Local Weekly March 18, 2021

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Volume 19, Issue 11

Sunshine Coast, British Columbia • www.thelocalweekly.ca • Thursday, March 18, 2021 Back In Time

Supportive Housing

Page 12

AAP Passes Page 2

Water Meters Page 3

Policing Costs Page 5

Flood Resilience Challenge Page 7

Home & Garden Pages 10 & 11

SCRD & Union Agreement Page 13

What’s Happening Page 14

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The affordable housing project at 749 School Road will provide 40 new self-contained studio homes with the necessary supports to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in accessing safe, secure homes. An occupancy permit was issued for the facility on March 9, with new residents expected to move in over the next few weeks. STAFF PHOTO

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

Sechelt ops centre AAP passes Adoption of the bylaw permitting the District of Sechelt to borrow up to $3 million to construct its operations centre is on the agenda for its March 17 council meeting.

Also on that agenda is receipt of the results of the Alternative Approval Process (AAP) completed on Feb. 26 to seek elector consent to take the loan. In the AAP, 509 response forms in opposition to the loan were filed. As that number was lower than 10 percent of the jurisdictions 8,603 estimated qualified voters, council consideration of the loan is authorized.

If more than 10 percent of electors had submitted opposition forms, council would have been required to seek approval of borrowing through a referendum.

Either AAP or referendum approval is required when a local government seeks to borrow money that is to be

repaid over a term that is longer than five years. The loan for the operations centre is slated for repayment over a 20 year period.

Securing the loan is not forecast to impact 2020 property taxes for Sechelt residents. Future property tax increases will depend on the actual amount borrowed.

Based on current information, the District estimates that an owner of a residential property assessed in 2021 in the $640,000 range will be paying about $31.29 more in taxes once loan repayment begins.

The funds are needed to construct a new base for the operations of the municipality’s Public Works and Parks Departments. Total project costs are estimated at $3.8 million. The new 819 square meter building is to be located on the site that has been home to the two de-

partments since 2012, near the intersection of Dusty and Sechelt Inlet roads. For almost nine years, eighteen staff members working in these municipal functions have had modular buildings, which were obtained from School District No. 46, as offices, washroom, change and warm-up areas. Other temporary structures on the site serve as workshops and storage areas for equipment and materials.

Commenting on the AAP results in a press release issued March 12, Sechelt’s Director of Engineering and Operations Kirn Dhillon said, “this will be a real boost in morale for the District’s essential workers. All through the alternative approval process, the District made great efforts to be transparent in the need for this facility, and residents responded with support. What we learned

about open and transparent communication during this process is a valuable lesson we will apply to other projects.”

The new building is designed to accommodate additional department supervisory and administrative staff that could be relocated to that site from the District’s central office on Cowrie Street. The design has four work bays that could be used for equipment servicing as well as loading. A workshop and storage areas are also included. Additional exterior storage, such as a shelter for road salt, will continue to be part of the compound.

The District is planning to incorporate environmentally friendly factors, such as clean energy options and rainwater collection, in the facility design.

Following council consideration of the loan for the project, details on the construction timeframe are an-

ticipated to be released.

In the District’s press release, Sechelt Mayor Darnelda Siegers stated, “I want to thank the community members who got involved because it raised awareness of this project in the community and helped us share the

need for this new building.

It’s great to see the community getting involved with local government processes. I am so pleased to see the community support our parks and public works staff through this process.”

Connie Jordison

The BC Centre for Disease Control local COVID-19 numbers for Feb. 28 to March 6 show six reported cases on the Lower Sunshine Coast. BC CDC MAP

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 3

AAP for Sechelt water meters on horizon At its March 18 meeting, the SCRD board gave three readings to a bylaw to authorize taking a loan of up to $7.25 million to pay for Phase Three of its water metering project. As the borrowing is proposed to be repaid over 15 years, an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) to gain elector approval is required before it can be endorsed.

Remko Rosenboom, SCRD director of infrastructure services, advised the board that about 4,800 new meter installations in the Sechelt area are to be part of the project’s third phase. In addition, about 1,100 meters that are not compliant with new technology are to be replaced.

This will be the SCRDs second attempt to seek elector approval to take a loan for this work. In mid-2018, an AAP for $6 million garnered enough opposition so that the board could not consider taking the loan.

When asked why project costs had increased, Rosenboom indicated that factors including inflation, cost increases, and updates to installation practices related to archaeology were involved.

He also noted that the new amount includes a contingency that was not part of the previous amount.

The Loan Authorization bylaw will be forwarded to the Province for approval from the Inspector of Municipalities. The timeline for

review is approximately 6-8 weeks. Once approved, they can move forward with an AAP to seek elector approval.

The SCRD anticipate that a report will be brought to the board in mid-May to affirm the AAP, including the timeline for responses.

In considering the proposed loan bylaw, Sechelt Area Director and Mayor Darnelda Siegers said, “I hope that the community has sufficient information that this board has taken water supply issues seriously. We will ensure that during this process that we will get sufficient information out for electors to make informed decisions.”

In an Infrastructure Services Committee meeting held earlier on March 18, staff reviewed an updated integrated approach to the water supply. In that report,

they estimated the capital investment in water meters was a more cost-efficient way to secure the region’s water supply when contrasted with new groundwater supply projects. Their estimate is that water saved once metering is fully introduced would cost less than $10 per cubic meter. Capital costs to access additional water from the Church Road and Langdale well fields or the Gray Creek area are projected to be in the $15 to $25 per cubic meter range.

Sechelt Area Director Alton Toth said that he planned to use details on those cost comparisons in his efforts to convey the need to proceed with water metering. Toth noted the material clearly shows that “new water source initiatives are not enough to address the region’s supply issues.” Connie Jordison

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

Letters to the Editor – Opinions Great blue heron!

(Re: “Blue herons identified as significant juvenile salmon predator,” article, the Local, March 11) If the point of the new UBC study is to identify predators of juvenile salmon, shouldn’t we take into account the sea lice generated by the salmon farms? Well-established science shows that sea lice from fish farms kill out-migrating juvenile salmon.

Publishing the fatality rate of this corporate predation would give this article some perspective. Blue herons and other species that are a part of our commons are just doing what they have always done. We are the ones out of sync with our food chain.

How about a study to manage ourselves?

Guy Tremblay, Xwilkway

Public support of art

(Re: Talk of the Town, column, the Local, March 11) What a breath of fresh air from the Gibsons mayor and the public art committee.

Both privately and professionally, I have spent a lifetime advocating for creative artists. I, too, believe that visual, literary and performance arts should be paid for, just like sidewalks and plumbing, and not solicited as a donation from the artist.

I also say this with respect to charities that need to fundraise: a patron can buy or commission the art to donate for auction or display, and in that way, sup-

port both the artist and the fundraising organization. To repeat a quote I cannot attribute: parking meters make more per hour than artists.

That is very true, never more than in the past year.

And, just like tourism does with accommodation levies, levels of government need to allow taxes or fees to be extracted for support of public arts. Adopting policies of designating a reasonable percentage from developers for community amenities like public art, as they already do locally with parkland and libraries, would go a long way to enrich our environments in all the senses.

