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Volume 19, Issue 03
Sunshine Coast, British Columbia • www.thelocalweekly.ca • Thursday, January 21, 2021 Throwback Thursday Page 10
COVID-19 Updates Page 3
Curbside Recycling?
Backing Bees
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Food Waste Garbage Ban Page 7
Sechelt Budget Update Page 8
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Sewage Flood Page 11
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Sunshine Coast COVID-19 Physician Task Force community update #43 Dear Fellow Sunshine Coast Residents: I think we all breathed a little sigh of relief and felt a little spring in our step this past week, as almost all of our long term care residents and their healthcare workers received their first of two COVID-19 vaccinations. While this does not provide full protection, it does ensure that our most vulnerable community members have some protection from COVID-19. This is the first step towards a return to normal, and while we are still many months away from anything resembling life before COVID-19, it is nice to see some light at the end of the tunnel. While we celebrated that good news, last week also reminded us that this pandemic is far from over. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, we saw a big bump in local cases, with nearly 20 people testing positive between Jan. 11 and 15. This appears to be the result of interactions over the holidays: family gatherings, social gatherings, off-Coast travel, and other ac-
tivities that increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Please, please, please do everything you can over the next few weeks and months to prevent this from spreading further. This past week also brought news of our first local school exposure to COVID-19, with a student at Elphinstone High School testing positive. While we have done well in keeping COVID-19 out of our schools so far, we all need to work together to prevent further infections and to ensure that our schools can remain open. As a general rule, most students in the province who have been infected with COVID-19 were infected at home or during other nonschool interactions. That being said, we would encourage all students to continue to follow their school’s COVID-19 protocols to help minimize the risk of virus transmission at school. With respect to school exposures, please remember that a brief or low-risk contact means that you are
very unlikely to contract COVID-19. Please just continue to practice the usual infection prevention measures and monitor for symptoms. You will not need to stay home from school or self-isolate unless you have had a prolonged close contact with an infected person and have been advised to self-isolate by Public Health. This is also a good time to remind everyone that if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home and self isolate! Do not go to work or school or other activities. Do not visit with friends. Don’t take a taxi or the bus. Even if you don’t feel really sick (most people won’t), this is one of the keys to preventing the spread of COVID-19. Please arrange for testing as soon as possible if you have any of the key COVID-19 symptoms: fever, chills, new cough (or worsening of a chronic cough), difficulty breathing, or loss of sense of taste or smell. You should also get tested if you have two or more of the following symptoms for more than 24
hours: a sore throat, headache, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, and muscle aches. If you meet criteria for testing, please contact the Respiratory Assessment Clinic by phone or text at 604-740-1252 or by email at coastrespclinic@gmail.com. The clinic remains open seven days a week from 8:30am to 4:30pm. While you are awaiting assessment or test results, you must self-isolate at home,
ideally in a separate space where you can limit contact with other members of your household. You must continue to self-isolate until you have tested negative, and your symptoms have resolved. If you test positive for COVID-19, you will have to continue self-isolating until you are cleared by Public Health. If you have more severe symptoms and believe you may need to be admitted to hospital, please go to the Sechelt Hospital Emergen-
cy Department. If you need an ambulance, please call 911. Please remember that the Emergency Department remains open and safe for anyone with a medical emergency. Keep well, and please keep doing everything you can to keep our community safe! Sunshine Coast COVID-19 Physician Task Force Dr. Jennifer Baxter Dr. Ted Krickan Dr. Herman Mentz Dr. Brian Nelson Dr. Daren Spithoff
Vaccination update for the Sunshine Coast On Jan. 13, Valerie Morrison was the first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine at the initial immunization clinic on the Sunshine Coast. Morrison is a registered nurse who has worked at Totem Lodge in Sechelt for the past 30 years. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is administering the vaccine to priority populations, including long-term care residents, staff, and essential visitors. VCH media relations staff were unable to share details on the number of doses of the vaccine that have been received or administered locally. They also were unable to provide details on the arrival of additional doses in our area. Correspondence requesting that COVID-19 vaccine distribution priority lists be amended to include critical infrastructure municipal employees is on Gibsons and Sechelt council meeting agendas for Jan. 19 and 20. The letter was sent to the
provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix on Jan. 8 by the City of Nelson. That municipality circulated its request to all BC local governments for consideration. The letter states that the groups the province has said will be first and second priorities for receiving the vaccine does not include essential service providers such as water, information technology,
energy and utility workers. The City said it believes this does follow recommendations from Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization. It states that committee has indicated municipal workers identified as ‘essential’ should be prioritized to maintain reliable operation of critical infrastructure services and functions. Connie Jordison
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Valerie Morrison, a registered nurse who has worked at Totem Lodge, Sechelt, for the past 30 years, became the first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine at the first immunization clinic on the Sunshine Coast. VCH PHOTO
