The Local Weekly March 4, 2021

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Volume 19, Issue 09

Sunshine Coast, British Columbia • www.thelocalweekly.ca • Thursday, March 4, 2021 Bypass Study Coming Page 5

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The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

Gibsons welcomes housing tenants

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Packages containing community information and small gifts have been assembled by the Town of Gibsons for the individuals moving into the School Road Supportive Housing project. Representatives of BC Housing (BCH), the project’s developing partner, noted that this is the first community to have taken this action since it began work on the Province’s 2018 plan to create more housing options for individuals facing the risk of homelessness.

The packages contain background on area resources, including the Gibsons Library, the Public Market, Nicholas Sontag Marine Education Centre, School District #46 and the Salvation Army. Complimentary one-year memberships to the Gibsons Art Gallery and the Marine Education Centre are part of the

package, as well a shopping bags, basic supplies and gift cards from local merchants.

Also included are letters of welcome to the new residents from Mayor Beamish, MLA Nicholas Simons and MP Patrick Weiler.

Beamish said when he spoke with others in the community about the idea, “it just kind of snowballed.”

The packages are now ready for tenants as they move in.

Beamish is hopeful that they will help the individuals transition into becoming Gibsons residents.

Beamish reported on this initiative and a recent tour of the facility for local elected officials at the SCRD board meeting on Feb. 26. As of that date, BCH was still working on finalizing arrangements for tenants to move into the location.

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The School Road project was created on Town-owned land with money from the Building BC - Supportive Housing Fund. That program will be investing $1.2 billion over 10 years to create 2,500 new homes, complete with full-time on-site support services for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

Projects have been approved for construction in Sooke, Vancouver, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Penticton, Sechelt and Powell River as well as other communities.

Connie Jordison Sunshine Coast RCMP took part in Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 24, standing against bullying by wearing pink shirts. Constable McDougall, Indigenous Liaison and Constable Hall, Youth Liaison attended various schools throughout the Sunshine Coast and visited the shíshálh Nation and participated in anti-bullying activities. Sunshine Coast Police Officers also showed support while attending calls by wearing pink shirts. SC RCMP PHOTO

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British Columbia COVID-19 vaccine plan Phase 2 details More than 400,000 people in the province will be immunized from March to early April as the province moves into Phase 2 of its four-step plan in the largest immunization rollout in BC’s history.

First-dose immunizations have already begun for those living and working in independent living centres and seniors’ supportive housing, as well as home-care support clients and staff. Health authorities will directly contact those in this priority group to book appointments, so there’s no need to call.

Starting on Monday, March 15, COVID-19 vaccination clinics will open to eligible seniors. People 80 years of

age and older, and Indigenous people 65 years of age and older, will be eligible to be vaccinated. According to Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), most vaccination clinics will be open seven days a week.

An appointment booking toll-free phone line will begin operating on Monday, March 8, from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week. Those eligible can book their appointment by age group by calling 1-877-587-5767. Immunization clinic locations will be confirmed at the time of booking.

VCH is asking people, before calling the phone line, to have a pen and paper, their personal health number, full

name, date of birth, postal code, and a phone number available.

In mid-April, Phase 3 will begin mass vaccination of people aged 79 to 60 years, and people aged 16+ who are extremely clinically vulnerable, at community immunization clinics throughout BC. Mobile clinics will be available in some rural communities and for people who are homebound due to mobility issues. In Phase 3, British Columbians will register and book their appointments to receive their first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine through an online registration tool. People born between 1942 and 1946 (ages 79-75), and Indige-

nous peoples born between the years of 1956 and 1960 (ages 64-60), will be able to register for an appointment online or by phone by March 31.

“We can now see the light at the end of what has been a difficult and challenging time for us all. To get us through, we need to continue to work together and support each other,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at a news conference on Monday.

“We are working hard each

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021 3

and every day to make sure that everyone who wants a vaccine gets one, and my new provincial health officer order significantly expands the range of health professions and occupations who can support our immunization clinics, including dentists, midwives, pharmacy technicians, paramedics, firefighters and retired nurses.”

Dr. Henry also announced that BC is extending the timeline between the first and second doses of all three vaccines to free up doses for younger age groups earlier.

“The important thing that we have learned is that these vaccines work, they give a very high level of protection, and that protection lasts for many months,” said Henry. “As a result, we are now extending the interval between our first dose and the second booster dose of the vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, as well as the AstraZeneca vaccine, to four months or 16 weeks.”

Every eligible adult in the province should receive their first dose of a vaccine by July.

The Local

SCRD engages residents on 2021 budget plans Presenter panels, opportunities for questions, and pop quizzes testing directors’ knowledge were included in SCRD online public engagement events on its 2021 proposed budget. Sessions for the SCRDs rural areas were hosted on Feb. 22 and 26.

The focus of the three sessions was a draft operations budget of $48.7 million and proposals to spend just over $29 million on capital projects this year. The initial session was handled by Chair and Area B Director Lori Pratt, with the assistance of Dean McKinley, chief administrative officer, and Manager of Communications and Engagement Aidan Buckley.