Gail Hunt, Gibsons

Dangerous message

(Re: Weekly Cartoon, editorial, the Local, March 11) The implication in the Weekly Cartoon appearing in last week’s newspaper is offensive and conveys a potentially dangerous message.

Men do not need to be eunuchs to abstain from sexual harassment or sexual assault. What on Earth were you thinking?

Al Erlenbusch, Sechelt

No humour

(Re: Weekly Cartoon, editorial, the Local, March 11) I am quite disturbed by your recent cartoon stating that the department of defence is only hiring eunuchs.

There is no humour in implying that the only men who can be trusted not to sexually harass their subordinates are those who have been

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Richard Austin

Trans Mountain Pipeline

I would like to see local coverage of the Trans Mountain (TMX) pipeline as it is and will be affecting us all.

There is some talk that the Federal Government may try to sell the pipeline to Indigenous groups. I think people need to see coverage of this; they need to be informed.

Sally AJ Abraham, Roberts Creek

Vaccine rollout It defies belief that for a full year, Health Minister Adrian Dix did nothing to assure that the people of British Columbia would have an efficient, reliable vaccination booking system. Instead, he left it to individual health authorities to devise their own systems, with catastrophic results. That only one of the five regional health agencies even had an online booking platform in place for the rollout suggests a serious failure of leadership for which Dix must be held accountable.

Predictably, both Dix and Premier Horgan have sought to downplay and shift the blame for the government’s failure. Horgan muddies the

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castrated, that real men harass their subordinates and that real men are not capable of behaving respectfully and professionally. This is insulting to the many men who do not abuse their power.

It also implies that the women who were the targets of harassment are complaining about “normal” male behaviour.

Neither implication is acceptable on any level.

I think that all of us, female and male, deserve an apology for reinforcing several untrue and damaging stereotypes.

Bet Cecill, Gibsons

This publication reserves the right to refuse any advertising that it considers to contain false or misleading information or involves unfair or unethical practices. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of error in any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement.

The Local Weekly is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact publisher@thelocalweekly.ca or 1-604885-3134. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

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Some of what I do as mayor you read about in the paper or watch on our District of Sechelt YouTube channel.

At the council table, we have been working on the 2021 budget and five-year financial plan and several major initiatives. As your mayor, I would like to tell you about some of the things you are not reading about. You, our residents, look to local government to address issues beyond our jurisdiction, so we try to do that. This is where we work behind the scenes to problem solve and collaborate on the challenges and opportunities facing our community. Our local governments see the value in coming together to speak

waters by saying the province was not prepared for the 1.7 million calls within the first three hours of booking. Even if all 54,000 people eligible for the current round attempted to book by phone in that period, that translates to over 30 calls per person. Horgan might more truthfully have said that his government was unprepared for thousands of callers rather than millions of calls.

For his part, Dix wants us to know that fault lies with Telus for understaffing the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) phone platform. Yes, VCH fared the worst, but there were problems elsewhere. Only Fraser Health – the one health authority with online booking – had a truly successful start. Had Dix wanted, such a system could have been in place province-wide months earlier.

The BC pandemic began with outbreaks at long-term care centres that might have been greatly reduced had

the government already taken action on longstanding staffing problems at privately owned facilities. Seniors and their families suffered then and are once again bearing the brunt of the government’s failure to exercise leadership. Our vulnerable seniors deserve better care than Dix seems willing to provide.

Ian McLatchie, Davis Bay

A plea for seniors

For many 70+ seniors in British Columbia, it was a heavy blow when the fourmonth delay in their vaccine dose completions was announced.

After a year of sheltering in their homes, missing their children and grandchildren, their friends and colleagues, abandoning travel plans and other retirement pleasures, they looked forward to being fully vaccinated under the original schedule. Making plans for May and June 2021 kept them upbeat and afloat, but all that was swept aside without consideration

for their wellbeing, mental and physical, when the initial plan was scrapped. Four months for a senior over 70 is time noticeably deducted from the balance of their lives. They were told their lives were priorities for the BC government, suddenly not so.

Please advocate for an exemption for senior British Columbians from the fourmonth delay to be fully vaccinated – if just as a courtesy for having been British Columbian for more than seven decades.

Brian J Low, Ph.D., UBC, Vancouver

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.

Weekly Cartoon

Mayor’s Message with one voice to our provincial and federal counterparts on behalf of the Sunshine Coast.

For example, housing, under provincial and federal jurisdictions, is a large and challenging issue on the Coast. We are asked to address workforce housing, affordable housing, homelessness, transition housing and assisted living. In partnership, the local governments commissioned a coastwide Housing Needs Report, but reports aren’t enough. We need action. Elected officials from the four local governments and the school district recently met with more than a dozen community groups to come up with initiatives that could be acted upon within one to three months. We’ve worked with other stakeholders and the Province to create new opportunities for housing for those who are not housed

or precariously housed. Not everyone who is homeless wants to be assisted in this way, but those that do now have many more options than they did before.

Poverty is prevalent on the Sunshine Coast. To identify actions that can be taken to address poverty reduction, the District of Sechelt applied for a grant and partnered with the Resource Centre to oversee the project.

Our municipal leaders met with representatives at Capilano University to advocate for the recently launched online course for early childhood educators and a course for health care aides. The thought is, if we can train current residents, staff recruitment may be less hampered by a lack of housing.

We continue working with Patrick Weiler, our MP, the Parliamentary Secretary

to the Federal Minister of Transport, concerned citizens and the shíshálh Nation on the removal of derelict boats in Porpoise Bay. The overlapping jurisdictions: municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations, complicates the issue a bit.

We are trying to find ongoing funding and a collaborative solution to protect our bay, but in the meantime, at least some boats are being removed with federal funding and the support of the Dead Boat Society.

These are some of the areas where municipal leaders can and do advocate for our community. Your voices are heard, and we are speaking for you as not all the action is at the council table. We invite you to keep talking to us, share your thoughts, come to meetings, send us an email or participate in a survey, so we know what your priorities are.

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 5

Future policing costs may impact Gibsons 2021 taxes “If we don’t do it this year, next year, it is going to be even worse.” That was Gibsons Councillor Stafford Lumley’s comment on starting a Town reserve for what could be $1 million in additional annual costs for municipal policing as early as 2023. Discussion on approaches to addressing those potential costs were part of Gibsons March 9 Committee of the Whole meeting.

The province shares policing costs with municipalities, and under that arrangement, jurisdictions with populations higher than 5,000 are responsible for 70 percent of these costs, with smaller communities paying about

30 percent. As of 2016, Gibsons’ residents were numbered at 4,605. It budgets about $420,000 a year to fund its portion of police services.

If the proposed 2021 census reveals that Gibsons has reached a population of 5,000 or more, the municipality’s share of annual policing costs is estimated to rise to the $1.1 to $1.4 million range. Funding such an expense change in a single year would require a 22 to 32 percent property tax rate increase, based on current assessment roll data.

In 2020, council had proposed starting a reserve to

offset the impacts of the potential new expense. Early discussion of last year’s budget saw a suggestion that a two percent tax increase be applied and that the $65,000 in revenue generated go into a policing reserve. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of last year, the elected officials decided not to proceed with that tax increase, given the economic uncertainty faced by many in the community.