Elphinstone Secondary COVID exposure A member of the Elphinstone Secondary school community has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. A letter from School District 46 (SD46) Superintendent Patrick Bocking distributed Jan. 14 indicates that the individual attended the school in Gibsons on Jan. 7 and Jan. 11. This is the first exposure event at a District school reported on the SD46 website. Parties that received Bocking’s letter were advised that Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) was assessing the exposure risks. If not contacted
The BC Centre for Disease Control local COVID-19 numbers for Jan. 3-9 show one reported case on the Lower Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast Physician Task Force is reporting nearly 20 cases between Jan. 11 and 15. BCCDC MAP
by VCH, letter recipients were advised that their risk of exposure to the virus from the incident is considered “very low.” The letter recommends self-monitoring for signs of illness until Jan. 25. Details on COVID-19 school exposure notifications, procedures, and information resources for parents related to the pandemic are available on sd46.bc.ca. On Jan. 14, VCH released a statement that since the reopening of schools in the fall, it has not recorded a significant increase in COVID-19
cases among school-aged children relative to other groups. From Sept. 10 to Dec. 18, it reported that approximately 700 school students or staff in the region with a total population of over 100 thousand had been diagnosed with COVID-19. It stated that over 90 percent of these cases have not resulted in any school-based transmission and that the majority of affected students and staff had contracted the virus at home or from circumstances outside of school. Connie Jordison
(Sunshine Coast)
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Letters to the Editor – Opinions Climate change and green energy You journalists give widespread coverage to these two important subjects. However, by accident or design, you grossly mislead your readers and the general public. You give endless space to people like David Suzuki, Greta Thunberg – the teenage Swedish superhero – and letters calling for our politicians and the general public to reduce our production of C02 and convert asap to “Green Energy.” You attribute every environmental disaster to climate change. Even if C02 were the main driver behind the increases in average temperature since the late 1980s, Canada is an irrelevance. You must know (?) that Canada contributes a maximum of two percent of all GHGs released into our atmosphere. You must, or perhaps, know what contributions China, the USA, Russia, and India make. You never print those scientific reports or anything that challenge the simplistic Suzuki-IPCC-Thunberg KISS approach to this serious subject. We have over 30 years of experience with wind and solar farms. We know their costs and failings, never a mention from you. We know that no nation can rely on the weather to provide a reliable source of power. So many reports on these subjects and yet neer a mention from you “journalists.” You make mention of every IPCC agreement and demand that Ottawa sticks
to its promises and yet never a mention from any of you about the fact that the world’s major polluters sign these agreements and ignore them. Politicians must be “economical with the truth” and jump on every passing PC bandwagon, but serious journalists have a duty to provide balanced and informed reporting to the general public. What used to be called “Virtuous Noble Cause Corruption.” These are complex subjects, but if you had any integrity, you would take advice from experts before going into print and not merely repeating mantra from Suzuki, Thurnberg and others. Paul Rhodes, Sechelt
Celebrating 75 years
The War Amps Key Tag Service is celebrating a milestone this year – its 75th anniversary! The service has not only been reuniting Canadians with their lost keys, it has been helping to make a difference in the lives of amputees. To date, more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys have been returned to their owners. Although it’s a free service, donations enable the association to operate its many programs for amputees, including veterans and children. I am missing both legs below the knee and was enrolled in The War Amps Child Amputee Program (CHAMP) at a young age. Growing up in CHAMP has allowed me to become the strong and independent
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person I am today by providing me and my family with funding for artificial limbs, emotional support, and vital resources on living with amputation. The War Amps 2021 key tags are being mailed to BC residents this week, and I would like to say thank you to everyone that has so generously donated to such an essential cause. This support has truly impacted my life and the lives of so many other amputees. We can’t thank you enough! Selena Smakal, War Amps Regional Representative, BC
Historic moment The shíshálh Nation (Sechelt) is in discussions with the Province regarding land and resource use across their traditional territory (swiya), and the public is being offered an opportunity for input through an online questionnaire. Our organization (ELF) encourages Sunshine Coast residents who live, work and play across the shishalh Nation’s swiya to participate by visiting this website: https://landuse planning.gov.bc.ca, look for ‘List of Projects’ and then scroll down to Sunshine Coast to begin the survey. This land use plan will lead to management direction on biodiversity, watershed integrity, resources important to shishlah culture and sustainable economic development. ELF has a particular interest in seeing the Elphinstone Forests receive wider protection. It is renowned for its biodiversity that includes a low-elevation mature forest with many old-growth attributes supporting 165 species of mushrooms and habitat for many species, including elk, cougar, bear, deer, wolf – thus, this area supports a critical predator-prey relationship. With an increasing demand to fulfill the needs of recreationalists seeking nature appreciation and outdoor pursuits, such as hiking and mountain biking, the Elphinstone forests require up to 2,000ha to be fully sustainable over the long term. This is a historic moment to participate in this land use planning process, which we hope will lead to wider ecological protection for our region. Ross Muirhead, ELF: Forest Campaigner, Roberts Creek
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should be sent by e-mail to editor@thelocalweekly.ca. The deadline is Monday at 10am for that week’s paper. Generally, letters should not exceed 300 words. And all letters must be signed, include the writer’s community of residence and (not for publication) telephone number. Letters may be edited for a variety of reasons.