Pratt and McKinley are slated to deliver a similar presentation to the Town of Gibsons at its March 2 council meeting and at a Sechelt council meeting on March 3. The public was invited to participate in the sessions through the Zoom meeting platform or via YouTube. Video of each of the sessions will remain available on the SCRDs YouTube channel until budget adoption.

McKinley and Buckley assisted directors at the two rural area focused sessions on Feb. 26. A morning session was arranged for residents of the Pender Harbour and Egmont area. It was hosted by that area’s Director Leonard Lee. Lee included community organizations as panellists in his one-hour presentation and discussion event.

Directors for the three rural areas south of Sechelt teamed up for a joint information session on the evening of Feb. 26. With a Friday evening time slot, Directors Andreas Tize (Area D Roberts Creek), Donna McMahon (Area E Elphinstone) and Mark Hiltz (Area F West Howe Sound) drew a slightly smaller “live” crowd than the other sessions. They upped the entertainment quotient of their event with a director’s pop quiz on little-known facts about the SCRD. McMa-

hon correctly identified the obscure information nugget that the “health” function of regional operations covers the management of the SCRDs two cemeteries, located in Kleindale and Roberts Creek.

In each rural area session, questions related to ever-increasing taxation levels were posed. Hiltz summed up the SCRDs financial position as one that is faced with past, present and future challenges. “Right now, we are catching up from the past, repairing for the present and making decisions to lead to the future,” said Hiltz. McMahon chimed in on those challenges and the impacts that not addressing infrastructure issues in past years is having on current budgets. The example she used was the current level of spending needed to plan for the landfill closure, replacement and the fact that there may be an interim period where solid waste will have to be taken off Coast.

McMahon’s observation was that the SCRD board is “10 years too late” on making and funding those plans.

Another observation made by public attendees at those sessions related to the 226 projects currently in the SCRDs 2021 draft capital plan. The wisdom of committing to such an ambitious list and the ability of the SCRD to

complete those undertakings was questioned. Lee noted that 109 things on that list were carry-over projects from previous years. Tize explained that many list items are simple purchases of vehicles or software and that the high number also includes multi-year projects.

The cost of recreation facilities and the fairness of taxpayer subsidization of those costs was an issue raised in each of the three rural area focused sessions. Directors agreed with public comments that some “out of the box thinking” needs to happen to address rising taxation levels. A key initiative that board members believe will help in this area is the focus on local government collaboration on the Coast. Examples of where assets and expertise in areas like playing field maintenance are being shared among jurisdictions were cited. There was also mention of the “Team Sunshine Coast” approach that is being used by the areas that make up the SCRD to have a stronger and more cohesive voice when advocating for assistance from senior governments.

The questions and responses raised during the engagement will be posted on the 2021 Budget FAQ sections of scrd.ca.

Connie Jordison

The BC Centre for Disease Control local COVID-19 numbers for Feb. 14 to 20 show one reported case on the Lower Sunshine Coast. BC CDC MAP

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SCRD draft operations budget.

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The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

Letters to the Editor – Opinions Women’s history For those who would like to know a bit of women’s history in preparation for International Women’s Day celebrations, I recommend Runaway Wives and Rogue Feminists by Margo Goodhand. It’s our uniquely Canadian story about women taking action to keep each other safe. The sections about women in BC will have some recognizable names for many readers. They are all around us, these women who did what needed to be done, usually without funding, protection, or approval.

Read this story about some of them and be proud of your sisters, as I am.

Donna Thomas, Gibsons

No logging in Gibsons Aquifer Recharge Zone

(Open letter to Stacey Gould, BC Timber Sales Manager) Our organization would like to comment on a series of BCTS blocks planned on the south-facing slopes of Mt. Elphinstone directly above the Town of Gibsons within the identified Gibsons Aquifer Recharge Zone. The largest block is TA0519 (to be sold 2023), with blocks to the west, TA0521 (to be sold 2020) and TA048 (to be sold 2022). We have valid concerns that roadbuilding and logging will have a negative impact on the hydrology of this recharge zone and thus conclude that these blocks must be removed and cancelled from future schedules.

The blocks have been previously commented on by the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), which raised similar concerns. Minutes from an April 2020 meeting copied below for review.

Staff Report to Planning and Community Development Committee - April 9, 2020 BC Timber Sales (BCTS) Operating Plan 2020-2024 Page 8 of 17 2020 April PCD Report BCTS Operating Plan 20202024.

“Logging on steep slopes, in headwaters areas, above developed communities adds to the existing identified risk of slope instability, flooding, debris flows and ravine instability. This risk increases again when it is coupled with the new normal of increased frequency of winter storms and increased intensity of rain events. Blocks such as T00519, which is the headwaters of Chaster Creek, on a steep slope above known hazardous areas, inherently adds risk and stormwater management responsibilities for downstream property owners, land managers and service providers. Staff’s understanding is that forest licensees are not required to manage stormwater beyond the cutblock. A 2019 Forest Practices Board report is quoted in a recent CBC news article as saying, “there is no legal requirement for licensees to consider downstream private property or road infrastructure.”