At the meeting, the committee recommended that a five percent tax increase be applied in 2021 to begin funding the reserve. Such an increase would cost the av-

erage homeowner an additional $53 and the owner of a commercial property about $231 more in property taxes than in 2020.

Should that level of increase be endorsed by council, there would need to be additional increases of 10 and 15 percent in the next two years to amass the dollars that may be needed in 2023 for policing.

That would be on top of tax increases to fund other needs in the community.

“This increase can’t be lumped in with the costs of running the Town. It has nothing to do with the Town.

This is a provincially mandated service,” said Lumley.

Additional staff for Gibsons town hall debated The addition of one new position in Gibsons Corporate Services department being proposed in the Towns 2021 budget was endorsed at the committee level on March 9. If approved in the final budget, hiring is not anticipated until August. The tax impact this year would be about $37,000. As of 2022, the full-time position is estimated to cost just over $90,000 a year.

In debating the potential increase to staff levels, the committee considered a report from Director of Finance Lorraine Coughlin. It stated that a new manager of corporate services position would

improve both operational effectiveness and role structure. Currently, the Town’s director of corporate services is responsible for work that falls within a legislative scope, general office management and information technology (IT) support. That position supervises 11 staff members working in a range of functions.

The proposed new position would take on the office management responsibilities. This would allow the director to focus on the legislative, strategic direction, IT services, and policy and procedural realms.

Committee members

questioned whether the work demands being placed on the director could be best addressed by hiring or contracting out. Acknowledging that “efficiency is being lost with other tasks being added on,” Councillor David Croal asked whether more contracting, especially for IT services, may be “a wiser use” of the Town’s money.

Croal also stated that work overload can be a major contributor to staff burnout and turnover.

A committee recommendation to include the new hiring in the draft 2021 budget passed with Croal, Councillor Aleria Ladwig and Mayor Bill

Beamish in support. Councillors Stafford Lumley and Annemarie De Andrade voted in opposition. De Andrade then moved, and the committee supported a recommendation that staff provide a report on conducting an organizational performance review which includes a comparative analysis of other municipalities.

Both recommendations go to council for consideration on March 16. If included in the 2021 final budget, spending on the new position will equate to about a one percent property tax increase in 2021.

Connie Jordison

While he favoured the early establishment of a future policing costs reserve, he wants it clearly communicated to the public that council does not have much choice in the matter.

Mayor Bill Beamish stated that he is speaking with the Province about how soon changes to policing costs must be introduced once Gibsons’ population reaches 5,000.

He also noted that the two percent 2021 general property tax increase proposed at an earlier meeting creates a $158,000 surplus. While the council has yet to discuss new operating cost proposals

or the current year’s capital project program, Beamish suggested using some of that surplus for a 2021 policing contribution. That could reduce the level of the additional taxes needed to fund the reserve this year.

Recommendations from committee discussion on the 2021 budget will be forwarded to council for consideration. Gibsons is planning an online public engagement session on the proposed 2021 financial plan on March 23 at 7pm. Bylaws for the plan and this year’s property tax rates require adoption by mid-May. Connie Jordison

Kevin Christopher Webster’s next appearance on a charge of second-degree murder has been booked for April 7 in Sechelt Provincial Court chambers. On March 10, the matter was put over to the new date.

Webster’s March 10 appearance was delayed by about an hour due to operational complications with

establishing a video conference link between the Sechelt Court and the North Fraser Pre-Trial Centre. The accused has been held at the centre, located in Port Coquitlam, without bail since late December. He has not yet entered a plea.

Webster’s attorney Paul McMurray participated in the appearance via telephone.

Webster was charged on Dec. 28, 2020, in relation to the death of his mother, 66-year-old Moirin Gladys Webster. The body of the deceased was discovered at a residential property in Gibsons on Dec. 27.

Connie Jordison

Webster court appearance rescheduled

CONNIE JORDISON PHOTO

SUNSHINE COAST FERRY SCHEDULE

Housing group eyes grants intended for Sechelt and beyond Sechelt’s Housing Advisory Committee discussed the use of funds available to that municipality as well as other Coast jurisdictions at its March 11 meeting.

Mayor Darnelda Siegers, who was acting chair for the meeting, advised the five other committee members in attendance that Coast local governments were eligible for a total of $1.3 million in Strengthening Communities’ Services (SCS) grants. Sechelt is eligible to receive up to $450,000 from that program, which is funded by the federal and provincial governments. The remainder would be available if the SCRD, Gibsons and the Sechelt First Nation agreed to sign on to such an application and not request funding under that program for other purposes.

The deadline for grant SCS applications is April 16.

At the meeting, there was general agreement for the committee to explore a potential application to SCS to move forward under the recently released “Call to Action” on addressing urgent housing needs. That document was developed following a March 1 meeting of groups interested in working on immediate solutions to what it identified as an “affordable housing crisis” in

the area.

Siegers was tasked with seeking an agreement for a joint SCS application from the leadership of Sechelt’s neighbouring local governments.

She let the committee know that the SCRD was also set to receive about $86,000 raised through two years of Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT). Those funds were collected by Sunshine Coast Tourism (SCT). Siegers, one of two Sechelt representatives on the SCRD board, said the regional district has no plan for the money and does not have a “function” where the funds can be deposited.

The MRDT is a two percent tax added to the cost of a hotel and other short-term accommodation stays in the area. They are collected to fund tourism marketing, programs, and projects. SCT agreed to use the money to fund efforts related to workforce housing. The lack of affordable accommodation for staff has been identified as a major difficulty for businesses in the Coast’s tourism sector.

Another potential source of dollars for housing-related projects that Siegers told the committee may be available is the COVID-19 safe restart funding. Those grants were

provided to local governments by the province in late 2020.

Under the “Call to Action,” the committee and others at the March 1 meeting formed several working groups.

Each is addressing a discussion area. These include the potential establishment of a Coast housing coordinator, development of rental incentive programs, and addressing barriers to securing rental accommodations.

The leaders of those subgroups are slated to meet on March 22. That event may also be an opportunity for further discussion of an SCS grant application and use of MRDT money.

The Local has had difficulty confirming agenda topics to date. Meeting agendas have not been made available in advance for public review.

The advisory committee has plans to invite all involved in the March 1 meeting as well as others that may be interested in joining the discussions to a follow-up meeting on April 19. Sechelt funded facilitation of the original meeting with up to $1,500 from its COVID-19 restart money. Only $1,000 was spent. Siegers said that the remainder was available to support the follow-up meeting. Connie Jordison

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

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already claimed millions of victims across the globe. But it’s important that people recognize the symptoms of allergies and COVID-19 are different. The following are some symptoms of allergies and some of COVID-19, courtesy of the CDC and the Mayo Clinic.

Allergy symptoms • Itchy eyes • Stuffy nose • Sneezing • Congestion Doctors advise people who are exhibiting potential allergy symptoms to pay attention to their body temperatures. People with allergies very rarely experience fever, so the absence of fever, even if other symptoms of allergies are present, might indicate that a person is suffering from allergies and not COVID-19. In addition, allergy symptoms tend to be mild and recur year after year around the same time, such as when plants bloom in spring and summer. So if symptoms that are currently present are the same ones a person confronts every year, then he or she is likely suffering from allergies and not COVID-19. People can err on the side of caution by discussing their symptoms and history with their physicians.

