GOLDSTREAM
NEWS GAZETTE
Backstopping a budget
Picky pelican
Provincial Capital Commission land on the West Shore could be sold off as surplus. News, Page A3
The community shows its generosity to feed a pelican recuperating at Wild ARC in Metchosin. Community, Page A6
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
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Colwood to host electric vehicle charging stations Three public stations in planning for spring
Sharon Jones, a teacher at David Cameron elementary, takes part in a demonstration on Monday to show her disappointment with the provincial government’s decision to legislate an end to collective bargaining with teachers.
Edward Hill News staff
Colwood will enter the green technology economy after approving plans to host three public electric vehicle charging stations by this spring. The City awarded Powertech Labs, a subsidiary of B.C. Hydro, a contract potentially worth $101,000 to design and manage installation of the stations at three locations — Juan de Fuca library at West Shore Park and Recreation, at the park-and-ride on Ocean Boulevard and at Colwood city hall. West Shore recreation still needs to agree to host a station, but the tentative plan calls for 240 volt, Level 2 charger at city hall and near the library, which can recharge a car battery in four to six hours. The park-andride is slated for a Level 1, 120 volt plug, which would take 12 hours for a full charge. Whether stations offer electric vehicle charging for free — under law only B.C. Hydro can sell electricity -— remains in question. Electricity costs could be recouped by charging for the parking space. “Free is a likely outcome, but that’s for council to decide,” said Coun. Judith Cullington. “It would probably cost more to put in infrastructure to charge a fee than we’d get back in fees. “The reality is after installation, charging stations will be used very little. As electric vehicles become more common, they’ll get used more,” she noted. “Council could start them off as free, and track the use. If it costs a lot of money, maybe we should charge a fee for the parking space.” PLEASE SEE: Solar Colwood, Page A10
Kyle Wells/News staff
Teachers take job action to the street Charla Huber Kyle Wells News staff
West Shore teachers united with colleagues across the province Monday with an after school demonstration in the wake of the government’s threat to legislate their contract. Teachers gathered at David Cameron and Colwood elementary schools as well as Belmont and Edward Milne community school. At Belmont, about 50 teachers held waved signs to the supportive honks from passing cars. “We’ve been hearing we will be legislated back to work,” said Ruth McDonald, a special education teacher at Belmont
secondary. “They are not negotiating fairly with us.” McDonald said she has struggled to provide for the 49 students in her case load. “I started just as case loads increased,” McDonald said. “I am spread incredibly thin and I am trying to support these students and I am trying to support their teachers.” Teachers have been in Phase 1 of their job action since September, where they have refused to conduct administrative duties and have focused on teaching. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation announced it has applied to the Labour Relations Board to set the next phase of a legal job action, but the local teachers’ union said this dem-
onstration won’t go beyond Monday. “This is one day only. It’s not affirmative action and not a picket, it’s only a demonstration to get some attention,” said Patrick Henry, president of the Sooke Teachers Association. Key issues are class size and getting support for special needs students, Henry said. “This is not about salary, it’s not about getting a raise,” he said. “The most important thing is education funding.” “I don’t want a wage increase necessarily,” McDonald added. “Most of us would take zero if we could have good schools.” On Veterans Memorial Parkway, Sharon Jones, a teacher
of the deaf and hard of hearing at David Cameron, said she wants the public to understand how much teachers care about their students. “I think in school what we’re trying to teach kids is that you can compromise and you can solve problems when you come together and talk,” Jones said. “I think they’re doing the opposite of what we try to teach kids to do everyday in the classroom.” Laurie Tighe, a teacher at Millstream elementary, finds it discouraging the government still won’t bargain beyond its zero-net mandate. “I felt really upset that it was same as usual,” Tighe said. “They can’t negotiate so they legislate.”
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