The Town of Gibsons has written to BCTS several times expressing concerns over logging in the Town’s

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main natural asset – it’s a world-renowned Aquifer. A past council applied for a Watershed Reserve status over the slopes of Mt. Elphinstone in hopes of controlling industrial activity in the mapped recharge zone – without success. They have spent a considerable amount of taxpayer dollars studying the dynamics of their aquifer to hopefully protect it from adverse impacts, such as logging.

See the quote below from the Town’s 2018 Aquifer mapping report that clearly points to the forested slopes where the blocks are planned as being essential areas for recharge functions.

“Three significant aquifer recharge mechanisms have been recognized for the Gibsons Aquifer. These include mountain block recharge, creek recharge, and recharge windows through the Capilano Alluvium. The environmental tracer study indicates that the Mt. Elphinstone mountain block potentially contributes 55 percent of the recharge to the Gibsons Aquifer. This recharge estimate will vary with climate and anticipated climate change thought to be caused by global warming. However, climate change predictions and potential effects on aquifer recharge are somewhat un-

Faulty economic thinking makes destroying nature profitable Everything we need to survive – food, water, air, shelter – comes from nature, of which we are a part.

Fuelled by the sun’s energy, this planet is amazing in its ability to replenish and recycle the basic elements of life.

Now people are outpacing Earth’s ability to maintain these essential services. Our economic systems not only ignore this unsustainable plunder, they encourage it.

That’s led to a 70 percent decline in mammal, bird, fish, reptile and amphibian populations over the past 50 years. One million plant and animal species – one-quarter of the global total – now face extinction.

A big part of the problem is that destroying nature is more profitable than protecting it, and tools such as gross domestic product are not fit for assessing real economic health. GDP is “based on a faulty application of economics,” according to an independent review on the economics of biodiversity by University of Cambridge professor Sir Partha Dasgupta.

“Truly sustainable economic growth and development means recognizing

certain and can only be quantified by long-term monitoring trends and assessment of cause-and-effect response in the aquifer.”

Please advise if any further developments have taken place with our Regional District’s request to select, based on their own criteria, a hydrologist to examine this logging proposal. Maintaining the natural conditions of the recharge zone has a higher long-term value to the residents of Gibsons than short-

term timber revenues that benefit private contractors.

Based on the above concerns, ELF calls for BCTS to remove these blocks from the Gibsons Recharge Zone, and the Ministry of Environment call for them to be included in the Town of Gibsons “Aquifer Groundwater Protection Zone.” Without a fully functioning, intact recharging zone, an aquifer is compromised.

I look forward to receiving an acknowledgment that

your office has received this letter, along with feedback to the issues raised.

Ross Muirhead, ELF: Forest Campaigner

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.

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Science Matters that our long-term prosperity relies on rebalancing our demand of Nature’s goods and services with its capacity to supply them,” Dasgupta argues. The 600-page report, commissioned by the UK treasury to help set the agenda for its government’s 25-year environment plan, notes it would take at least 1.6 Earths to maintain our current lifestyles.

GDP measures production but does not account for damage to or loss of essential natural services.

Capital produced by industrial development is measured as positive, but the consequent loss of natural systems that absorb carbon, purify water and air, provide habitat for pollinators, prevent soil erosion and more aren’t counted, regardless of the costs to everything from human health to water and food supplies.

Between 1992 and 2014, produced capital per person doubled, but “natural capital” stock per person declined by nearly 40 percent, according to the University of Cambridge. GDP measures that as “positive growth,” indicating a thriving economy. Because of this outdated and backwards economic paradigm, governments worldwide subsidize activities that damage nature by at least US$6 trillion a year.

This puts economies, livelihoods and well-being at risk. “Nature is our home,” Dasgupta says. “Good eco-

nomics demands we manage it better.”

The report explains that, along with losing biodiversity and increasing climate change risks, if we continue to degrade and destroy natural habitats, we’ll face further and even worse pandemics, as most new disease outbreaks, including COVID-19, are “zoonotic.” That is, as we encroach on habitat, pathogens jump from other animals to humans.

The report outlines three areas where transformative action is needed. First, we must reduce our demands, so they don’t exceed nature’s ability to continue to supply them. This means increasing natural services by protecting and restoring natural areas and reducing harmful forms of consumption, such as meat-heavy diets.

The second area is one that we’ve been writing about for some time: adopting better ways to measure economic success. Various ideas are being considered around the world, including “doughnut economics,” developed by Kate Raworth and the “gross national happiness” index promoted by the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Dasgupta argues that national accounting must include natural capital, but also human health, knowledge, skills and community.

The third area for change is to transform institutions and systems like finance

and education to enable and sustain the necessary changes. This means ensuring that money flows to enhancing rather than degrading nature. It also means nature studies must be included in education at all levels.

