October 22, 2011


- EMAIL SEWAGE QUESTION TO ESQUIMALT CANDIDATES BEFORE 28 OCT (sewage treatment mention)
- LETTER: JUSTIFY EXPENSE OF SEWAGE PROJECT (Wheaton)
- PRO-SEWAGE PLANT SURVEY OF CRD CORE AREA MUNICIPAL CANDIDATES
- CRD ENVIRO COMMITTEE MEETS 26 OCT (leachate reduction and WTE issues)
- VICTORIA ECONOMIC REPORT: LACK OF SEWAGE PLANT IS "MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND IMAGE CONCERN" (Mr Floatie-phobia?)
- FRANK STANFORD/CFAX COMMENT (sewage treatment mention)
- CONSERVATION VOTERS CANDIDATE SURVEY
- EVENT: COASTAL & OCEANS MANAGEMENT: LESSONS FROM THE EAST, 31 OCT, UVIC

ARESST AGM 3 NOV...AGM 3 NOV...AGM 3 NOV...AGM 3 NOV

(NEXT CALWMC MEETS 9 NOV)

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EMAIL SEWAGE QUESTION TO ESQUIMALT CANDIDATES BEFORE 28 OCT (sewage treatment mention)

MUNICIPAL ELECTION: Ready, set, fire off your questions

Erin McCracken
Victoria News
October 18, 2011 11:29 AM

Esquimalt's council candidates and acclaimed mayor will be in the spotlight at an upcoming all-candidates' meeting, jointly organized by the Esquimalt Residents Association and the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce.

"I look at this as an opportunity to listen to the people who are going to govern our municipality for the next three years," said Bruce Cuthbert, a director with the Esquimalt Residents Association. "It's kind of like a job interview."

Though it's too early to tell what kind of turnout the event will attract, it was standing room only during the last civic election, also held at the Esquimalt High School's theatre, which seats 250 people.

Residents are asked to submit questions before the meeting, due to time constraints and to give candidates more time to do their homework on the issues in advance.

"I thought that might help engage people," Cuthbert said.

Residents and business owners are asked to send in their top three to five issues, with a brief question on each. The most popular will be asked at the meeting.

Suggested issues include the official community plan, development, image, accountability and transparency in governance, policing, infrastructure, regional issues such as sewage treatment, social issues such as secondary suites and community well-being, transportation such as light-rail transit, bike lanes and taxation, among other topics.

Each candidate will have two minutes to respond to questions posed by a mediator, who has not yet been selected.

Community organizations and high school leadership groups are also encouraged to provide questions.

"When you get the kids involved, they take it home," Cuthbert said. "We need people to understand who they're going to vote for."

The all-candidates meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Esquimalt High School theatre, 847 Colville Rd. Questions can be submitted by Oct. 28 at noon by emailing info@esquimaltchamber.ca.


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LETTER: JUSTIFY EXPENSE OF SEWAGE PROJECT (Wheaton)

Victoria News and Oak Bay News (also Saanich News in print, not yet on internet)
October 19, 2011 6:00 AM
Click here to send letter to Victoria News editor

Perhaps Ida Chong could reveal what economic, environmental, or social benefits have been identified that would justify spending $782 million on sewage treatment.

And perhaps Premier Christy Clark could tell us what economic impact the additional taxes we will all end up paying (forever) will have on our community.

How about everyone, especially our candidates for election, start demanding not another penny be paid without proof. What is there to hide? Nothing?

Bob Wheaton
Saanich

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/opinion/letters/132020328.html

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ARESST: Thanks to Shaun for alerting about survey below. Question for those candidates who agreed with GSA question might be what do they know about the issue, and as for the "share", what "share" can the feds and province get away with? How much do they expect their municipal residents to have to pay? What about storm water quality and other environmental issues? 

PRO-SEWAGE PLANT SURVEY OF CRD CORE AREA MUNICIPAL CANDIDATES

Georgia Strait Alliance and the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation are conducting a survey of municipal candidates in the Capital Regional District's (CRD) 7 core areas to clarify each candidate's stance on the CRD's plan for sewage treatment.

Each candidate was asked they agreed or disagreed with the following statement:

As a councillor/mayor, I will support and work positively to ensure a comprehensive secondary or better sewage treatment system for the CRD core area is built before 2020, and that costs are share between local, provincial and federal governments?

RESULTS UPDATED ON GSA WEBSITE: 


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ARESST: The Waste-to-Energy update shows that CRD is groping for solutions to sewage sludge disposal issue - and might welcome the current delay in sewage plant planning to enable better options to emerge. Hartland leachate enters sewage effluent stream so improvement in leachate quality shows that quality improvements in sewage effluent are actively pursued and money being spent on it.

