and what you can afford to pay. If a purchaser can afford to get a mortgage for a new housing unit, single-family dwelling or multi-family unit, either low or high density, then that may be considered affordable in the North Saanich market. Furthermore, according to the recommendations of the North Saanich Housing Strategy report, anything affordable appears to be aimed at combined family incomes of between $70,000 and $100,000. Frankly, in North Saanich, that excludes young workers in service jobs, seniors on fixed incomes, people with disabilities on disability pensions and the majority of single parent families that otherwise qualify for affordable housing elsewhere in the CRD.

The Langford model, which some people have suggested we bring to North Saanich, is directly tied to the market value of land in the Western Communities. Langford works like this. The municipality requires developers to donate one affordable housing unit in every 10 before any re-zoning takes place. On a market price of approximately $350,000 per single-family unit for 10 units, the developer must dedicate 1 unit at a price of approximately $150,000 -$160,000. Qualified purchasers must also meet criteria that include a combined family income of no more than $60,000, family assets of no more than $50,000 and some kind of link with the community of Langford. Real estate agents marketing the affordable unit must waive their commissions. I understand that in 2007, there were about 1,700 applicants for one affordable unit. While this is a successful model for Langford and I commend them, it is obvious that there are not enough available units to meet the needs in Langford.

If we as municipal leaders are truly honest about our ability to build affordable housing in North Saanich, then we must develop a plan that involves all key stakeholders and partners at the table -- the BC Government through BC Housing, the Federal Government through CMHC, the real estate industry, banks, non-profit organizations and social service agencies and, of course, generous developers who are willing to reduce profits, donate land and dedicate housing units for sale at well below current market prices.

I support any plan for below market housing that is carefully developed, well managed and guarantees quality of life. We can do it but let’s be honest about what it will take and who will benefit.

Addressing Public Concerns About the Role of North Saanich in the McTavish Road Interchange Project

It has recently come to my attention that some North Saanich residents have questions about the role of Mayor and Council in the proposed McTavish Road Interchange project. I understand that they are critical of what they perceive as a lack of intervention and representation on the part of North Saanich Council to stop or change the project, especially its design. As this perception is, in my view, inaccurate and concerns me, I want to share with you my general response to a local resident who contacted me this past week. If, after reading my reply below, you have any further questions or comments, please call me or send me an e-mail message. You may also want to contact other Council members with your comments/questions. Thank you.

Dear Resident:
Mayor Alice Finall has shown real leadership and was the first off the mark once this project was announced (by the federal and provincial governments and the Victoria Airport Authority) and called together the North Saanich and Sidney Councils asking for our feedback and arranging for two important meetings: a combined meeting with the Province at Council Chambers that included Sidney and North Saanich Council members and staff, where hard questions and community concerns were presented to the Province, resulting in a design change that restored McTavish Road as a thru street to Lochside; the other is Councilor Ruby Commandeur's suggestion for the formation of a Citizens' Liaison Committee, which was ratified at this week's Council meeting, as another vehicle for involving the community in giving ongoing feedback to the Province.

We also discussed the project at length at the last neighbourhood meeting in early June for Dean Park and the Southeast Quadrant. The comments and concerns expressed at that meeting were also shared with our municipal engineering staff who are in regular communication with Provincial staff. You can find a copy of the meeting minutes on the District website and my comments on this blog.

Further, Mayor Finall and I, as your representatives on the Tri-Municipal Council Committee, also raised issues on behalf of North Saanich residents at the last meeting in early June at which Mayor Cross, Mayor Mar and Mayor Frank Leonard of Saanich were present, along with senior staff from each of the three Peninsula municipalities. Mayor Cross and Mayor Finall keep in constant touch on this topic, both having major concerns about the impacts of the project on traffic in our two communities. Mayor Finall has also raised residents' concerns and suggestions for alternative designs with the Airport Authority.

We are trying to influence the process but as you must know, ultimately, we are at the mercy of the federal and provincial governments and the Airport Authority -- the Airport asked initially for the intersection improvements and raised $3-million to support the project. We supported the project in principle because of the belief that changes would result in major improvements to traffic safety and management at that intersection. We were never formally asked for input on the original design or to participate financially in the project nor would we do so, given the current economic decline and our attempts to hold the line on any local spending. We have, however, consistently shared with the Province alternative designs, ideas and concerns suggested by local residents.

I understand that Mayor Finall in fact attended the Open House the other night (June 17th), as did other Council members.

