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Executive Discussion Topics and Actions Taken – 2011-12
Appointment to the Municipal Insurance Association Board - January 13, 2012, Executive nominated First Vice President Larry Cross to serve for three years on the Municipal Insurance Association Board.
Aquaculture Agreement - Resolution A6 – Aquaculture Agreement sponsored by the AVICC Executive which seeks to have the provincial and federal governments recognize the authorities and responsibilities of local government with respect to aquaculture and consult with them about the impact and implications of the new Aquaculture Agreement and to recognize and respect local government bylaws (including zoning) in the siting, approval and operations of fish and shellfish farms was endorsed by the UBCM Convention. In follow-up AVICC hosted a consultation meeting for its members with DFO staff on November 22, 2011 from 1-3 pm in Courtenay. 20 local government members attended the meeting. Andrew Thomson, Director of Aquaculture Resource Management; Corey Jackson, Regional Manager of Aquaculture Programs and Kamljeet Guram, Senior Engagement Officer attended on behalf of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Sean Herbert, Associate Director of Tenure Operations also attended. Download a pdf of the Powerpoint Presentation Handouts, the Draft November 22, 2011 Aquaculture Consultation Meeting Record and Aquaculture Regulation Follow-up Questionnaire. See the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Aquaculture Management website for updated information on the Aquaculture Management Program. Two follow-up workshops will be held during the 2012 AGM & Convention: Shared Jurisdictional Roles for Managing Aquaculture and BC Aquaculture Regulatory Program.
Island Corridor Foundation – In follow-up to the resolution passed at the 2011 AVICC Convention in Sidney petitioning the government of Canada and BC to approve the $15 million rail infrastructure application for capital works on the Victoria to Courtenay rail line, 6 island Mayors and Chairs along with Graham Bruce and co-chairs Mary Ashley and Judith Sayers of the Island Corridor Foundation met May 2, 2011 in Victoria with the Honourable Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Community Sport and Cultural Development and MLA’s Coell and Cantelon. See May 3, 2011 News Release on Meeting with Ministers. A meeting was also initiated and held May 24, 2011 with MP James Lunney, Nanaimo-Alberni and MP John Duncan, Vancouver Island North. See May 25, 2011 News Release on Meeting with MP’s. On June 28, 2011, Premier Clark announced that the Province will contribute $7.5 million for E&N Passenger Rail in an announcement made in Nanaimo. Mid-July, letters were forwarded to the Honourable Denis Lebel, Federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and the Honourable James Moore, Federal Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages requesting meetings to enlist their support to obtain the needed $7.5 million from the federal government. A meeting was held on August 3, 2011 in Victoria with Minister James Moore with 11 AVICC and ICF representatives in attendance. Members felt positive on its conclusion. Regrettably Minister Lebel’s busy schedule has prevented a meeting with AVICC and ICF representatives. The Bridge and Engineering Trestle Engineering Audit is expected in mid-February. An update from the Island Corridor Foundation will be incorporated into the 2012 AGM & Convention program.
BC Ferries Fares Increases – Executive has discussed this issue at each of their regular meetings. The UBCM Ad Hoc Committee on BC Ferries Fares met with the Honourable Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday, May 4. On May 19, 2011, the Province announced that the BC Coastal Ferry Act would be reviewed (see News Release – BC Ferries Review). For more information on the review as it becomes known, see the BC Ferry Commission’s Review web page. In light of the review, UBCM forwarded a letter as opposed to a formal submission to the Ferry Fares Commissioner by the June 30, 2011 deadline for submissions. President Stanhope, along with with other regional district chairs, met with Minister Lekstrom in July in Victoria and with Premier Clark during the UBCM Convention. The Coastal Ferry Act Review Report was released January 24, 2012. In follow-up, the group of the regional district chairs met with the Commissioner to receive the recommendations. A follow-up meeting with Premier Clark and Minister Lekstrom will be requested by the group.
Derelict Vessels - UBCM has received a Provincial Response to 2010 Resolution. This issue has been a regular discussion item at the Executive table. The last meeting of the Joint Working Group was held in March as there didn’t appear to be any point of continuing if funding was not available to undertake the proposed study or fund any pilot projects. On behalf of the AVICC Executive, President Stanhope forwarded a letter to UBCM President Steele asking for the UBCM Executive’s support in keeping this file active and for UBCM to seek any opportunities or avenues available to raise the priority with the provincial and federal governments in order to resolve this issue for affected local governments. Islands Trust Chair Sheila Malcolmson took the initiative to request a follow-up meeting with Minister Thomson during the UBCM Convention. Minister Thomson admitted that progress on this file had not progressed as hoped, that this was an important issue for BC and local governments, and promised to follow-up with Chair Malcolmson shortly. In early January, 2012, UBCM surveyed members to respond to Transport Canada’s request for information on derelict and abandoned vessels in BC waterways. On behalf of AVICC members, Executive thanks Islands Trust for their leadership on this issue including enabling Islands Trust Policy Analyst, Clare Frater to serve on the Joint Working Group.
Transition Issues Arising from First Nations Treaties – Executive has been following the issue the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District has been experiencing relative to having First Nations representatives participation on their Board as a result of the recent signing of the Maa-nulth Treaty. Several Executive took the opportunity to attend the panel discussion held as part of the UBCM Convention program.
Coastal Communities Network – In light of the resolution endorsed by AVICC members at the 2011 AVICC AGM & Convention, but referred back to AVICC regarding establishing a resource management authority, Executive invited CCN representatives to the January 13, 2012 meeting to update Executive on the status of the CCN and discuss the proposal for regional committees and how they would interface with AVICC and UBCM. CCN Chair Tony Benett, Director Ken McRae and staff member Patrick Marshall took the opportunity. Executive agreed in principle to support CCN’s proposal to hold a workshop to discuss the form, function and relationship with CCN, AVICC, NCLGA and UBCM in having regional resource management committees and that time on the 2012 AVICC AGM & Convention program be provided to report out the results of the workshop.
VIHA 4321 Water Objective - Lynne Magee, Regional Drinking Water Coordinator with VIHA, attended the June 29 Executive meeting to provide an update and to respond to questions. See Lynne Magee’s PP presentation notes and VIHA’s Policy – Drinking Water Treatment for Surface Water Supplies.
Support for Seaspan Shipyards Contract Bid – In follow-up to a request for support from Esquimalt Mayor Barbara Desjardins, a letter was written to Premier Christy Clark asking that the government make the issue a priority by meeting with representatives and looking for ways to support the bid. See Letter to Premier Clark re Shipbuilding Bid. July 25, the Province announced their significant funding commitment to support the bid. Executive was very pleased to learn that Seaspan Shipyards was successful in receiving a 20 year, $8 billion contract to build non-combat ships under the Federal Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS).
Natural Gas Operating Agreement Renewal Process – In follow-up from the presentation held at the 2011 AVICC Convention, Gord Schoberg and Carol Greaves were invited to attend the June 29 Executive meeting to provide an update on progress since April. They introduced Jerry Berry indicating that he has been brought on board to assist in facilitating a collaborative process with local governments and advised that the timelines identified at the 2011 AVICC Convention needed revision. A seminar for local government staff was held in September to begin the process of moving forward with a target of having all operating agreements being finalized in 2013. FortisBC took the opportunity of UBCM Convention to meet with AVICC Executive to provide an update on progress to date indicating that an announcement would soon be forthcoming in the near future. The FortisBC announcement made November 2 advised that FortisBC has filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to amalgamate its three natural gas utilities into one legal entity, and implement common rates and services for these customers across the province, starting January 1, 2013.