“If we care about our common future and the common future of our descendants, we should all in part be naturalists,” Dasgupta writes.

To achieve the transformation, supranational institutions must be developed to protect public goods like rainforests and oceans and to ensure that poorer countries are able to protect ecosystems without suffering economic losses.

Such transformative change would cost far less than delaying.

The economic systems we developed a relatively short time ago have wreaked havoc with the natural systems on which our health and lives depend. Gauging our economic success on constant growth, on endless cycles of work, production and excess consumption, has led to biodiversity loss, disease outbreaks, pollution, climate disruption and greater divides between rich and poor.

Change is not only possible, it’s absolutely necessary.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021 5

Highway 101 bypass study coming The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) is in the early stages of organizing a study on bypass options for Highway 101. Elena Farmer, district manager, made that announcement as part of a MoTI delegation at Sechelt’s Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 24.

Farmer was not able to provide many details, as project terms of reference have not yet been determined. She did note that a project manager has been selected and that the work is intended to be a “full bypass study with possibly staged elements.”

In a follow-up to the meeting, the Local learned that the ministry has retained a consultant with expertise in traffic engineering and public engagement and that the upcoming study of an alternative route or bypass will be restricted to Gibsons and Sechelt. Currently, Highway 101 passes through both Gibsons and Sechelt, where it travels through eleven signalized intersections.

A work plan for the study is under review, and the ministry is in the budgeting process for the coming fiscal year. The budget for the study will be made public as more information becomes available. Public engagement will also get underway this year, with an expected completion of the study in spring 2022.

Much of MoTI’s meeting presentation focused on the Highway 101 Corridor Study that was completed last August. That review looked at how the highway is serving existing and projected future demands. It analyzed ‘pinch points’ on the route where the flow of those travelling gets slowed down and sections where there are safety concerns. It proposes ways to address those with adjustments to the existing infrastructure. The need to take actions to improve the highway are classified as short-, medium- or long-term projects in the study. Work on short-term priorities is recommended to begin within five years, and long-term projects could be 35 years away. Bypass or re-routing options to deal with those situations were not part of the corridor study.

Responding to the news about the upcoming project,

Sunshine Coast Highway Society spokesperson Robin Merriott said, “We welcome the news that MoTI is preparing to undertake a highway ‘bypass study,’ but what is needed are concrete plans about how a real highway can be built and funded. The one clear conclusion from MoTI’s August 2020 Corridor Study is that it is impossible to upgrade the current ‘Goat Trail’ to meet the growing demands of our community. It is time to focus on a solution that will meet the needs of our community for the longterm. An innovative state-ofthe-art highway would follow the BC Hydro right-of-way, which is a plan that has been on the books since 1986. We encourage the Minister to direct his team to take action on this now. The Sunshine Coast Highway Society and many others in our community stand ready to help.”

Connie Jordison

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The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

International Women’s Day ~ March 8, 2021 ~ #ChooseToChallenge Monday, March 8, 2021, is celebrated worldwide and is a day to recognize the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls. It is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights, including safe working conditions and pay equity. It is a day that celebrates womanhood in

all its forms.

The theme for IWD 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the word challenge is “to confront or defy boldly.”

We can look at that definition, and #choose to challenge ourselves to do the thing, whatever it may be, that we keep setting

Make work fair for women Women deserve good jobs with livable wages and fair working conditions.

They deserve opportunities to learn and advance.

They deserve adequate support to balance work, family and personal time.

Yet too many women experience barriers to workplace equality.

IWD 2021 #ChooseToChallenge Learn more: canadianlabour.ca

Submitted by Sunshine Coast Labour Council

aside, or we can #ChooseToChallenge society to be better by becoming actively involved.

There are many examples of inspiring women who have thrived in challenging conditions, who have used their voice to call out injustice in the workplace and who have just struggled to be recognized for who they are.

Here is a short list of books on a range of topics and interests that demonstrate the strength and ability of women.

• Invisible Generations: Living between Indigenous and White in the Fraser Valley by Jean Barman • Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister • Equality for Women = Prosperity for All: The Disastrous

Global Crisis of Gender Inequality by Augusto Lopez-Claros and Bahiyyih Nakhjavani • Bloody Brilliant Women: Pioneers, Revolutionaries & Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention by Cathy Newman • Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxane Gay For a more detailed book list, please visit the Gibsons and District Public Library’s website gibsons.bc.libraries.coop.

You can find more information about International Women’s Day at internationalwomens day.com and www.un.org/en/ observances/womens-day.

Also, go to the Sunshine Coast Labor Council Facebook page to see what they are doing this year to celebrate Women’s Day. Submitted by Lynda Carlson

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Sechelt’s grant applications list grows Like watching sports teams’ game time roster changes, tracking Sechelt’s applications for senior government grants is hard to do without a program. At the Feb. 23 budget public engagement session, Director of Finance David Douglas provided a summary list of the municipality’s grant applications and their status. True to the dynamic nature of the grant landscape, that summary was rendered out of date with the announcement of $234,000 in improvement

funding for Rockwood Lodge earlier that day.