Editorial Opinion US crisis shows need to speak truth to power As was demonstrated in the US last week, many who are motivated by fear and ignorance are feeling emboldened – and desperate. It’s not just in the United States. Irrational, authoritarian, anti-science rhetoric and action has been heating up from Brazil to India to Hungary, and is fully entrenched in places like Russia and China. With the growing realization that current economic and power structures are at best threatening our health and well-being and at worst the very survival of humanity, many people are calling for rapid change. Those who benefit from today’s systems, or who have been convinced they do even as their own economic conditions worsen, are pushing back, fearful of losing their real or imagined privilege. There was a time when the changes needed to avoid the worst of global heating, biodiversity loss, and even increasing disease outbreaks could have been gradual, with minimal societal disruption. When, more than 30 years ago, NASA scientist James Hansen warned the US Senate about climate disruption, shortly before I hosted a CBC radio special about it, there was still time for a smoother “transition.” For the most part, those warnings weren’t heeded, but people in politics and industry continue to say we can’t change overnight and must ease away from fossil fuels and destructive industrial and agricultural practices that degrade and destroy the natural systems on which our health and survival depend. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the world hard, but it’s also showing we can and must change our ways quickly if we want live well on this small blue planet. Going back to “normal” means increasing consum-
erism, car culture, industrialization and destruction for the sake of a relatively recent economic system developed to shift the wartime economy to one based on consumption, with little understanding of or regard for the consequences. Consumerism provides a false sense of purpose and meaning. It doesn’t bring happiness or well-being. Its benefits increasingly accrue to those who perpetuate the system to enrich themselves, while those who have been convinced to grasp for crumbs fall further behind. During the pandemic alone, the world’s 500 richest people grew their wealth by almost US$2 trillion, while so many others suffered. The world’s wealthiest one percent now owns half the global wealth. In perpetuating false notions about the need to continually consume more to keep the economy going, to keep GDP rising, those in power have engendered a failure to remember what really brings meaning and happiness to our lives: community, connections to each other and the wider world, appreciation of nature. Of course, we need economic systems to coordinate labour, production and distribution for the basic necessities of food, water, shelter and clothing. But our current systems are failing even in that regard. As the old saying goes, the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. Those at the top are also responsible for a massively disproportionate share of global consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. That richest one percent? They account for more than double the global emissions of the poorest 50 percent! The embracing of authoritarianism, of anti-science and anti-democratic beliefs, especially among those who stand to be hurt most by it –
as illustrated by the people whose pathetic attempts to overthrow the US government last week failed miserably but nonetheless led to at least five deaths and a crisis in American democracy – shows the importance of standing up for what is right and just. It’s no longer good enough to wring our hands and fret about the multiple crises we face. We must become informed, speak out, vote, hold our politicians to account, join forces. We must demonstrate the power of compassion and love, of hope and courage, over the forces that are trying to keep us on a suicidal road that benefits a minority at the expense not just of most of humanity but of all the living beings that share this fragile planet. We have to recognize that we are interconnected with each other, with nature, even with the rocks and waters that form our home. Those of us who care outnumber the short-sighted, profit-driven and careless, and those who heed them out of fear and ignorance. We must make ourselves heard. David Suzuki
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Sechelt Public Works and Parks Operations Building Project The District of Sechelt proposes building an Operations Centre for Public Works and Parks staff and equipment and requires financing to do so. What is an Operations Building for? • 18 Parks and Public Works staff have worked out of damp, cold, portables and tents since 2012. • An Operations building will provide a safe place to work and a secure place to store equipment. • The building design and construction will comply with the new BC Energy Step Code requirements and include consideration of environmentally friendly factors, such as, but not limited to, clean energy options and rainwater collection to be considered in the facility design. • The current proposal is consistent with a needs assessment which recommended a 1,000 square-metre facility. What is the cost? • The estimated cost for the project is $3.8 million. • $800,000 will be funded through District reserves and $3,000,000 in longterm borrowing. • The loan will be repaid over 20 years at an interest rate of 2.15%. • The loan payments will require a property tax of approximately $ 31.29 per average household. • Borrowing these funds requires approval of the electorate through the Alternative Approval Process. Questions: Project: engineering@sechelt.ca Financing: finance@sechelt.ca Alternative Approval Process: corporate@sechelt.ca
DISTRICT OF SECHELT NOTICE OF ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS
Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 594, 2020 (Public Works/Parks Operations Centre) This notice is to advise electors in the District of Sechelt of the intention to adopt Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 594, 2020 (Public Works/Parks Operations Centre). The purpose of Bylaw No. 594 is to borrow an amount not to exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) to finance the cost of design and construction of a Public Works and Parks Operations building that will be repaid over a period not to exceed 20 years. It is estimated that the borrowing will result in a tax increase of $31.29 per year, based on an average residential property valued at $638,000. The Operations Centre building will replace existing portables and tents to house the District’s public works and parks staff and provide a secure place to store equipment. District of Sechelt Council proposes to borrow the money and undertake design and construction of a Public Works/Parks Operations Centre unless, by 4 pm on February 26, 2021, at least 10 percent of eligible electors in the District of Sechelt sign an elector response form opposing this proposal without the District holding a referendum. The number of elector responses required to prevent the District from proceeding unless a referendum is held is 860. Elector responses are required to be submitted to the District on forms available at the municipal hall (5797 Cowrie Street), from 10 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday, except Statutory Holidays; in the lobby area of the Sechelt Library (5797 Cowrie Street) during regular business hours; or on the District’s website at www.sechelt. ca. Forms will be emailed to anyone requesting a copy by contacting the District by phone at 604-885-1986 or by email at corporate@sechelt.ca The only elector response forms that will be accepted are the ones provided by the District from January 14 to February 26, 2021, or an accurate copy of the form. Bylaw No. 594, 2020 and a summary of the proposal may also be viewed at these locations. Only qualified electors of the District of Sechelt are eligible to sign the elector response forms. There are two types of electors – resident electors and nonresident property electors. At the time of signing the form a Resident Elector must: be 18 years of age or older; be a Canadian citizen; have lived in British Columbia for at least 6 months; have lived in the District of Sechelt for at least 30 days; and, not be disqualified under any law or enactment from voting in a local election. A Non-resident Property Elector must: be 18 years of age or older; be a Canadian citizen; have lived in British Columbia for at least 6 months; have owned property in the District of Sechelt for at least 30 days; and, not be disqualified under any law or enactment from voting in a local election. More information on the AAP may be obtained by contacting Jo-Anne Frank, Corporate Officer at 604-740-8455 or by emailing corporate@sechelt.ca. Jo-Anne Frank Corporate Officer
