TUESDAY DECEMBER 10, 2013
www.pqbnews.com
Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
BCYCNA
Gold 2012 General Excellence
A WIN, LOSS AND BAD HIT
TEENAGER WINS JEWELRY AWARD
Generals split weekend games; lose Burnett to nasty, high hit
Rebekah Robertson is a veteran of her craft at the age of 18
A36
A15
SECONDARY SUITES
Rural-area regs coming RDN staff say new policy will encourage more affordable housing CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
If you’re living in a secondary suite or renting one to tenants, you could be breaking the law. According to current zoning regulations, most existing secondary suites are not permitted in various electoral areas. The City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach do allow secondary suites, however, rural outlying areas are not currently afforded the same approval. “We’re not reinventing the wheel,” said RDN urban planner Greg Keller. “We’re just trying to develop a model that works for our communities.” The Regional District of Nanaimo has put forward a proposal to enact a secondary suite policy it says will encourage affordable housing, standardize building permits and construction and regulate health and safety issues. The secondary suite policy would affect the RDN’s electoral areas, including the communities of Coombs, Errington, Nanoose Bay, Hilliers, Whiskey Creek, Deep Bay and Bowser. See SURVEY, page A7
Seeking fairness JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
People living in places like Whistler, Osoyoos, Kelowna and Vancouver are getting their natural gas from Fortis for half the price paid by those living on Vancouver Island. As municipalities search for ways to cope with rising costs, they are also looking for some fairness in what residents and businesses pay for natural gas. Right now, people in Parksville Qualicum Beach are paying $14.44/gigajoule, compared to $7.86 in the Lower Mainland. “There is a push among municipalities to get some rate equalization so we don’t get so hammered,” said Parksville Mayor Chris Burger. See COMPANY, page A7
CANDACE WU PHOTO
TAKING A BREAK: We caught up with Santa and an elf named Kora as the jolly old soul took a break at Pacific Brimm on Saturday after visiting businesses and spreading joy during the Parksville Downtown Business Association’s Santa by the Sea event. See story page A4.
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