Coronavirus symptoms • Shortness of breath • Fever • Chills • Loss of sense of taste or

smell • New cough (or worsening of a chronic cough) • You should also get tested for COVID-19 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.

Some asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath as a result of allergies, so people with asthma should consider that before assuming they have COVID-19. Discussing shortness of breath with a physician can help asthma sufferers gain more clarity on their condition.

While symptoms of allergies and COVID-19 are different, the CDC notes that people suffering from the flu may experience the same symptoms experienced by people with the coronavirus. Symptoms such as fever, fatigue, body aches, and cough can affect both flu and COVID-19 sufferers, so people experiencing these symptoms should contact their physicians.

It’s easy to mistake common allergy symptoms as indicative of the presence of the COVID-19 virus. But the symptoms of each condition are quite different. Learn more at www.cdc.gov.

Metro Creative

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 7

The flood resilience challenge In an effort to build awareness and understanding of the risks posed by sea-level rise, Sechelt is the first community to host an interactive online session of the Flood Resilience Challenge game.

People interested in taking part need to register using the link provided on Sechelt.ca.

On March 18 at 6:30pm, there will be an online information session on sea-level rise, flooding potential and the possible impacts of both for the community of Sechelt.

Along with guest speakers and presentations, this event will include opportunities for questions and small group discussions.

That session will be followed by a game night on the evening of March 25. In the game, participants will be presented with options related to the design of a community with areas in tidal flood zones. They will make decisions about spending on different types of infrastructure.

They will then find out how the construction that they opted for will be impacted by different flood scenarios.

In addition to consequences for the structures, they will also be presented with the environmental and social impacts their decisions had on their virtual community.

As of March 10, Sechelt had 18 individuals registered. Event coordinator and Community Planner Marina Stjepovic said that 20 individuals can play at one time and that observers are also welcome. She stated that if there is enough interest, the District could look at running the game online a second time.

Sechelt looked into an online option after the in-person Game of Floods event that it had planned to host in the spring of 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We still hope to be able to run the in-person game when the pandemic

is over. Games allow us to step back from reality, to explore ‘what would happen if.’ Even though we may witness the effects of flooding and climate-related disasters happening in other areas, it could never hit home as much as when it happens to us directly. Sea levels for the South Coast and Vancouver are projected to rise a half meter in the next 30 years,” said Stjepovic.

When asked about the outcomes the District is looking for in this venture, Stjepovic These sons from on the These fortunate fortunate sons from down on the on These fortunate These sons from fortunate down sons ondown the from down thefro These fortunate sons said, “I hope this game proThese fortunate sons from dow corner will help you see the rain on your commercial real estate ventures. vokes thoughtful discussion. corner help you see the rain on youron commercial real estate ventures. corner will helpwill corner you see will the help rain you onfrom see your the commercial rain your real commercial estate ventures. real estate These fortunate sons down the corner will helpcommercial you ventures. corner help see the rain on your rea It allows us to hear different corner willwill help youyou seeon the rain on your commercial real esta perspectives, try out different see the rain on your commercial real estate ventures. approaches and think about the consequences of decisions on a complex topic that affects us all. I also believe in PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION initiating positive change at REAL ESTATE CORPORATION PERSONAL REAL ESTATEPERSONAL CORPORATION PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION the local level. What we iniPERSONAL REALfrom ESTATE CORPORATION PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION These fortunate sons down on the tiate locally ripples outward These fortunate sons from corner will help you see the rain on your commercial real estate ventures. and upward. We can create our story for the future.” corner will help you see the rain on your commercial rea These fortunate sons from down on the Connie Jordison These fortunate sons from down on the

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

Integrated Approach to Water When it comes to the Sunshine Coast, one of the biggest challenges facing our growing communities is water. In recent years, the Sunshine Coast has gone without rain for over three months on two separate occasions. This puts considerable strain on our water systems and has resulted, as you, the residents of the Sunshine Coast know – in very stringent water restrictions.

As we continue to better understand and respond to the impacts of climate change and our communities continue to grow, tighter water conservation regulations have been and will be required to ensure we have water running from our taps in late summer and early fall.

The Sunshine Coast is not alone in its water challenges. Regions across the Province are addressing similar issues, working on safe drinking water, and overall watershed management and governance.

Our Board agrees 100% with the expectation that in 2021, residents of the Sunshine Coast should have an adequate, year-round water supply. We read your letters and emails, hear your phone calls, and see your social media posts. Whether the feedback has been thoughtful and constructive, or frustrated and angry, we are not ignoring it. This Board is committed to taking action to meet our community’s needs.

Together as a community, we must also recognize that some solutions to our water challenges are expensive feats of engineering, that can take several years to achieve, even after we put them in motion.

One of the most common themes we hear about our water challenges is “We live in a rainforest.” While this may seem true in the winter, we can’t ignore that a fast melting snowpack and a lack of rainfall through the summer months greatly impact our water supply.

So, in short. There is no quick fix and we need to continue adapting to climate change and planning to meet the needs of our growing communities. The current Board and staff are up to this challenge, but we cannot succeed without you. We all play a key role in achieving success for our community.

Citizens of the Sunshine Coast have already responded proactively to the changing water supply situation. You have become much more water aware and invested heavily in fixing leaks, saving and using rainwater and grey water, using less water for flushing toilets, showering, and gardening, and finding other innovative ways to conserve our most precious resource.

So today, as we approach World Water Day on March 22, our Board is asking for all of you to move forward with us on an integrated approach to managing our water supply, that includes expanding new sources and conservation initiatives and optimizing the way we manage our water systems.

In the coming months, the SCRD will actively engage with you on our water projects to hear your thoughts and to ensure that you all have an opportunity to play a part in the future of our water systems. We will be hosting Let’s Talk Water Forums this Spring, and engaging with you on our water management and water supply plans in the Fall.

I ask that all of you stay informed and get involved as we move forward together to meet our water challenges head on.

NEW SOURCES CHURCH ROAD WELL FIELD

The Church Road well field in Granthams Landin consists of two production wells to recover drinkin water, and one monitoring well to measure aquife sustainability. The well field will provide water to t Granthams, Soames and Chapman water system Once the water licence is obtained, construction of the pump station, treatment plant, water mains and an additional monitoring well can begin, with anticipated completion in 2022. www.scrd.ca/ church-road-well

GRAY CREEK TREATMENT

After two rounds of exploratory drilling for ground near Gray Creek, it was determined that upgradin the treatment systems for the existing surface wa infrastructure was a better option. Treating surfac water will ensure Gray Creek can be used throug the summer. Initial design work and watershed modelling will begin in 2021, with potential projec completion in 2024 or 2025.

LANGDALE WELL FIELD In Langdale, there is currently one refurbished we pump up more groundwater in a sustainable man SCRD will drill two additional production wells, co to connect the Langdale and Chapman water sys application. Project completion could be as soon water-investigation.

MARYANNE WEST PARK WELL FIELD

A 2020 test well at Maryanne West Park indicated field. This aquifer in this area is currently being us well and Church Road well field, and also by the monitoring will determine whether a new well field sustainable manner.