I don't mind taking the flack when it's well deserved, but on this topic I feel that the criticism is unfounded and the information is not accurate. I believe we are doing all we can to try to provide an effective voice for our community. The metaphor I will use is this -- we are trying to turn a freighter in a very tight space. In the end, I feel it is unrealistic to expect this Mayor and Council to radically change or stop the project when we are not in control at any level, including financially. We will continue to work within the limitations we face and to present community concerns at every opportunity.

I encourage you to contact MLA Murray Coell and MP Gary Lunn with your comments and concerns and you may also want to participate on the Citizens' Liaison Committee. Please watch for announcements about the Committee on the District website and in the Peninsula News Review.

Tri-Municipal Council Meeting Hosted by Central Saanich

This week's Tri-Municipal Council Meeting (between North Saanich, Central Saanich and Sidney Mayors and Councils) was hosted by Central Saanich Mayor Jack Mar and his Council and highlighted by two key presentations, one by Karen Morgan, Board Chair of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation and one by Dick Faulks of Island Transformations, a group promoting light rail transit on the South Island.

Both presentations, recommended to the Tri-Municipal Council by North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall, demonstrate the importance of local community support and commitment, particularly in the case of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.

Facts About Our Local Community Hospital Foundation
- First opened as an extended care facility in 1974
- Acute care introduced in 1977
- Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation was created in 1985 and has grown to 14 Directors and 2 staff, with revenues of about $2.5M in 2008 - a streamlined and well run operation that is ahead of most Canadian health charities on returns on the dollar
- Raising funds essential and occurs through annual campaigning, major gifts and planned gifts
- Fund-raising helped to support major projects and improvements for the ECU (extended care unit), a new CT scanner and OR and OR 2 (operating rooms), representing a combined total of more than $4.0
- Projects pending include a new hospital chapel and further operating room renovations
- Karen Morgan closed her presentation by stating that the wonderful support the Foundation receives from local governments, Rotary Clubs and other groups, organizations and individuals demonstrates "that this hospital is needed, wanted and supported by the community."

I asked if and when the Saanich Peninsula Hospital might have full digital mammography for Saanich Peninsula women who must now travel to either the Mammography Clinic on Richmond Road in Victoria or to Victoria General Hospital at Helmcken -- Karen Morgan agreed to bring this item to the Board for consideration. Naturally, there would be a substantial cost involved in obtaining the best equipment to provide the best mammography possible but I feel it's worth a try. If you share my thoughts about providing full and permanent mammography services at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, please contact Karen Morgan and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation to express your support. Thank you.

Island Transformations -- Future of Light Rail Transit on Southern Vancouver Island
- Did you know?:
- increasing price of oil will negatively impact food growing and limit our access to food from other parts of the world (transportation);
- lives will change and so will transportation;
- 885 acres of farmland on Vancouver Island is lost every year.

- How do we sustain a rural lifestyle, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependence on oil and the costs of transportation? -- LIGHT RAIL TRANSPORTATION
- 1996 saw the first regional study sponsored by BC Transit on the viability of LRT for this region
- 62 rails systems in North America are either being established or contemplated e.g., Portland, Oregon is cited as a strong model for successful application of LRT
- A recent proposal for the South Island focuses on the West Shore, with a regional rail line to downtown Victoria and enhancement of the E&N up island -- the larger concept is one that divides the CRD into 2 regions, with a central rail station built at Six Mile that would route to downtown Victoria and out the Peninsula -- a West Shore commuter rail system can be built for $16M and another $7M over 7 years -- a cheaper alternative than, for instance, the Malahat Study that suggested a $1.2B price tag for a bridge across Finlayson Arm
- LRT is cheaper, more efficient, less polluting and encourages less dependency on automobile transportation
- A Community Liaison Committee has now been established to explore regional rail and a new plan for the E&N -- consistent with the CRD's current targets for long term GHG emission reductions across the region
- "Start with something..."
- To learn about leading edge thinking and planning for LRT, please visit Island Transformations at http://www.islandtransformations.org/

Other Meeting Highlights
Central Saanich Councilor Alistair Bryson proposed exploring a new program to address youth crime in our communities, titled "Positive Ticketing." The program currently operates in Richmond and is getting positive results from both law enforcement and youth themselves -- it involves police officers ticketing youth for their positive behaviour and activities; the ticket may involve a free pass to the local recreation centre, movie theatre, etc. The program attempts to reinforce positive relationships between the community and youth and raise awareness about the positive contributions youth make to their communities. Central Saanich Councilor Adam Olsen supported this idea, suggesting that First Nations would appreciate input into such a proposal. Everyone agreed that this is something worth discussing with local police and the matter is now referred to the Peninsula Task Force for further discussion, an action-oriented sub-committee of the Tri-Municipal group. Stay tuned.