www.sechelt.ca | info @ sechelt.ca | 604-885-1986
Curbside recycling collection service? The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is asking for feedback on the possible implementation of a curbside recycling collection service for residences in Electoral Areas B (Halfmoon Bay), D (Roberts Creek), E (Elphinstone) and F (West Howe Sound) who currently receive garbage and food waste collection. You can have your say by filling out a short questionnaire online at www.scrd.ca/ solid-waste. “The results of this questionnaire will be presented to the SCRD board who will determine next steps,” says Robyn Cooper, manager, solid waste services. “Should the SCRD board decide to proceed with this service, it is
Dead animals do not belong in green waste The title says it all – dead animals do not belong in green waste. Yes, believe it or not, on three occasions in the last two months, dead animals have been dropped off at the South Coast Green Waste Drop-off Depot in Gibsons. The most recent case occurred on Sunday, Jan. 10, when an alert community member, who was dropping off garden waste, noticed animal remains
and notified staff of the issue. Animal remains, domestic or wild, should never be included as green waste. For a list of items accepted as part of the green waste recycling program, or if you have questions about what may or may not belong at any of the SCRDs waste facilities, go to the SCRDs website at www.scrd.ca/ disposal-fees. Submitted by SCRD
anticipated that a curbside recycling collection service could begin in 2022.” According to the SCRDs 2014 waste composition study, residential curbside garbage contained on average 25 percent recyclable items such as paper, plastic, and metal containers. “Recycling is important because it reduces the use of raw materials and saves valuable landfill space,” says Cooper. The service would be every-other-week and would alternate with garbage collection. For example, week one – Green Bin and Garbage, week two – Green Bin and Recycling. Like garbage and food waste collection, an opt-out option will not be available. There would be no maximum amount of recycling collected per household. Residents will be able to place as many blue bins as needed. The curbside recycling service would be part of the provincial Recycle BC Program. Recycle BC would provide the SCRD a-per household rate to offset part of the service costs. After the materials are collected, Recycle BC would fund all of the transportation and processing costs. The questionnaire is open until Friday, Feb. 19. Paper copies are available by request at infrastructure@scrd. ca or 604-885-6806. Submitted by SCRD
2021 COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM GRANTS The deadline for grant applications to the 2021 Community Investment Program is: Monday, February 8, 2021 at 4:00pm. Registered non-profit and charitable organizations seeking assistance from the District of Sechelt are invited to apply. Application forms and program details are available at the District of Sechelt office, 5797 Cowrie St. and via sechelt.ca under “Live”. Contact: Siobhán Smith Arts, Culture & Communications Coordinator grants@sechelt.ca www.sechelt.ca | info @ sechelt.ca | 604-885-1986
The Local - Thursday, January 21, 2021 7
Ban on food waste in garbage proposed Coast residents have 18 months to prepare to recycle all food-related waste or be ready to pay fines if these recyclables make it into their garbage. On Jan. 14, the SCRD infrastructure committee recommended the board implement a plan to ban food waste from the District landfill starting Jan. 1, 2022. The introduction of fines for violators is proposed to begin in July of that year. To help with enforcement of the ban, the committee asked staff to explore the option of requiring that all garbage received at the landfill be in transparent bags. That information will come forward in future reports that will also see bylaws amended and fee schedules for bylaw violations proposed. Sechelt Area Director Darnelda Siegers noted that the community of Abbottsford requires the use of clear bags for garbage disposal. The use of clear bags makes monitoring of garbage sent for disposal easier. Staff noted that manual or camera inspection of bagged garbage could be alternatives to implementing a clear bag requirement. They said that both of those practices would likely result in higher costs for landfill operations. Diversion of food waste from garbage is part of the regional district’s efforts to extend the lifespan of its
Sechelt landfill. As the only landfill on the Coast, that facility receives garbage from rural and municipal areas of the SCRD. An estimate completed in 2019 revealed that without changes to how our area disposes of solid waste products, the site would be full and need to be closed as of 2026. There is a special infrastructure committee meeting scheduled for this week to review options to close that site. Alternatives for future solid waste disposal on the Coast, laid out in a report from consulting firm Tetra Tech, include vertical expansion of the current site, developing a new landfill, hauling waste off-Coast or building a facility to convert solid waste to energy. That document identifies a new landfill as the most “beneficial” option. It also notes that siting a new landfill “carries considerable risk of failure” and “presents challenges with public approval.” All viable options explored in the report are predicted to result in significant capital and operating cost increases. An audit of garbage being received at the landfill was conducted in 2015. That study showed over 40 percent of the garbage received was reclaimable food waste. Diversion of that waste could add years to the Sechelt landfill’s life and save area taxpay-
ers money. Siegers said the high cost of not diverting food waste needs to be part of the public information on the proposed changes in what will be accepted at the landfill. She said residents need to know that the board “didn’t just pick this out of a hat and say this is what we are doing.” The committee supported starting a communication campaign on the changes this year. Director Alton Toth, who also represents Sechelt on the committee, said he wanted to see the ban on disposal of food waste as garbage happen in 2021. In response, Infrastructure Services Manager Remko Rosenboom said that commercial operators would need time to adjust how garbage and recycling separation is done at their premises. Toth voted in support of moving the recommendation on the ban, with an 18-month implementation timeframe, to the SCRD board. The board is to receive the recommendation at its Jan. 28 meeting. Toth’s final submission to the committee debate on the matter was “something is better than nothing.” Connie Jordison
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The Local - Thursday, January 21, 2021
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Due to current BC health orders, please contact local event coordinators to confirm events.