The list reveals that Sechelt is awaiting decisions on more than $12 million in project grants. These include a $1 million Tourism Dependent Communities grant for a number of initiatives, a $3.8 million Northern and Rural Community Infrastructure grant to assist with the second phase of Trail Avenue reconstruction, and a request for $2.7 million to the New Spaces Daycare program.

Douglas also reviewed

Complaining 101 Looking to improve the chances of getting your complaints about public entities resolved? If so, the “Complaining 101” training video available on the BC Ombudsperson’s (BCO) website (bcombudsperson.ca) may be for you.

Staff of this organization, which is an independent arm of the legislature, delivered this one-hour information and training session to an online audience on Feb. 26.

Lindsay Hunt, a BCO training resource specialist, pointed out that complaints brought forward to public organizations can be a “win/win” process for both parties. The individual submitting the complaint can see something that they feel was wrong corrected, and the organization gets an opportunity to improve how it works. Hunt says “one complaint can represent the voices of many” and that making organizations aware of issues can help ensure they are operating as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Hunt offers tips on how to complain effectively. The first is to define the problem at the root of your complaint and to think about how you believe it should be resolved.

To do this, she recommends a focus on the 5W’s of what happened, who was involved, when it happened, where it happened and why you believe it was wrong. Hunt says your first step should be to write down concise answers to those questions, followed by an explanation of what you want the organization to do about it. She also recommends starting your complaint process as early as possible, while details of what happened are still fresh in your mind.

Those efforts should be followed by research into the complaint handling process of the organization you want to complain to. Hunt says a review of an organization’s website, a telephone inquiry or a visit to a physical office should provide this information or direct you to the person who is responsible for dealing with complaints.

Only once that work is done is it time to share your complaint with the organization. Hunt says it is important to let those you may complain to know if your issue is urgent, such as a concern relating to health, safety, or the meeting of basic life needs so that the organization can prioritize it, if necessary.

BC Ferries released its third-quarter results last week for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 global pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the company’s operations and financial results. During the quarter, BC Ferries carried 2.9 million passengers and 1.6 million vehicles, a decrease of 39.6 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively, compared to the same period in the prior year.

Year-to-date, the company carried 10.6 million passengers and 5.3 million vehicles, a decrease of 42.1 percent and 26.9 percent, respectively, compared to the same period in the prior year.

BC Ferries applied for nine months’ worth of Safe Restart funding, or $154.8 million, to third-quarter revenues. Without this relief, the net loss for the three months ended December 31, 2020,

would have been $56.4 million.

The goals of the federal-provincial Safe Restart funding are to mitigate BC Ferries’ revenue losses and additional COVID-19-related spending, help restore the level of annual earnings required to maintain service levels, and keep fare increases to affordable levels through this performance term which ends March 31, 2024. Maintaining this level of earnings also supports the long-term sustainability, reliability and affordability of the ferry system and protects $380 million in essential vessel, terminal and IT investments over this year and next.

As a regulated company, BC Ferries’ allowable average annual fare increases and corresponding earning targets are set by the BC Ferries Commissioner to cover the

grants awarded to the District in recent years, totalling over $18 million. Those grants have been for airport enhancements, COVID-19 recovery efforts, a range of planning activities and road improvements. He included a $3.8 million grant for the Operations Centre project in that total. To receive that funding, the District must be able to raise the additional money needed for that project. Sechelt’s current plan is to take a loan of up to $2.7 million. The results of the She also says the most effective complaints are stated in a clear and concise manner. Her recommendation is to use the “sandwich” approach. This starts with a positive statement, such as thanking the organization for working with you on the matter or telling them about how long you have been using their services. This should be followed by relaying the details of the complaint, followed by a “call to action,” where you outline what you would like to see done to resolve the issue.

Throughout all points in the complaint process, Hunt emphasizes the importance of keeping good records.

This includes making notes on conversations held, maintaining copies of emails and other documentation, as well as saving screenshots of online information shared and relevant photos with date stamps of things involved with your complaint. She recommends storing these in a paper or digital file set up for the specific incident to help you keep track of what has (and has not) happened.

Hunt’s final tip relates to options if you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint. She recommends you ask the organization involved if it has a

BC Ferries third-quarter results

STAFF PHOTO

cost of ferry service, along with required maintenance and vessel, terminal and IT upgrades and replacements as well as debt servicing.

The effects of COVID-19 have negatively impacted BC Ferries’ traffic and revenues over the current year. This trend is expected to continue in the near term as the province recovers from the effects of the pandemic.

BC Ferries’ full financial statements, including notes and Management’s Discussion and Analysis, are filed on SEDAR and are available at www.sedar.com.

Submitted by BC Ferries

Alternate Approval Process related to the securing of that loan are due to be announced on March 17.

Another update to Douglas’ list of “District grants requested” came out of a committee meeting on Feb. 24.