Central Saanich Councilor Alistair Bryson suggested that the three municipalities should focus on a big "splash" event to launch the opening of the new Panorama Pool expansion and to promote the opening in some special way. Municipal Peninsula Recreation Commission (PRC) representatives are asked to take this suggestion forward to the next PRC meeting.

The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay occurs October 30, 2009, with the torch actually landing in North Saanich first. There was discussion about how the three municipalities could plan some type of recognition event as the torch passes, ever so briefly, through each of our communities. This could be an opportunity to showcase the new pool at Panorama. VANOC will also provide guidance and assistance to communities interested in event-planning, although it seems clear that VANOC will take the lead on any planning. Everyone agreed that involving local communities in this exciting event is important so this topic was referred to the Task Force for further discussion and brainstorming.

Meeting Focuses on CRD Plan

With a 7:45 a.m. breakfast meeting, it was an early start to the day for elected officials and staff representing municipalities and the CRD who met on May 23 at the Forum of Councils to review and provide feedback on the CRD's Draft Strategic Plan, 2009-2011. I attended the session with Mayor Alice Finall and Councillors Chandler, Commandeur, Scoones and Shaw. Hosted and facilitated by the CRD, the day opened with two keynote speakers, Dr. Dastmalchian, Dean and Chair of U-Vic's Business School and S. Angus, Economic Development Officer, Greater Victoria Development Agency. Both speakers outlined the impacts of the current global recession and its relationship to Victoria's local economy.

The following are highlights of their presentations:

> U-Vic employs 15,000, garners about $100 million per year in research grants, has 12 faculties and is a destination university with 80% of students from elsewhere.
> The Faculty of Business currently serves 120 MBA students, employs 35 faculty, works with 670 companies around the world and has a mandatory co-op program.
> Economic recovery anticipated to begin in late 2010.
> While Canada is considered more stable than many of the world's countries, our household savings rates have declined and so has home equity (more critical in the U.S.).
> Eastern Canada has been the hardest hit, especially in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
> Consumer confidence down but showing signs of slow recovery.
> Percentage of mortgage debt per household better in Canada than in the U.S.
> Because of "globalization," economies and world markets are extensively connected and interdependent.

Focused specifically on Victoria, the Greater Victoria Development Agency revealed:

> Victoria is fortunate, with a diversity of industry, entrepreneurship and youth employment.
> The 20 to 50 age group comprises the largest demographic in the region and Greater Victoria has an average median age of 43.1 years.
> Victoria's annual GDP is $11.3 billion.
> Expected market growth for Victoria in the next 1 to 2 years is estimated at 2.5%, with an estimated 1.2% in population growth.
> Second best location in Canada for job creation.
> Victoria has approximately 23,000 public sector employees, about 12,000 in hi-tech, about 5,700 in construction, almost 19,000 in tourism, about 2,500 in agricultural and food production, nearly 7,000 in arts and culture sectors and approximately 14,000 in professional scientific and technical.

Following the keynotes, there was an opportunity for audience questions. Perhaps one of the most profound in my view was a question from second term Central Saanich Councillor and local farmer, Alistair Bryson. Keeping in mind that the theme of the keynote address was titled, "The Capital Region…Building Our Economy for a Sustainable Future," Councillor Bryson asked how we, as a region, can learn to measure our progress in relation to environmental sustainability rather than based only on economics, given that conventional economies and markets have recently failed us and we continue to use non-renewable resources -- a thought-provoking question to be sure and I observed a lot of nodding heads seemingly in agreement with Councillor Bryson's sentiments.

We then broke into small groups to review and give feedback on the draft CRD Strategic Plan for 2009 to 2011, with wide-ranging discussion and very useful feedback provided by Mayors and Council members alike. Mayor Finall, as the Chair of the CRD Environment Committee, made brief remarks to the larger audience (as did all Mayors who are Committee Chairs), outlining the need for continued environmental protection, with a focus on regional food self-sufficiency. You will recall that Mayor Finall and many of us who ran and were elected in the last municipal election identified agriculture, food production and food security as vital to the future of North Saanich.

The Forum wound up at noon, was well attended, participants worked hard and results of their written feedback will be summarized by the CRD and shared with all municipalities. Once that material is forwarded to me, I will post it on the blog, for your information. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me and/or visit the CRD website (link provided on this blog).