Thursday, January 21 • Virtual Storytime – the whole family can share in songs, rhymes, and stories (all-day), details at gibsons.bc.libraries.coop/explore/calendar/ • Karen’s Paint Day/Night – Abstract Roses, $45, 1-3pm, CREATE, 6538 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Sechelt, 604-989-3345 · Createsechelt@telus.net · http://facebook.com/ createbykaren • Thursday Night Live with Joe Stanton: A virtual house concert on Facebook, 6pm @joestantonmusic • Coastmasters Toastmasters monthly Zoom meeting, the theme “Body Language and Building Your Presence on Zoom,” 6:30-8pm, for details go to gibsons.bc.libraries.coop/explore/calendar
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Since 1946, the Key Tag Service has been protecting your keys and supporting our essential programs for amputees. I am a longtime supporter of The War Amps, and they have returned two sets of keys I had lost. A wonderful organization and a terrific public service that really works. – Peter years
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• Dine Out Sechelt (to Feb. 12), enjoy special offers at your favourite downtown participating restaurants, 10am-10pm, info at secheltdowntown.com/event/dine-out-sechelt • Friday night mixology meetup: Rotary FUNdraiser – $50 includes access to remaining five mixology sessions, Friday nights at 6pm, details at www.rotarysunshinecoast.org
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Saturday, January 23
• Virtual Skwxwú7mesh, Shíshálh & Early Pioneer History of Gibson’s – Tour (online) with Dale Peterson and Candace Campo, 10am, 1-800-605-4643 · https://www.aboriginalecotours.com/ • Huckleberry Coast Childcare Society and Arts Building virtual AGM on Zoom, 10am, RSVP to theartsbuilding@gmail.com to receive the meeting link • The Sunshine Coast Arts Council Awards Presentation and AGM, online, 12-5pm, 604-885-5412 · info@sunshinecoastartscouncil.com · www.sunshinecoastartscouncil.com • Festivals Aren’t Dead – Rogue Fest Goes Virtual, 2-4pm, more info at www.roguefest.ca/virtualrogue
Sunday, January 24
• Tracing Footsteps – virtual art exhibition: a collaboration between Bruce Graham Black (1921-1944) and Lynda Manson, 2pm, CFUW-Sunshine Coast Bursary Fundraiser, Tickets $10 at www.eventbrite.ca (Jan. 21 deadline)
Monday, January 25
• Family Literacy Week – Words in the Woods (Jan 25-30) – an outdoor reading adventure, Gibsons & District Public Library, 10am-5pm, details at https://gibsons.bc.libraries.coop/event/ • Have a tech question? Want to learn how to use your device? Call Sechelt Library (604-885-3260) to book a one-on-one session with Talia, our technology expert. Mon 10-12pm and Wed 10-12pm, Thurs 1-3pm • Family Literacy Week – Words in the Woods (Jan 25-29) – an outdoor reading adventure, Sechelt Library, 10:15am3pm, details at https://sechelt.bc.libraries.coop/ • Interested in starting your family tree? Need help with genealogy research? Book a one-on-one free session with Teresa, our Sechelt Library genealogy tutor. Mondays, 12:301:30pm & Fridays, 1:30-2:30pm, call 604-885-3260 • Zoom workshop: Making Live Performance Online, 6-8pm, details at www.mindofasnail.org/upcoming-shows/ • Sechelt Garden Club Speaker: Selina Pope on Zoom – topic is “Winter Gardening for the Birds, Bees, and Butterflies” at 7pm, details at www.secheltgardenclub. com or call 778-458-2287
Includes listings compiled by the Coast Cultural Alliance. More details & more listings – including virtual events – at suncoastarts.com
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Sechelt’s budget update A staff request for a delayed 2021 budget schedule is to be discussed at Sechelt’s council meeting on Jan. 20. Once approved by council, dates for budget meetings and events are to be posted on Sechelt.ca. Last November, council endorsed a timeline for this year’s financial plan that had a number of public meetings slated for dates in December and January. While those meetings never happened, an initial review of the budget process along with a presentation of staff and community 2021 spending requests was completed late last year. Due to what staff explained to the Local were “delays related to scheduling with council over the past month,” new dates for the next steps in budget development are being proposed. The Jan. 27 committee of the whole meeting is the tentative date identified to present operating and capital budgets for the municipality’s sewer service. That is to be followed by meetings on Feb. 13 and dates yet to be announced to debate the general operating budget and capital expenditure program.