RAW WATER RESERVOIRS

Raw water reservoirs allow the SCRD to store wa periods of drought. The SCRD identified a preferr through a feasibility study of the entire Chapman in 2021 will support the reservoir design and upda excavated material may have potential resale val

CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROG

Lori Pratt SCRD Board Chair Director, Halfmoon Bay

Throughout the year, the SCRD carries out educa water conservation. In 2021, this will include seve events and educational video series, the “Pledge accommodation sector, and resources like the “W

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 9

WATER CONSERVATION REGULATIONS

Water conservation regulations are part of the SCRD’s Drought Response Plan. They are the primary tool for minimizing impacts to our water supply caused by summer drought.

The regulations prioritize water for human health, fire protection, and Environmental Flow Needs. www.scrd.ca/sprinklingregulations.

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RAINWATER HARVESTING REBATE

The SCRD offers rebates to SCRD water users installing rainwater harvesting systems.

Two rebates are available for 4,500 litres ($500) or for 9,000 litres ($1,000) of storage capacity. Pre-application is required. www. scrd.ca/rainwater

s,

WATER METERING PROGRAM Water metering promotes water conservation, helps with early leak detection, can offset new infrastructure costs, and offers opportunities for fairer billing. Properties with water meters can access their monthly water use data through the SCRD’s online portal. Water meters have been installed on all properties serviced by the SCRD, with the exception of most properties in the Sechelt area where installations are scheduled to begin in late 2021, subject to community support for a loan to complete this project. www.scrd.ca/water-metering

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ell, and in 2020, the potential to nner was identified. In 2021, the omplete the engineering design stems and submit a water licence as 2024. www.scrd.ca/ground-

d it is a suitable site for a well sed by the SCRD on Chaster Town of Gibsons’ wells. Further d at this site can be developed in a

ater when it rains for use during red site for a raw water reservoir watershed. Geotechnical drilling ated project cost estimates. The lue. www.scrd.ca/reservoir.

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OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS WATER BYLAWS REVIEW

The Water Rates and Regulations Bylaw is scheduled for review as it is outdated. The proposed bylaw amendments will aim to reduce the impacts on water demand from new developments and promote conservation and will be presented to the public for input.

ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW NEEDS UPDATE

Chapman Creek Environmental Flow Needs protects the ecosystem. In the summer, the SCRD releases water from Chapman and Edwards Lakes to ensure Chapman Creek flows beyond a minimum rate. A study is underway to determine if reduced creek flow can sustain the natural ecosystem.

WATER MAIN UPGRADES

Each year, the SCRD plans, designs and constructs water mains. These projects replace old and undersized water mains and increase efficiency. The project goals are to improve water quality and access to water for fire protection, and reduce the risk of leaks.

SAFETY AND RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Continuous water system improvements include dam safety and communication upgrades, replacing gaseous chlorine treatment with safer and simpler salt-based treatment, and implementing new tools for identifying water main leaks to enhance existing monitoring.

RAMS

ation and engagement programs about eral “Let’s Talk Water” public engagement to Reduce Your Use” campaign for the Water-wise Plant Guide”.

For more information: www.scrd.ca/water

10

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

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HOME & GARDEN

Renovation trends for the year ahead

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Home renovation trends are ever-changing. Renovations that might have been de rigueur 20 years ago may seem dated now. Recognizing the potentially popular trends of tomorrow is a great way for homeowners to give their homes a fresh new look and put themselves in position to capitalize on popular trends when they put their homes on the market. That’s especially so after 2020, a year when millions of people spent more time at home than ever before.

The following are some renovation trends that various experts suspect could emerge in 2021.

• Eco-friendly living: Climate change, and how to combat it, is an increasingly important issue, so it should come as no surprise that urdesignmag.com, a web magazine that showcases creative trends in design, architecture, art, technology, and fashion,

predicts that eco-friendly living solutions figure to be hot commodities in 2021.

Eco-friendly appliances, furniture and designs can help to conserve energy and reduce waste.

• Large windows: Large windows can provide stunning views of the outdoors and allow ample natural light into a home. It may not be a coincidence if large windows prove to be a hot trend in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to spend considerably more time at home, and darker homes without much natural light can adversely affect mood. HGTV predicts that homeowners will seek ways to bring more natural light into their homes in 2021, and large windows naturally brighten homes while making rooms appear bigger, helping people feel less cramped.

• Minimalism: The anticipated popularity of mini-

malism in 2021 may also be connected to the pandemic.

As professionals were forced to work from home and many families spent more time together inside their homes than ever before, they may have recognized a need to cut back on clutter, including extra furniture. A minimalist approach is both simple and clean, which can make homes feel less claustrophobic.

• Multi-functional spaces: Homeowners asked a lot of their homes in 2020, as rooms were transformed into multi-functional spaces seemingly overnight. HGTV notes that spending more time at home showed homeowners that it might not make sense to dedicate entire rooms of a home to a single purpose. Renovations that can help homeowners transform rooms into multi-functional spaces figure to be hot commodities in the years ahead. Metro Creative

A new BC Hydro report finds while COVID-19 caused home renovations to spike, about 20 percent of BC homeowners regret their choices because they focussed on aesthetics instead of increasing their home’s value.

The report titled ‘Room for improvement: Why British Columbians are experiencing renovation regret after making home upgrades’ finds over half of BC homeowners have completed a renovation since the pandemic began because they are spending more time at home. Improving aesthetics (35 percent), comfort (29 percent), having more free time to finally make changes

(10 percent) and saving energy (10 percent) were the primary motivators for the improvements.

While many are happy with the outcome, there are some that would do things differently given another chance – particularly those that did the renos themselves. More than half of DIYers would change some of their choices. When it comes to past decisions, BC homeowners’ top regrets include bathroom and kitchen renos followed by flooring changes. At the root of these regrets was the wish they had used different products, spent more time planning or invested the money to do the reno-

vation they really wanted.

Adding to this is the focus on aesthetics, which about 60 percent of BC homeowners think will increase the resale value of their home. However, these changes do not necessarily increase or maintain the value of a home long-term.

Maintaining worth depends heavily on energy-saving and maintenance upgrades such as updating the heating/cooling system and replacing windows, doors and roofing.

Despite some past regrets, BC homeowners are not slowing down this year. More than 40 percent are planning a renovation or home improvement project this spring.

Submitted by BC Hydro

Renovation regrets for BC homeowners

LAND ACT: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land

Take notice that Canadian Scholars Institute Inc from Sechelt, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNROD), Surrey for an Adventure Tourism License situated on Provincial Crown land located at unsurveyed crown land in the vicinity of Sechelt inlets marine park - piper point site together with unsurveyed crown foreshore and land covered by water being part of the bed of Sechelt inlet.

The Lands File Number for this application is 2412422. Comments on this application may be submitted in two ways:

Lawnmowers Wheelbarrows • BBQ’s • Patio Heaters Gardening Supplies • Fertilizer Composters & much more!

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1) Online via the Applications and Reasons for Decision Database website at: https://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/applications.

2) By mail to the Senior Land Officer at 200 –10428 153rd Street, Surrey, BC V3R 1E1.