Peninsula Committee Task Force Holds First Meeting

I was pleased to attend with Mayor Finall the first meeting of the new Peninsula Committee Task Force, a sub-group of the Tri-Municipal Council comprised of the three Peninsula municipalities (Central Saanich, North Saanich and Town of Sidney). North Saanich Mayor and Council appointed me as Council representative on the Task Force to work with Mayor Finall and other municipal Mayors, their Council representatives and senior staff in addressing specific concerns of mutual interest, such as: the McTavish Road interchange; and, the need for affordable employee and farm-workers' housing recently identified by the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. I will keep you posted on our progress.

North Saanich Residents’ Association Has Strong Turn-out To Its Annual General Meeting

Once again, I attended the North Saanich Residents' Association (NSRA) annual general meeting held this week. Despite sharing the evening with the NHL play-offs and Vancouver Canucks, there was a strong turn-out to the meeting; one of the largest I've seen in the past few years. Mayor Alice Finall was the keynote speaker and North Saanich Fire Chief Gary Wilton made presentations on outdoor burning and emergency services in the District.

Mayor Finall gave a comprehensive summary of activities, events and priorities since her inauguration in early December 2008 and it seemed that the audience was favourably impressed. As you know, the NSRA produces the Heronwatch, a newsletter mailed to every household about two or three times a year. The Association also hosts an All Candidates' Meeting during every municipal election that always packs in the public in big numbers. The Association is also a good source of information and political comment, so good in fact that their membership has increased to approximately 200 households this year. Their Board of Directors remains the same, with Geoff Orr as President. I am a former Board Director and I can tell you that if you want to know and understand more about community issues here in North Saanich and on the Peninsula, then I recommend joining the NSRA. For more information about them, please contact Dee Bailin at 250-656-4747.

New Customer Service Questionnaire For North Saanich

Last year I talked about the possibility of conducting a customer service survey questionnaire to assess the quality of our municipal services, including customer relations. Private and public sector organizations routinely use customer or client survey feedback to evaluate level, quality and planning of services, including customer relations. I suggested putting a drop box in each of the two reception areas at the Municipal Hall where completed surveys could be dropped off by the public following their interaction with staff and services. I am pleased to tell you that as of this week, such a process is being developed and will be implemented soon. Thanks to Charlene Nash, our Executive Secretary/HR Assistant, she has already drafted a sample survey questionnaire for Council's review and feedback. Please be sure to watch for the questionnaires and drop boxes when you are next at the Municipal Hall and please take the time to fill them out. Your input will be very helpful in guiding the municipality on how to better serve you the residents and other members of the public. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me 250-656-3205 or to contact Charlene Nash at 250-656-0781.

McTavish Road Interchange Update

At the request of Mayor Alice Finall, planning and transportation representatives from the Provincial Government attended a meeting on April 29th at our Municipal Hall to update Sidney and North Saanich Mayors, their Council members and their staff on the proposed McTavish Road Interchange project, due for completion in early 2011. North Saanich and Sidney share significant concerns about the current interchange and "fly over" design.

The major concern is the potential loss of McTavish Road as a connector to Lochside and ultimately to the Sidney core. Mayors Finall and Cross expressed, on behalf of their constituents, what a mistake the Province would be making if it proceeded with a design that eliminated connectivity for McTavish Road. The Mayors suggested that with the closure of McTavish Road, serious traffic implications for local traffic patterns in each of their municipalities would negatively impact Beacon Avenue, Canora Road, East Saanich Road and Amity Road, at the very least.

When the Provincial government representative indicated that these issues might be outside his scope, I stated that what was outside his scope was definitely inside ours -- in other words, our residents from Sidney and North Saanich would have to live with the results and our municipal governments would be left "holding the bag" if serious traffic issues were created and left unresolved by the Province.

As many of us pointed out at the meeting, whatever is built at the intersection will be there for at least 60 years so it would be prudent for the Province to "get it right" the first time. The Province is holding an Open House in mid-June so I encourage everyone to watch for the details, either on this blog and/or on the websites for North Saanich and Sidney.

What makes this whole project particularly challenging for municipal government is the fact that we are not making any financial contribution to the interchange project; therefore, our ability to control or have influence over the planning process may be somewhat limited. But that certainly doesn't mean we will sit quietly on the sidelines -- today's meeting made it clear to the Province that North Saanich and Sidney want to be active planning partners in whatever final design is chosen for the McTavish Road site. We have asked for regular, weekly communication with the Province during the planning and design phases, beginning immediately. We have stressed the importance of public consultation, given the public's keen interest in this project.

I will keep you updated on this project and provide as much information as often as I can -- stay tuned and if you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

May 26 - There is an editorial in the Times-Colonist today regarding the McTavish Road Interchange. It's worth a read and can be found at:
http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/better+airport+exchange/1631065/story.html