At that event, a commitment was made for Sechelt to apply for seed funding for a shared application planning project related to community reconciliation and the Trail Bay waterfront. Sechelt will apply to the Sunshine Coast Foundation (SCF) on behalf of the Syiyaya reconciliation group and the shíshálh Nation for a

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021 7

$7,500 Responsive Community Grant. The purpose is to hire a coordinator to investigate and potentially develop an application for a larger grant from a national organization. The larger project the three groups have in mind is a public walking route with historical markings and information along Trail Bay in the area along municipal and the Nation’s lands.

Syiyaya is a grassroots movement launched in 2018

by Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of the Coast.

It is working to strengthen relationships between com-

munities through cultural programming.

The grant application was a late addition to the committee agenda. This was done at the request of Mayor Darnelda Siegers, who said she was advised that the proposed project meets the SCFs grant program criteria.

Siegers noted that a committee recommendation to apply was needed as the current program intake was ending March 1. The committee’s recommendation will be brought forward for council ratification at its March 3 meeting. Connie Jordison

explain the incident background, the actions taken to that point and why you feel the organization’s response was not satisfactory.

The BC Ombudsperson’s office intake team receives an average of 7,500 complaints each year. It has jurisdiction related to the administration of many government services delivered by the province, BC

local governments and other public entities like provincial crown corporations and school districts. Its website also has a screening tool that provides advice on where to route complaints to oversight bodies for groups not included under its mandate, such as police services and financial institutions.

Connie Jordison

BC OMBUDSPERSON PRESENTATION PHOTO

complaint appeal or review process. Should you reach this point, Hunt emphasizes the importance of asking about any timelines or other criteria the organization places on such processes. If you remain unsatisfied with how your complaint has been dealt with, she recommends contacting the Ombudspersons office. Be prepared to

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.

We look forward to serving you as usual!

We appreciate your business!

Susan Attiana, Publisher

www.thelocalweekly.ca

8

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

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SCRD tipping fee increases At the Feb. 25 regular board meeting, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board adopted an amendment to Landfill Site Bylaw No. 405, 1994.

The amended bylaw will see a revised schedule, and both commercial and residential customers will pay more at the Sechelt Landfill and Pender Harbour Transfer Station, effective immediately.

Similar to many other local governments, the SCRDs Solid Waste Management Plan and the SCRD board support a user-pay system, where the tipping fees fund the full costs of those materials that are diverted for recycling. As the transportation and recycling costs increase, so, unfortunately, does the tipping fee associated with these materials.

Commercial and residential customers will now be required to remove cardboard from the garbage they haul to the two facili-

ties if they weren’t already separating cardboard for recycling. The tipping fee for cardboard is increasing from $150 to $285 per tonne, and an additional fee will be applied if cardboard is mixed in with garbage.

Residential customers can avoid fees related to recycling cardboard by bringing it to one of the three SCRD operated recycling depots in Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour for free.

Fees for gypsum, metal and propane tanks will also increase, with fees for metal more than doubling to $150 per tonne. Fees for appliances containing Freon, such as fridges and freezers, will decrease.

SCRD staff have been proactively reaching out to inform haulers over the past few weeks about these increases and encourage those who want to get informed about the increases to visit www.scrd.ca/ disposal-fees.

Submitted by SCRD

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

Thursday, March 4 • Karen’s Paint Day/Night – Purple flowers, $45, 10:30am12:30pm/1:30-3:30pm, CREATE, 6538 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Sechelt, 604-989-3345 · Createsechelt@telus.net • Virtual Indigenous land-based learning workshop with guide Richard Till, $75, 12-2pm, details at www.aboriginalecotours.com • Technology help with Talia, Thurs. 1-3pm/Mon. 10-12pm/ Wed. 10-12pm, call Sechelt Library (604-885-3260) to book a one-on-one session • 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 • Thursday Night Live with Joe Stanton: A virtual house concert on Facebook, 6pm @joestantonmusic

Friday, March 5

• 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 • Write Together on Zoom with author Megan Cole (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), 4-5pm, details at prpl.ca/explore/calendar/ • Live Music: Eddy Edrik, The Clubhouse Restaurant– Pender Harbour Golf Club, 5-8pm, 604-883-9542 to reserve a table for your bubble • HMB Tween Paint Night with CREATE by Karen for Grade 5-7 students on Zoom, 6:30pm, free but pre-registration required – contact Wendy at wwhite@sd46.bc.ca or 604-551-8461 • SC Natural History Zoom Speaker – Harry Hill: Landscaping for Wildlife, 7:30pm, registration details will be sent to members or contact by email at info.scnhs@gmail.com