Comments will be received by the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations until April 11, 2021. Comments received after this date may not be considered.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. For information, contact Information Access Operations at the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services in Victoria at: www.gov.bc.ca/citz/iao/.

Local

the

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 11

HOME & GARDEN

Your local window factory

How to address moss in the lawn Lawn care can be a labour of love. Maintaining a pristine lawn is no small task, but it’s one that many homeowners proudly take on, knowing that all the hard work and time spent outside on sunny summer afternoons is well worth the sweat equity.

After putting in so much effort to create a lush, green lawn, it’s understandable if homeowners react with disbelief when something threatens the health of their turf. Moss is one such threat.

Recognizing the threat moss poses is the first step to corralling it before it overtakes a lawn.

Explaining moss Moss can be especially menacing because its green appearance allows it to blend

in with grass rather easily.

As moss spreads, it becomes more noticeable. According to the turf care experts at Scotts®, moss is a plant with shallow roots that spreads by spores and root-like structures called rhizoids. Moss is opportunistic, and it will grow where turfgrass is thin and weak. However, moss does not kill the grass. Rather, the conditions that promote the growth of moss can kill the grass. Such conditions may include compacted soil or excessive thatch, acidic or infertile soil, excessive shade, and insufficient or excessive watering.

How can moss be controlled?

Penn State Extension notes that the first step to con-

Certain conditions, such as compacted soil or moisture, can allow moss to grow where turfgrass is struggling. METRO CREATIVE PHOTO

trolling moss is to test the soil. Soil test kits are inexpensive and available at most home renovation stores. Test results will reveal if the soil is lacking nutrients or if lime needs to be applied and when to apply it. Such a report will also indicate when to fertilize the lawn, which can help restore the turfgrass, so it’s more capable of competing with the moss.

If the underlying cause of moss is shade and/or moisture in the yard, homeowners can speak with landscaping professionals to discuss their options. Replacing existing turf with one that is well-suited to shade and/or moisture may prevent mould from overtaking the lawn in the future. Penn State Extension notes that some turfgrasses may be best-adapted to shaded, well-drained soils, while others may be more likely to thrive in shaded, moist soils.

A local landscaping professional can help homeowners find a turf that will not only thrive in the conditions in their yards but also in their local climates.

Moss can quickly take advantage of conditions that make it difficult for turfgrass to grow. Homeowners who recognize that moss is overtaking their lawn can address it in various ways.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the variant strains, the Local Weekly staff have requested a work-at-home environment to protect themselves and their families.

THE OFFICE LOCATION AT #213-5710 Teredo Street IS NOW CLOSED. Ad payments will now be accepted by credit card, email transfers, and cheques.

Our Address is: PO Box 494, Sechelt BC V0N 3A0 Our phone number remains the same: 604-885-3134, and our email addresses will also remain the same.

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

The Brynildsen family Mattie-Marie Hammer and Brynild Brynildsen were part of the original group of Norwegian settlers who arrived in Bella Coola in the late 1890s and were given land

Tip of the Week: Spring Equinox has officially arrived. Of course, this arrival is due to the travels of our own planet in its eternal orbit around the Sun. Right on time as ever, we arrive at that place when the hours of day and night are equal.

What makes this entire event and process of reality so interesting is that our collective perceptual experience knows nothing of this cyclic event with our planet travelling an average of 30 km/second or 67,000 km/ hour! Compare this to an average bullet which travels about 854 meters/second or 3070meters/hour, which amounts to our planet travelling 21,824 times faster than a fired bullet. How truly feeble we are compared to the powers of nature.

The Sun enters Aries on March 20, followed by Venus on the 22nd. Combined with Mars in Gemini and other factors, we can expect angry, temper outbursts, and aggression on the social and political scene as politicians make decisions that fly in the face of readily available facts. Although nature is ever in charge, the maneuverings of power for supremacy are ever on the march.

Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 19) Sun and Venus entering Aries now will ignite your passions. These events will lead you to the next level of industry. Mars in Gemini suggests that you have already begun to attend to things on a variety of fronts.

Expressions of or foundations to reveal beauty will prove especially attractive.

In the bigger picture, a push for freedom and democracy will become evident.

Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20) A busy cycle begins with emphasis on activities inside and out. The inside job could refer to getting in the dark corners, a la spring cleaning, but it can also include more emotional and psychological themes of focus. The Sun in Aries in your solar 12th house, the domain of the subconscious mind presents an opportunity to plant powerful seeds of belief, intention and desire.

grants by the BC Government to start a colony. Soon after arriving in Bella Coola, they got married and started a family, and by 1913 they had six children.

Brynild was very entrepreneurial. He owned the B. Brynildsen and Company general store in Bella Coola, the Bella Coola Colonist newspaper, the Palmer Hotel, and was also very active politically. In the early 1900s,

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Mars in your sign will get a big extra boost as the Sun and Venus enters Aries, then again when Mercury follows suit on April 4. Altogether, these will spark a revolutionary impulse within you. You may even be surprised yourself with circumstances and perhaps new Intel prompting you to take a 180-degree turn.

However, the greater measure of this may be delayed until Mercury enters Aries.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Aries time is traditionally an extra strong go-ahead cycle for you, especially in terms of your public life and career. However, Mars in Gemini might steer you away from the crowd this year. Still, you may be interested in new tools and techniques even if implementing them comes later. With Mercury slowly strolling through Pisces, you may crave peace and quiet more than usual.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23) The Sun in Aries forms a natural, creatively inspirational trine to your sign.

This will synchronize with a boost of confidence to increase your outreach and scope of influence. Naturally, this will increase your popularity somehow.

Whether this manifests as fame or infamy depends on the quality of your participation. Positively, you have entered an expansive and exciting cycle!

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 22) Last week’s New Moon is activating new relationship involvements. By now, these are entering a decisive phase. Mars in Gemini indicates that you could be accessing new knowledge via a special training series or you may even be one giving it. Balancing creative aspiration with factual and usable knowledge is featured.

Either way, exercise your beginner’s mind and your willingness to learn.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) The Sun in Aries activates your relationship life. Other factors indicate that it will trigger themes of freedom.

Freedom from whom or what is for you to decide but you will feel it. Freedom for ill health or toxic lifestyle habits is quite possible. Even wheat and refined sugar in your diet may be deemed toxic. This impulse toward new or reactivated relationship involvement will increase.

he even devised a scheme for issuing tokens as a form of legal tender for use by the fur traders, miners and prospectors who stocked up with supplies at his store.

Sometime in the late 1920s, the Brynildsens decided to move to Pender Harbour.

They bought a large block of land at the head of Garden Bay from Henry Darling, who owned most of the land in that area. No one is quite sure

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The recent New Moon sowed a seed of creative possibility. The Sun entering Aries adds to this now germinating event with an increase of will and resolve.

Yet, you may have to give more than you would like.

This is one of those moments when you may feel challenged to discern between what constitutes the higher and the lower road.

Feel the fear to work with the changes rolling in.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Epic times call for epic choices and actions. The Sun in Aries brings a sporting attitude to the fore and Mars in Gemini represents the challenge. It includes seeing through fogs of confusion and possibly of apathy, escapism, denial and perhaps misguided knowledge. This is a call to engage in creative and critical thinking which includes opening your mind to multiple sources of information.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Circumstances are leading you to make extra efforts. Directing your energy towards beautifying your home may prove especially inspiring. Thanks to waves of imaginative thinking that continue to roll in, you may be able to see things from entirely new perspectives.

