REGIONAL DIRECTOR NEWS:

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Community Evacuation Workshop: April 6

   

The qRD is holding a workshop to enhance community resilience and emergency preparedness on April 6 from 10am to 1pm at the community hall. Everyone is invited to participate. The workshop will be interactive and practical-focussed and include a tour of the evacuation supply container. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

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For more info, see “What’s Happening” at www.qathet.ca.

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Regional Director Town Hall

   

This provided an opportunity to review qRD service levels and costs (in particular LIVFD, waste management, marine ramp, emergency preparedness, library, LCA contribution, health centre contribution, grants-in-aid, regional parks and social planning).

   

There was some constructive discussion about the sources underlying the tax increase this year, expected to be about 23%. As described in my Feb article, primary factors are inflation (accounts for about 1/5th of the increase), LIVFD for health and safety training, critical stress management, and volunteer medical and dental benefits (a bit more than 1/3rd of the increase), and waste management due mostly to the Resource Recovery Centre (about 1/3rd of the increase, although still less than the cost of waste management on Lasqueti).

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Connected Coast: continuing the conversation

   

Connected Coast was a major topic at the LIAS meeting held Mar 23. To help support informed discussion, I will review some relevant information that I have previously provided.

First: the community will have a say in whether or not this service rolls out on Lasqueti, and how. No decisions have been finalized regarding last mile service. There won’t be a last mile service option to discuss until grant funding is secured, after which a plan can be proposed based on the funding available.

   

My June-Aug 2023 articles laid out and addressed a number of questions, including: what is the Connected Coast project? who are Connected Coast and CityWest? what is last-mile service and how might it be financed? what is the potential for a local organization or the qRD to apply for funding? and what are the next steps if CityWest obtains a grant?

   

A few questions arose at the LIAS meeting about which I will seek information.

   

If you have other questions on this topic, please send them to me and I will try to address them in upcoming articles based on my understanding (or seek answers).

   

Feel free to contact me. I am honoured to be your regional representative.

Director Andrew Fall, qathet Regional District.  Contact: Tel: 250-333-8595