As part of its public engagement on work plans and budgets, the District is gathering input from citizens about its operations through surveys on its website. The current survey relates to Parks Department services and costs. In a press release dated Jan. 14, Mayor Darnelda Siegers stated, “Citizen input helps us make decisions during the budget process.” The release encourages citizens to participate in the budget process by reading information on the District website, taking surveys, and participating in future community meetings. Under the proposed new 2021 budget timeline, an online public session on the draft 2021 budget is being planned for in late March. Staff are recommending that council members be available at that event to respond to questions from attendees. The municipality has until May 15 to approve a fiveyear financial plan and 2021 taxation rate bylaws. Adjustments to sewer rates and solid waste disposal fees, if required, must also be approved by that date. Connie Jordison
It all started in the 1950s: massive building and infrastructure expansions. Across Canada, capital projects like roads, sewer lines, wastewater treatment plants, streetlights, parks, etc., were built to keep pace with the explosion of the population and the migration of much of that population to more urban settings. However, at the time and for many years following, no thought was given to the question, “What happens when the infrastructure starts breaking down and no longer works as
Something special happens when you present a historical artifact on exhibit. Through the process of curation and interpretation, an artifact becomes a vehicle for meaning-making, often by presenting a certain historical narrative. Recently, I have been considering how some histories are given the privilege of being preserved in museums and archives, while others have been omitted from this process. I think about the early Japanese and Chinese loggers on the Sunshine Coast fairly often. When I search through our photograph database at the museum, I come across minimal documentation about their lives. Presumably, many of these workers were transient and did not settle here to eventually have their photographs donated to the museum. When I hike on Mount Elphinstone’s trails, I think about who these people were and what their lives were like labouring in the old growth and helping to build a community they were never
Family Literacy Week begins on Jan. 25 and is a great opportunity to reflect on how we support optimal literacy development in our community. At the Gibsons and District Public Library, we are celebrating this week in partnership with Sunshine Coast Literacy Coalition by bringing you a fun way to share a wonderful book outside. From Jan. 25 to 30, there will be poster signs mounted to enable you to walk from the library down through to the garden area below, reading When We are Kind by Monique Gray Smith as you
it was intended?” Maintenance and replacement can be necessary for damaged sewer lines, roads that were not built to handle increased traffic, or playground equipment that no longer meets safety standards. Unlike a homeowner who maintains a house with a simple structure and easy to see components, governments struggle with a lack of detailed records on what was built, when, and to what standard. The documents may be buried somewhere in old paper documents if they exist at all. So, as a local government, we are taxed with the job of keeping the infrastructure in good repair and serving as it was intended but without the knowledge or information on what
exactly we have and what condition it’s in – especially when so much of it is buried underground. The challenge of maintaining infrastructure has given rise, in the last 10 years, to the notion of Asset Management. We have started creating an infrastructure database of what we need to maintain and/or replace, what needs to be done and when, and what the future replacement costs will be. In Sechelt, we have 50 km of sewer pipes, 44 km of storm sewer infrastructure, nine sewer lift stations, 88 km of paved roads, 25 km of sidewalks, 480 streetlights, buildings like Municipal Hall, the Water Resource Centre, etc. and 37 parks, 50 beach accesses (many with stairs) and many other trails and as-
really a part of. We know that there were Japanese and Chinese logging camps up and down the Coast; specifically, I am thinking of the camps at the Stoltz Shinglebolt operation or first camp above Cemetery Road in Gibsons (circa the 1920s). During this time, the socio-cultural conditions in British Columbia were marked with discrimination and racism towards Chinese and Japanese Canadians. This was observed in the anti-Asian riots in Vancouver (1907) and their long-running disenfranchisement from the vote. In BC, Chinese Canadians could not vote until 1947 and Japanese Canadians until 1949. Historically, race and class have been two primary ingredients that have played an active role in privileging certain perspectives in cultural
institutions like museums. In the museum world, things are changing as organizations are actively working to fill in the gaps of historical knowledge to create a more multidimensional view of our history. This takes some critical self-reflection and also some help from our communities. Do you have any photographs or archival documents that could help tell the stories of the early Japanese and Chinese Canadians on the Sunshine Coast? Perhaps you know someone who would be great to interview for our oral history collection? Then we would love to speak with you! One of the best parts of our job is working with our amazing community, so we look forward to hearing from you. Contact: ph. 604-8868232 email: scma_manager@ dccnet.com
Two men hand-logging (names unknown) in 1937. SCMA PHOTO
meander through the designated path. Another way we are celebrating Literacy week is with the launch of our new STEAM kits. In an effort to support people to enjoy learning and resources from home, and with the generous support of our Gibsons Library Foundation, we have developed a diverse range of STEAM kits that will be available the first week of February. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). STEAM learning is key to developing problem-solving, fearlessness, and critical thinking skills. With the mission to both help people embrace technology and to offer them respite from the digital world, our STEAM kits can be borrowed to take home and enjoy.
Our Child and Youth Services Librarian Pippa Rogers put together these new resources that will appeal to children and adults alike. Quality binoculars and a bird book in one kit encourages a nature appreciation outing. Musical fun can also be had with the ukulele kit, the Kindred Spirit drum kit, or the innovative Specdrums, where app-enabled rings allow you to make music with colour. Engineering challenges can be taken on with wooden KEVA planks – many intricate structures are possible. On the digital literacy front, there are kits that introduce coding and problem solving with child-friendly robots like Cubetto and the Ozobot Bit. Happy Family Literacy Week. Hope to see you at the library!