Your sights remain set on the future and you know you have to commit and this includes paying your dues.

Do you know what they are?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) The Aries impulse is activating your drive for more knowledge. Interests in speculation, investments and gambling are spiking on the graph currently. At worst, you may feel a little overwhelmed by the many changes unfolding in the world, in part due to their magnitude and velocity.

Especially due to the Pisces influence, make efforts to meditate and avoid indulging in overactive imagination.

Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) The New Moon in your sign is sure to have an activating effect. Expect it to synchronize with new initiatives and perhaps on a variety of fronts. Financial themes may prove especially strong for the next several weeks so give them their due. Mars in Gemini is leading you to dig deep into your treasure trove of talents and lay full claim to them. Mercury in Pisces will actually help. michael@sunstarastrology.com

why they chose Garden Bay or the reason for this move, but most probably, Brynild saw an opportunity to expand his business interests.

By 1928 the Brynildsens had built a house, a café, badminton courts and the Garden Bay Store on their waterfront property. The large store was built on the narrow isthmus at the head of the bay (the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club outstation now occupies this site). But, unfortunately, as the entrance faced into Garden Bay, it didn’t do very well as most of the local population lived on the other side and had to travel around Garden Peninsula by boat to get there.

In the early 1930s, the Brynildsen’s house was converted into the Garden Bay Hotel (the current Garden Bay Hotel still occupies this

site). Oddly enough, it was one of the few hotels in BC that had no guest rooms attached. The first application for a beer licence for the hotel appeared in the October 22, 1932 issue of the Vancouver Sun under the name of the Brynildsen’s eldest son, Birger.

Brynild Brynildsen was a hard-working man of many talents. As well as building his home, store and café, he also built what Robert Ripley described in his “Believe It Or Not” feature as the “shortest government-owned road in the world.” It ran along the northeast side of the lagoon from his store to the government wharf in Hospital Bay and was less than 100 yards long. He also created many trails through the neighbourhood and to the nearby lakes, organized teams for softball

and other games and taught the locals how to play ice hockey on Garden Bay Lake.

In 1930 the logging and fishing community in Pender Harbour decided that a hospital needed to be built in the area, and Brynild Brynildsen has been credited with donating several acres of his land upon which the hospital was to be built. However, the land Brynildsen had so kindly donated was actually on the adjoining property, which still belonged to Henry Darling. When Darling realized what the community was trying to accomplish, he relented and deeded the land for the first St. Mary’s Hospital.

The Brynildsen family remained in Garden Bay until the mid-1930s when they sold up and moved back to Bella Coola.

The Pender Harbour Living Heritage Society recently had the opportunity to borrow and scan a Brynildsen family photograph album. These photographs provide a fascinating glimpse into the family’s life in both Bella Coola and Pender Harbour. The photo above is a view of the Brynildsen’s café and home in Garden Bay, with the badminton courts in the foreground.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Time change Canadians have been changing their clocks in the fall and summer for around 100 years. While Daylight Savings Time is supposed to save energy, there’s little evidence that this goal is actually achieved.

The current plan being discussed in the media for British Columbians, Yukoners, Californians, Oregonians, and Washingtonians is to fall back one more time (this fall) and then maintain Pacific Standard Time. While Canadian provinces are free to make their own decisions regarding Daylight Savings Time, it’s a federal matter in the US and states opting out require congressional approval.

There have been numerous studies done on the effects of Daylight Savings Time; here are five negative

side effects that you may be currently experiencing: 1. Dangerous or fatal for pedestrians. According to a study out of the US, you are three times more likely to be hit by a car than normal after the clocks spring forward. It explains that drivers’ brains don’t immediately adjust to the time change, and they don’t automatically drive more cautiously to account for the lower light conditions in the morning.

2. Never truly adjusting.

Humans, like other animals, are seasonal creatures concerning birth rates and mortality. Another study found that Daylight Savings Time severely affects our seasonal timing and claims that our bodies never fully adjust to the hour change forward and back.

3. Melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies produce when the sun goes down that triggers getting sleepy. More daylight can make it harder to fall asleep at your normal time. Experts say a low-dose melatonin supplement can help “syn-

chronize” your sleep clock.

4. Heart attack. Springing forward (losing an hour of sleep) can increase your risk of a heart attack. A CBC article from 2015 claimed a 10 percent higher risk for a heart attack in the 48 hours following the change.

Falling back has the reverse effect and a 10 percent lower risk over the same period.

5. Foggy thinking. Losing an hour of sleep can have a big impact on our ability to think clearly. Research has shown that “springing forward” causes decreases in performance, concentration and memory common to sleep-deprived individuals.

These effects are greater on night owls, who can take up to three weeks to adjust to the time change, so be aware and take care as you adjust, especially when driving in the morning!

Tony Browton is an award-winning realtor who lives and works on BC’s Sunshine Coast. His weekly blog can be found at www. truebluerealty.ca/blog.

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 13

SCRD and union ratify four-year collective agreement The board of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and Unifor Local 466 negotiating committee announced that an agreement has been ratified between the SCRD and Unifor Local 466.

The four-year agreement is effective from Jan. 1, 2020, and was ratified by the union on March 5 and at the SCRD board meeting on March 11.

“I want to recognize the great, collaborative work that has gone into reaching this agreement by both staff at the SCRD and representatives for Unifor Local 466,” says Lori Pratt, SCRD board chair. “This agreement demonstrates the value that we place on our employees as we continue to work to provide exceptional service to residents within

the SCRD.” Some highlights from the agreement include: • The formation of joint committees to promote more collaborative process on emerging workplace issues such as telecommuting, job sharing, and the utilization of casual employees.

• New provisions around scheduling to enable staff

and management to mutually agree on flexible time management throughout the workweek.

• Increases for all wage bands as follows: Jan. 1, 2020, 2 percent Jan. 1, 2021, 2 percent Jan. 1, 2022, 2.25 percent Jan. 1, 2023, 2.5 percent In addition to the above, a 0.15 percent one-time lump

sum payment will be provided to unionized employees next year outside of general wages.

“I’d like to thank both bargaining teams for their commitment to a successful outcome,” says Bryce Viitanen, vice-president of Local 466 and the union’s chief spokesperson. “I’m very happy to have reached an agreement that recognizes the excellent work our members perform

BC SPCA seeks help caring for 119 small dogs surrendered into care The BC SPCA is caring for 119 small dogs surrendered into care from a property near Fort Nelson on March 12.

“The owners found themselves in an overwhelming situation and reached out for help,” says Marcie Moriarty, chief enforcement and prevention officer for the BC SPCA. “They did the right thing in asking for assistance, and the SPCA was happy to support them.”

The mix-breed dogs included Terriers, Shih Tzus, Papillions and other smallbreed crosses.

Moriarty says there is no evidence that the individu-

als were breeding dogs for sale, and no animal cruelty charges are being recommended in the case at this time.