Saturday, March 6

• Gibsons & District Public Library online AGM (everyone is welcome), 10am, contact Heather by 5pm on March 5 at hecullen@gibsons.bclibrary.ca to receive the Zoom info for the meeting • Talk: Designing for Better Movement on the Coast with urban designer Mikael Colville-Andersen, free virtual event, 10am, Zoom details at transportationchoices.ca/ wp/mikael • The Super Seed Swap Shop @ One Tiny Farm (March 6 & 13), 11:30am-2pm, One Straw Tiny Farm, 1041 Roberts Creek Rd, details at www.facebook.com/onestrawsociety • Skills for Solitude: Professional Series Botanical Drawing Workshops (online) with Mehran ModarresSadeghi, 1-4pm, $70/$100 (members/non-members), 604-885-5412 · info@sunshinecoastartscouncil.com · www.eventbrite.ca • Literary Reading Series: Ronald Deibert author of Black Code: Surveillance and Privacy and the Dark Side of Cyberspace, free, 7-10pm, 604-885-5412 · info@sunshinecoastartscouncil.com · www.eventbrite.ca

Sunday, March 7

• Live Music: Peter Van Deursen with the Peter Van Trio, The Clubhouse Restaurant–Pender Harbour Golf Club, $5 cover, 5-8pm, 604-883-9542 to reserve a table for your bubble

Includes listings compiled by the Coast Cultural Alliance. More details & more listings – including virtual events – at suncoastarts.com

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When it comes to the Sunshine Coast, one of the biggest challenges facing our communities is water. In the past few years, the Sunshine Coast has gone without rain for over three months on two separate occasions. This has put considerable strain on our water systems and has resulted, as you, the residents of the Sunshine Coast know, in water restrictions.

As we continue to battle climate change, tighter

water conservation regulations have been and will be required to ensure we still 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.

There is no doubt that we live in an incredible area. But while we are enjoying everything this coast has to offer, we can’t forget about our drinking water!

What is the SCRD doing to confront this challenge?

Well, the SCRD is continuing to move forward with an integrated approach to ensure we have a sustainable drinking water supply through initiatives like: • Expanding supply sources with the development of wells at Church Road, Langdale, and Maryanne West Park and surface water at Gray Creek. Funding for the next phases of these projects is being brought forward through this year’s budget.

• Offering rebates to water users installing rainwater harvesting systems to support the transition to non-potable water for outdoor use.

• Reviewing the Water Rates

The Sunshine Coast real estate market is still red hot.

More listings have come on the market, but demand is still far beyond supply. Anything decent is selling right away unless the listing realtor holds offers, in which case it sells on the day offers are reviewed.

Multiple offers are commonplace, and there is a lot of “buyer fatigue” happening after some find themselves still looking, even after writing offers on several properties.

Buyers trying to go it alone (calling listing agents direct) have little chance of success and people hoping to buy somewhere “subject to sale” are wasting their time even looking.

Here are how the numbers broke down in detail for February: FEBRUARY YEAR-OVERYEAR (YOY) • February 2020 saw 47 total sales – 24 of them were

single-family detached, and the average price of those homes was $649,000. The average time on market was 57 days, and the total dollar volume of sales was $30,220,000.

• February 2021 had 127 total sales – 55 of them were single-family detached houses, with the average price of those homes being $962,000.

The average time on market has been 24 days, and the total dollar volume of sales was $98,886,000.

YEAR TO DATE - YOY • Jan. 1 to the end of February 2020 saw 79 total sales – 42 of them were single-family detached, and the average price of those homes was $629,000. The average time on market was 68 days, and the total dollar volume of sales was $50,380,000.

• Jan. 1 to the end of February 2021 had 209 total sales – 89 of them were single-family detached houses with the average price of those homes being $930,000.

The average time on market has been 49 days, and the total dollar volume of sales was $153,761,000.

CURRENT DETACHED HOME INVENTORY LEVEL(S) • Gibsons – 41 homes for sale, 19 of them under $1 million • Roberts Creek – 2 homes for sale, one under $1 million • Sechelt – 55 homes for sale, 33 under $1 million • Halfmoon Bay – 17 homes for sale, eight under $1 million • Pender Harbour – 19 homes for sale, five under $1 million • Total inventory – 134 detached homes listed, 66 under $1 million and a large percentage of those (around 50 percent) are already under offer.

In summary, a great time to sell (if you have somewhere to go) and a tough time to be buying. If you are a seller thinking of waiting till spring to list, consider listing early and capitalizing on low inventory and high buyer demand.

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

As this month’s namesake states, Special O keeps ‘marching’ on.

Last week, Special Olympics athletes were treated to a heartwarming webinar with Olympic gold medalist and Canadian Commonwealth record-holding swimmer Brent Hayden.

His presentation was chock full of both accomplishment and humility as he walked us through his early challenges in sports to realizing his dream. Brent demonstrated ways to practice at home and answered many questions. It felt relatable to be listening to a fellow swimmer.

One day earlier, executive members, coaches and other volunteers from Regions 3, 4, & 5 took part in a virtual Town Hall chaired by Community Development Coordinator Chelsea Rog-

ers. Participants introduced themselves and were introduced to new SOBC staff members.

They also learned of the BCAIC or the BC Athlete Input Council. This group consists of seven athletes from across BC who meet once a month to provide information and input from an athlete’s perspective. Our Region 5 rep is Mathew Schmiing from Vancouver.