CRD ENVIRO COMMITTEE MEETS 26 OCT, 9AM (leachate reduction and WTE issues)

AGENDA:
5. #ERM 11-72 Waste-to-Energy Update
6. #ERM 11-73 Illegal Dumping and Waste Abandonment
7. #ERM 11-71 Recycling Depot Agreements – Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands
8. #EEE 11-69 Hartland Landfill Aggregate Stockpile and West Face Cover Surface Water Diversion – Award of Contract 11-1716

CLICK HERE FOR REPORTS INDEX, ESPECIALLY FOR HARTLAND LEACHATE REDUCTION AND WTE UPDATE

AGENDA:
5. #ERM 11-72 Waste-to-Energy Update
6. #ERM 11-73 Illegal Dumping and Waste Abandonment
7. #ERM 11-71 Recycling Depot Agreements – Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands
8. #EEE 11-69 Hartland Landfill Aggregate Stockpile and West Face Cover Surface Water Diversion – Award of Contract 11-1716
9. Report from Solid Waste Advisory Committee
10. Report from Roundtable on the Environment


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VICTORIA ECONOMIC REPORT: LACK OF SEWAGE PLANT IS "MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND IMAGE CONCERN" (Mr Floatie-phobia?)

ARESST: A recently-released City of Victoria economic develpment plan, Strategic Plan For Strengthening The City of Victoria’s Economy - A Vision and Action Plan for Economic Sustainability (FINAL DRAFT, October 2011), sees lack of sewage plant as an environmental problem. These planners want $1.5 million to "implement" the plan in order to create bigger tax base, but don't appear to realize that the City of Victoria's capital share of a sewage plant, and operating expense, will cost the City at least $100 million.

Sewage treatment mention in the plan: 

Address the sewage treatment  problem, which is a major environmental and image concern.  Efforts to position Victoria as a green city will be undermined by failure to solve this problem. (page 40)

The 100-page report discussed below is at (2.5 MB pdf) is at : https://victoria.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=28900

Looked like parts of it might be possible fodder for student readings, labs, etc

The report(and that sewage statement presumably) was submitted to Victoria Council by general managers Jocelyn Jenkyns, Kevin Greig, and approved and recommended by City of Victoria City Manager Gail Stephens.

The plan was approved unanimously by Victoria Council. Click here to contact Victoria Councillors.

John 

City hall sets economic action plan

Wide range of initiatives part of $1.5-million, three-year plan
 
Andrew A. Duffy
Times Colonist
October 21, 2011

Victoria City Council will be searching for some new money when it starts budget deliberations for the 2012 fiscal year in January after adopting a new economic development action plan on Thursday.

The plan, approved unanimously by council, was 18 months in the works and marks a collaborative effort between the city, industry and major stakeholders around the region in an effort to expand the city's tax base and strengthen Victoria's economy.

The drawback of enacting the plan is the pricetag of $1.5 million over three years.

"Some of that money has already been planned for and is in the budget but there is some new money [needed]," Mayor Dean Fortin said. "But this is an investment. Sometimes you spend a little bit of money to get a great return."

According to a draft of the development plan, there are forecasts for between 10,000 and 20,000 new jobs in the city over the next 15 years. That expansion is likely to require between 2.3 million and 4.5 million square feet of commercial space.

"If we meet our goals, we will see an increase in [tax] revenues of between $7.8 million and $15.3 million," Fortin said. "That helps us pay for all the things we will need to pay for in the future - transportation, new civic facilities and making sure we can keep our taxes low."

The plan focuses on 11 key initiatives, including maintaining and enhancing the city's role as the headquarters of the provincial government, strengthening the tourism, high-tech and marine industries and ensuring the city is competitive in terms of business and urban development.

To do that, the documents lay out an action plan designed to help build stronger ties with the provincial government.

The consultants hired to work with the economic advisory panel to draft the plan called the seat of provincial power the city's "bread and butter."

The action items also included:

- creating a comprehensive waterfront plan from Ogden Point to Rock Bay;

- supporting the Royal B.C. Museum's development plan;

- implementing the Downtown Core Area Plan for Rock Bay;

- looking at property tax incentives for certain types of development;

- working with other municipalities on transportation issues.

The plan also calls for establishing an economic development office within City Hall and establishing a cabinet of industry experts that will both advise the mayor and council and ensure things get done.