The 103 adult dogs and 16 puppies were transferred to BC SPCA facilities in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek for initial intake, assessment and treatment. “Our staff in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek did an outstanding job in caring for this unexpected surge of animals – they worked around the clock to ensure the animals had everything they needed,” says Moriarty. “The dogs are now being moved to other SPCA loca-

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Moriarty says the SPCA provided grooming and nail trims for the dogs, many of whom were severely matted, and has begun treatment for dental issues, hernias, nose abrasions, eye issues, nutritional needs and other concerns. Some of the surrendered dogs are pregnant, and many of them are fearful of human handling and will require ongoing behavioural support.

“We initially were prepared for the surrender of 22 dogs as this was the number given by the owners,”

says Moriarty. “But as the numbers crept up, it was incredible to see our constable on site think creatively and how the fire department and RCMP rallied, even sourcing out additional crates and transporting dogs in fire trucks so that no dog was left behind. I can’t think of a case in recent memory that comes close to this one.”

Moriarty says the BC SPCA is hoping animal lovers will rally to help with the ongoing care the dogs will require.

“Managing an unexpected intake of 119 dogs has put a huge strain on our financial resources and, as a non-prof-

it organization, we are very grateful for the public’s support,” she says. “In the first three days, veterinary costs

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The dogs are not currently available for adoption, but people can check spca.bc.ca/ adopt for updates.

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every day.”

Due to a considerable amount of change to the language contained in the agreement, both parties have agreed to consolidate old and new language to form an updated collective agreement.

Once this has been completed, the new collective agreement will be sent to the BC Labour Relations board.

Submitted by SCRD / Unifor466

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The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021

Local SERVICES, RESTAURANTS, RESORTS, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC

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This month marks the one-year point of the global pandemic that impacted our lives in many challenging ways. Reflecting on all the changes we have been forced to go through, I feel tremendous gratitude for how well our library staff, patrons and community have persevered. It is always of great interest to me which books our community most gravitate to from one year to another. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was a popular patron and staff pick for 2020, with Greenwood by Michael Christie also being a contender.

In addition to these new titles, I noticed high circulation of Viktor Frankl’s classic Man’s Search for Meaning. If ever there was a book to guide us through these tough times, it is this tribute to and exploration of the power of perspective. One of many poignant quotes in the book is, “When we are

no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves” – fitting words for our times.

As we continue to forge ahead, the library is here for you; we strive to find you the very best possible resources for your lifelong learning, development, and entertainment. For Spring Break, we have built on the popularity of our steam kits and are offering great Take & Make kits. The Take & Make kits are available while supplies last, one per card. We’d love to see what you make! Take a picture of your creation and post them to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram #gibsonslibrary.

Virtual Storytime continues to roll out every Thursday, and we continue to offer via zoom Teen, Tween and Adult book clubs, Conversational Language groups, Open Microphone Nights, Movie Club, Lecture Series and more. To learn more about library events, check our website (https:// gibsons.bc.libraries.coop), sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @gibsonslibrary.

Due to current BC health orders, please contact local event coordinators to confirm events.

Thursday, March 18 • St. Bart’s Food Bank Fundraising Auction, over 40 items for sale, bidding goes to March 21, www.32auctions.com/ StBartsFoodbank • 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 – Marsh Land, $45, 10:30am-12:30pm/1:30-3:30pm, CREATE, 6538 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Sechelt, 604-989-3345 · Createsechelt@telus. net · www.createbykaren.ca • Kids magic show with Lippy the magician, Sechelt Library Run via Zoom, 2-2:30pm, call 604-885-3260 to register, details at sechelt.bc.libraries.coop/calendar • Coastmasters Toastmasters monthly Zoom meeting with speaker Kay Wotton on Social Determinants of Health, 6:30-8pm, details at gibsons.bc.libraries.coop/event

Friday, March 19

• Spring Break Program: Kids Yoga Class via Zoom (Ages 2-5 at 10:30-11am – Ages 6-10 at 11:30am-noon) with Yogi Julie Morgan, call 604-885-3260 to register, details at sechelt.bc.libraries.coop/event • Art Exhibition: Diversity in Clay (March 19 to April 18), new work by Sunshine Coast artists working in ceramics and clay, 12-4pm, Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, 5714 Medusa St., Sechelt, sunshinecoastartscouncil.com/ diversity-in-clay • Income Tax Clinic – a free tax clinic for eligible clients, 12:30-4:30pm, registration required, call Gibsons Library at 604-886-2130 to book an appointment • Genealogy Tutoring with Teresa, Sechelt Library, Fridays 1:30-2:30pm and Mondays 12:30-1:30pm, call 604-885-3260 for an appointment • Spanish Café via Zoom, improve your Spanish skills in a friendly atmosphere, 4-5pm, sign up in Sechelt Library or by phone 604-885-3260 • Write Together on Zoom with author Megan Cole (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), 4-5pm, details at prpl.ca/ explore/calendar/ • Painting Music – One-Page Score, 3-day workshop on graphic notation, details at laboratorioartssociety. wordpress.com • Live Music: Joe Stanton, The Clubhouse Restaurant– Pender Harbour Golf Club, 5-8pm, 604-883-9542 to reserve a table • 11th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest, pick up your bridge kits at one of 10 businesses on the Coast and get building, details at the SC Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest on Facebook

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• Beth Hawthorn Ceramics Open Studio Sale: Saturday only, 11am-4pm, 1551 Lockyer Rd, Roberts Creek, 604-8855324, www.facebook.com/beth.hawthorn.ceramics/

Sunday, March 21

• Diversity in Clay exhibition: Meet the Artists, online, 2-4:30pm, pre-registration required at www.eventbrite.ca/e/142965502667 • Live Music: Patricia Burnett, The Clubhouse Restaurant– Pender Harbour Golf Club, 2-5pm, 604-883-9542 to reserve a table • Free webinar: Gardening for Wildlife with Harry Hill, go to coastbotanicalgarden.org/upcoming-events/ to find registration details

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Scratching post theft On March 9, a business in the 5700 block of Cowrie Street, Sechelt, reported a theft after a male suspect entered the store, picked up a cat-scratching post and ran out of the premises without paying for it.

The suspect, who is de-

scribed as a six-foot male, approximately 40 years old with a heavy build and sandy hair, was wearing a black hat, sweater, pants, and mask. Police are reviewing security video footage.

Submitted by RCMP

The Local - Thursday, March 18, 2021 15

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30. Shout of approval 32. Diffident 34. Patriotic 35. Efface 36. Left-hand page 38. Shoestrings 41. Reddish-brown dye 44. Cacophony 46. Tardy 47. Unpaid overdue debt 49. Steel support beam 51. Woven container 53. Acclaim 55. Cravat 56. Analyze a sentence syntactically 58. Hardy cabbage 60. Sob 61. Health spring 62. Embrocate 63. Allow 64. Frozen water 66. Swindle

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On March 15 at around 4am, three youths were witnessed attempting to kick open a window at a business in the 1000 block of Gibsons Way, Gibsons, before being scared off by a passerby. The suspects, which included a female who appeared to be recording the group, appear to be involved in a number of mischief incidents around upper Gibsons, including damage to bus shelters, a park bench, and a fuse box at another business in the area.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact RCMP, reference police file 20211620.

Submitted by RCMP

ACROSS

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