sets. And every time we build something, we calculate the maintenance costs and the replacement costs. If this item will only last 25 years, how much will it cost to replace it in 25 years, and how will we save for that? Last term, council started funding a Capital Infrastructure Program – basically, a savings account for managing our assets. Each year we increase taxes by three percent to put in this fund, which we then use to maintain and manage our assets. There was no increase in 2020 due to the difficult financial times. We plan to continue this practice to build that savings account, so we have the funds to maintain our assets and replace them when needed. We have a lot more work to do to create a robust asset management program. During the budget process,
Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 19) A strong assertion of your sense of individuality has been steadily growing over the past several months. Now it comes to a peak moment with Mars aligned with Uranus. Manifesting as an emboldened stride with heavy steps, you will plow through any opposition with bulldozer torque. Yet, you are also willing to keep an open mind and receive new information and guidance. Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20) This is a powerful time for us all and not least of all you. Changes marked by new beginnings and initiatives in your public and/or professional life should be clearly evident by now or will be very soon. You are determined to push ahead with stealth determination. A mix of creativity and practical resolve may manifest as pragmatic assertions that may be described as audacious. Gemini (May 21-June 21) A time of transformation continues. There remain some powerful final scenes for this round which you will learn all about this week. Positively, this is an epic time in your life. Many new realizations have been pouring in steadily over the past several weeks especially leaving you happy and at peace. Yet, if and where a sense of fairness, justice and democracy is not realized, you have a lot to say. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Even by normal standards, this would be a noticeable time of change for you. Yet, these are hardly ‘normal’ times. So, the impact is much larger and the process is much longer. In some respects, the results are probably very positive;
The Local - Thursday, January 21, 2021 9
we will be shining a light on Asset Management, and we invite you to participate in the conversation by identifying the assets that are most
important to you. We have information and surveys on our website now, but more are coming: Sechelt.ca/ budget.
Arrest made after break and enter at Smokelord On Sunday, Jan. 10, at 3:49am, Sunshine Coast RCMP were dispatched to an alarm call at the Smokelord Tobacco Shop at 5536 Wharf Avenue in Sechelt. The suspect was seen on surveillance video prying the deadbolt lock off the front door, entering and stealing $1,200 worth of retail products. With the help of other local businesses in the area with surveillance cameras, Shaymus Moore, aged 44, was arrested without incident on Jan. 11. A search warrant was executed on his
vehicle, and almost all of the product was recovered by police. Moore is well known to police and has been charged with break and enter. “Having surveillance cameras can not only help protect your business but can assist police in solving other crimes in the area,” said Cpl. Stacey Robinson. “The assistance of other local retailers with good quality video surveillance was crucial in aiding police with the quick arrest of this suspect.” Submitted by RCMP
returns for past efforts and achievements. These changes will continue strongly into mid-March, so hopefully they are going your way. Leo (July 23-Aug. 23) The recent Capricorn New Moon planted a seed of change for you in terms of your health. Programs and new routines to achieve your goals may be at least as much a matter of necessity as the result of inspiration. Either way, you feel committed, disciplined and determined to follow through to achieve the desired results. This is a turnaround cycle but requires your full participation. Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 22) Some periods of change are larger than others and this is true for you. Your openness to make the effort to learn and proceed with faith is extra important. Fortunately, your confidence levels are receiving boosts from a couple of angles anyway. So, be willing to take calculated risks and the results may prove exponential. Diversifying your focus implies investments. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) A whole new theme of creative inspiration and possibility was seeded with the recent New Moon. It will also receive another boost with the New Moon in Aquarius on February 11. These will come as quite welcome and you have likely earned the returns implied. Generally, you are committed to new knowledge and higher learning these days so expect these two themes to unite. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Will it be a breakthrough for you or a breakdown? In some respects, the outcome is up to you, but not entirely. We are ever subject to the forces of destiny and karma. Some karma is woven into the fine print of our destiny while some it is based on our choices and actions over time. So, you have arrived at a critical turning point that, either way, will require you
to pay your dues. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Financial concerns and considerations continue to play a prominent role. These are also related to values and priorities associated with your overall level and quality of health. Your lifestyle in general is also featured and all of the above imply the need for new knowledge and initiative. Replacing old habits that no longer or have never served you well is a central theme. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Taking new initiatives should be keeping you busy now. These may come in the form of new knowledge, awareness and perceptions. While you have to play to win and playing requires investments or payments of some kind, there are indications that you have reason to feel optimistic. Going forward, you have arrived at a new chapter which will bring new opportunities. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) What specifically does the need to contract mean to you now in your life. Generally, discipline is implied. As well, you are destined to pay your dues as well and doing so will unfold steadily over time. In the bigger picture of your life, a steady flow of efforts that amount to investments is indicated. Expansion is also featured and the implications reveal both material and spiritual rewards. Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) The quickening is underway and you are feeling it. Keeping pace with it is its own challenge. Yet, you are determined to do so. Your intuition stands to be flowing at a whole new and higher level. A lot of work will happen behind the scenes and some certainly will occur with and in the public, but less. Pushing forward into new territory is already underway and will bring rewards. michael@sunstarastrology.com
10
The Local - Thursday, January 21, 2021
Local THROWBACK THURSDAY