Coun. Chris Coleman said the plan was easy to support. "There's nothing you can particularly shoot at in this," he said with a nod to the input from all local industries. "Now it's about implementation."

Fortin said there's no danger of this plan sitting on a shelf gathering dust, a common complaint when the city or province decides to study anything in this region.

"We have seen past harbour plans and Belleville Street plans, plans that never happen, but we wanted a plan we can put into action now," he said.

"It will take political will and that is my goal."

Bruce Carter, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, called the plan a huge win.

"The creation of a plan by the city is huge for the [Greater Victoria] Development Agency because it says we need to care for the economic sustainability in our community and that message got through to this council and we have a plan that does that," Carter said. He expects the economic development branch of the city to work hand-inhand with the GVDA.

But not everyone was cheering.

Mayoral hopeful Paul Brown cast a questioning eye at the timing and the strategy in what he saw Thursday.

"We need an economic development strategy, no doubt about it, and there is some good stuff in it. But I do have concerns," he said.

"So much is geared toward development in Greater Victoria, where are the rest of the municipalities? Why are we paying the tab? It needs to be more Victoria focused or have the others at the table."

Brown also claimed there is no implementation funding for the plan and said Fortin was kicking off his re-election campaign with the plan. "Why today? It's being used for political purposes," Brown said.

Carter believes the document is entirely apolitical, but welcomes the idea of it being an issue in the upcoming election.


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FRANK STANFORD/CFAX COMMENT (sewage treatment mention)

CFAX 1070
Oct 21, '11

The Mayor says it's unthinkable...but I think we ought to consider what life might be like in Victoria, without a Crystal Pool.

The city faces a significant "infrastructure deficit" and tough choices must be made.

The Johnson Street Bridge was billed as a life and death issue...literally, and economically. We have to have it.

We have to have fire halls. We need fire halls that will still be there in the aftermath of natural disaster.

We need sewer pipes. And here I'm talking about millions of dollars to refurbish the collection pipes...whether you treat the liquid that pours through them or not, you have to do something with sewage other than allowing it to bubble up in the streets or in people's back yards. I would argue that sewers pipes in fact were the single greatest breakthrough in health technology in the last millenium. And on health care; could we make do without hospitals?

Or let's try to imagine a city without transit busses. Again, I'm not talking about a rapid transit rail...I'm talking about no bus service at all.

There are a number of public services the city cannot do without. I'm not sure recreation is one of them. Particularly when the service is available not far away. There are more than half a dozen other public swimming pools in the region.

This community has serious infrastructure needs. But in all honesty, if push comes to shove and your taxpayers' ability to pay is at the breaking point...is a recreation centre one of them?

This is Frank Stanford


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CONSERVATION VOTERS CANDIDATE SURVEY

Municipal elections are just a month away, and Conservation Voters of BC is interested in hearing your views on candidates who are environmental champions worthy of endorsement and support.

Follow this link to a survey form which  you can use to let us know about local candidates you would like to nominate for CVBC to consider endorsing. 

CLICK HERE FOR:  Municipal Candidate Survey 

As with previous campaigns, the likelihood of an endorsement increases if the following criteria are met:

1. Is this person clearly an environmental champion?
2. Are they a viable candidate (do they have a chance of getting elected)?
3. Could an endorsement from Conservation Voters add value to their campaign?
4. Are you -- and others -- willing to volunteer your time on the ground to help with their campaign?

Conservation Voters of BC is a volunteer run organization with limited resources. We have to choose carefully where we commit ourselves.  We take all your nomination suggestions very seriously and make our final endorsement decisions based on your input, feedback from our advisory panel, our own assessment, and our ability to put resources on the ground.

Thanks for giving this your consideration.  Here's to electing some environmental champions on November 19th!
 
Regards,
Kevin, Lisa, Naomi, Sean and Will
for Conservation Voters of BC.


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EVENT: COASTAL & OCEANS MANAGEMENT: LESSONS FROM THE EAST, 31 OCT, UVIC

Co-sponsored by the Department of Geography and the Centre for Global Studies at the University of Victoria
Developments in Coastal and Oceans Management in Canada: Lessons from the East
speaker:
Dr. Larry Hildebrand
Adjunct Professor of Marine Affairs and of Environmental Studies at Dalhousie
(Bio: http://www.oceanexpert.net/viewMemberRecord.php?&memberID=2464)

October 31, 2011
2:30 pm
MacLaurin D101, University of Victoria
Location: http://www.uvic.ca/students/undergraduate/explore/maps/mac.php

All are welcome
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END.

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