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A close-up shot of the ice-coated SS Princess Norah docked at Skagway, Alaska. Built in 1929 at the Fairfield shipyard in Govan, Scotland, the steamship operated in BC and southeastern Alaska from 1929 to 1964 and would often stop in Sechelt on her way up north. She had a capacity for 700-day passengers and 61 staterooms for overnight travellers. Visit the SC Museum’s online collection to view 7,000+ digital archival photographs. SCMA PHOTO #2120
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CALL 778-918-7910 TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT! SCRD adjusting board pay Changes that will see municipal SCRD directors taking a pay cut in 2021 were endorsed at the Jan. 14 board meeting. Staff were asked to overhaul the Directors Remuneration Bylaw to simplify how director’s pay is calculated, based on input received from three community volunteers that formed the Directors’ Remuneration Review Task Force. The board supported task force recommendations that the SCRD move to a simplified annual base pay system for directors. Currently, director’s pay is calculated on a combination of factors, including meeting attendance and the time spent at those events. Area E Director Donna McMahon commented that
the existing system is akin to “a dog’s breakfast” for board, staff and the public to understand. She also noted that the system of recording which directors attended which meeting and for how long made administration of pay clumsy and time-consuming. The proposed new annual compensation level for rural directors is to be $33,363. Municipal directors would be paid $23,354 each year, and that amount would also be the annual supplement provided to the member that serves as the board chair. A yearly supplement of $3,003 is to be in effect for the role of vice-chair. While the complexities of the present system vary the amounts paid to each board member, the ad-
justments will result in a pay raise for rural directors and a decrease for directors from municipalities. Board support for future reviews of the remuneration bylaw every four years, as recommended by the task force, was endorsed. The impact for taxpayers is that 2021 board remuneration will increase by just over two percent compared to 2019 levels. As the task force’s work continued through 2020, a year that was “abnormal” in many senses, 2019 was used as the base year for the groups’ review. Board members also endorsed a task force suggestion that job descriptions for director positions, clarifying roles and responsibilities be prepared. Commenting on holding the role of chair with-
out this type of guiding document, Lori Pratt stated, “it is difficult to lead when you have no road map.” Staff and the board committed to working towards having the bylaw amended and the changes implemented by the second quarter of 2021. McMahon, who began requesting a pay review shortly after joining the board in 2018, said, “I am very happy that we are moving to a simple, rational system of remuneration. It reduces staff time to administer, makes budgeting straightforward, is consistent and predictable for directors. We will actually know what we’re going to be paid from week to week. Now when people ask me what directors earn, I’ll be able to answer the question and give
Rains flood Halfmoon Bay sewage plant An accumulation of rainfall leading up to Jan. 13 forced the SCRDs Square Bay wastewater treatment facility to divert 80 cubic meters of incoming water to the Salish Sea. Staff were called to the plant in Halfmoon Bay at 12:30am on Jan. 13 to bypass system inflows. The diversion continued over four hours. Manager of Infrastructure Services, Remko Rosenboom, told the Local that the incident was reported to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Strategy. Samples were taken of
the water that bypassed the plant. As of Jan. 15, Rosenboom said that the ministry had not initiated any action in response to the report. The SCRD is not characterizing what happened as a sewage system spill. “There was infiltration of water into the collection system of the plant due to recent heavy rain, but thanks to a quick, middle of the night response from infrastructure services staff, everything that passed into the ocean exited in a controlled fashion via the same output it would pass through in normal circumstances,”
said Rosenboom. The Square Bay plant was built in 1970 by a property developer. The SCRD began overseeing its operations in 1981 and assumed management of the facility in 1990. A total of 93 properties on Susan Way, Taylor Crescent, Natalie Lane as well as Ross, Crab and Truman roads have access to the system for sewage disposal. The facility is permitted to discharge 171 cubic meters of treated water into the ocean daily. The plant was upgraded at the cost of $977,000, approximately two years ago. Almost
a meaningful comparison to other local governments.” McMahon also noted that the proposed pay schedules higher base rates for rural directors recognizes the additional responsibilities they undertake to represent their communities. Under the current system, she said, “I spend about 50 percent of my time on constituency work, for which I have been receiving four percent of my pay.” The new pay levels being considered leave board members, except the one that serves as chair, earning less than the Coast’s “living wage,” which has been estimated at about $18 per hour. Task force member Silas White pointed out that they were aware of this, but that major changes to compensation of local government elected offi-
cials was a topic that exceeded their mandate. “While this review represents a modest pay increase for rural directors, I doubt that the compensation is high enough to tempt most people to run for public office. The job comes with a lot of public exposure, a high level of responsibility, and a heavy workload. This is true across the province. Remuneration has not kept pace with the increasing complexity of local government and much higher public expectations around communications and engagement. As Director Siegers pointed out at the board meeting, most people who run for office are self-employed or retired, and that isn’t likely to change,” said McMahon. Connie Jordison
Wanted $700,000 of those costs were covered by a federal/provincial infrastructure grant. The remainder was funded by a loan, which benefiting property owners are repaying through parcel taxes over a 20-year term. That project upgraded plant components but did not address the facility’s collection system, which remains in its original state. According to Rosenboom, staff continue to monitor and work on that part of the system, performing upgrades to mitigate further infiltration events. Connie Jordison
The Sunshine Coast RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 33-yearold Jarrett Lernowich, who is wanted on three outstanding arrest warrants. Lernowich failed to appear in Sechelt provincial court, and, as a result, the warrants were issued for his arrest. Investigators believe that Lernowich is actively evading police and his current whereabouts are unknown. The charges outstanding for Lernowich range from assault, break and enter, theft and mischief. Lernowich is a white male,
RCMP PHOTO
5’9”, medium build, approximately 170lb with blue eyes and short blond or shaved head. If you have information on the location of Jarrett Lernowich, please call the Sunshine Coast RCMP non-emergency line at 604-885-2266. Submitted by RCMP
12
The Local - Thursday, January 21, 2021
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