Participants were informed of athlete leadership workshops and two upcoming webinars for coaches on Bocce and swimming.

From March 1 to April 4, athletes can participate in the SOBC Move It March Wellness Challenge. Daily activities will encourage physical movement, staying hydrated and healthy eating. Registration is online at www. specialolympics.ca/sites/ default/files/SOBC_Moveit March_2021F.pdf.

Wednesday, March 3, was awareness day for Spread The Word for Inclusion. This ongoing movement encourages the use of inclusive be-

liefs, words and actions in everyday life. This year the word is connection.

The global campaign website states: “Spread the Word will explore the need for connection and how individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities need to be seen, heard, and valued in order to develop the skills of inclusion to build connection. At the very root of inclusion is the crucial need for connection. Connection is not only a relationship but a shared strength developed between individuals.

A strength where two individuals can feel (they are) seen, heard, and valued.” You can learn more at: www.spreadthe word.global/2021-themeconnection.

As you can see, though we are not in the pool, running the track or on the court, we are steadily preparing ourselves for the inevitable and welcome return to sports, as we know it.

In the meantime, we must all remember to “be kind, be calm, and stay safe.”

and Regulations Bylaw to reduce the impacts on water demand from new developments, promote conservation, and increase the integrity of the water cycle.

• Carrying out the metering program, a vital component of the integrated approach to ensuring a reliable supply.

Water meters have been installed on all properties serviced by the SCRD, with the exception of most properties in the District of Sechelt and shíshálh Nation.

• Addressing storage by continuing detailed feasibil-

Tip of the Week: Pisces time lingers on as week three begins. Spring is in sight and will seem to arrive sooner than other years. This will manifest as a surprising boost of energy when Mars enters Gemini (March 4 - April 23) where it tends to manifest as increased mental stimulation and alertness. Mercury in Aquarius meanwhile is conjunct Jupiter for a third time due to its retrograde cycle synchronizing as much-needed awakening.

So, Mars in Gemini and Mercury in Aquarius are engaged to sound trumpets activating a new round of truth-seeking and critical thinking. Yet, the overall chart pattern is what is called a ‘locomotive’ referring to a train complete with a front engine leading the charge, and a caboose or trailing planet following-up in the rear. In this case, the lead is Pluto in Capricorn and Mars in Gemini at the tail, both ruled by Scorpio.

With this overall planetary dynamic, governments will likely retaliate with increased draconian measures hoping to intercept revolutionary fervor.

Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 19) Mars in Gemini should manifest as a welcome boost of energy this week.

This energy pattern will rise steadily like a high pressure system for about a dozen days before it descends back into a low pressure for a short while. So, if you have goals and projects, tune-in to initiate a momentum to get a jump start on spring.

As the groundhog revealed, winter will yield early this year.

Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20) Fresh starts destined in your public and professional life have begun. The process of beginning is still underway, but will enter into the next effective phase with Mars in Gemini. This could manifest as a busier schedule and, fortunately, a boost of energy to support a multi-tasking period.

Despite the overall social swamp of shutdowns, you may be able to make dreams come true.

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021 9

ity of building a reservoir.

A preferred site has been identified after a feasibility study of the entire Chapman watershed.

• This year’s budget will see funding allocated to dam safety. The four dams operated by the SCRD are well overdue for upgrades and must be brought into compliance for safety and operational purposes.

• Maintaining existing and constructing new water mains to improve fire flows, water quality and overall system reliability.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Reflections on life’s deeper meanings and your role and purpose in it as this stage continue as a central theme. Yet, Mars entering your sign will synchronize with a creative boost of energy. On one hand, this will serve to increase and sharpen your contemplations, while on the other you will feel moved to take more deliberate action. This shift will lead you to engage more closely with others.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) One way or another, you have been undergoing transformational changes. These actually have a few layers and the surface themes have already shifted to their next destined phase. This shift includes a spiritual and meditative aspect which will continue and deepen over the coming weeks. Call it a soul-searching phase destined to lead you to brighter lights of truth.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23) The cycle of the Sun though Pisces in your solar chart features a Scorpio theme. Transformation is a key word as it is a core feature of the creative process. Outer activity and other key players will engage your attention, sparking a revolutionary impulse. This will inspire a new quality of creative self-expression and social outreach which will increase steadily through spring.

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 22) A shift towards new relationship involvements has already begun and will go to their next effective level activated by the coming New Moon in Pisces. This process includes something of an apprenticeship phase. It will require you to summon every ounce of confidence and positivity to offset doubt and worry. Fortunately, the planetary gods are in your favor to support your cause.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Health has been and continues to be a central theme these days. Beyond physical health, this emphasis may include the health of your diet, friend network, your dreams and lifestyle rhythms and routines altogether. In any case, circumstances continue to push you to dig deep and to be as realistic as you can so you can effectively weed out any toxic behavior or relationships patterns.

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.

By working together, we continue to build a more resilient, caring and stronger community.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Pisces time represents a creative cycle for you, by divine design. So, that is the best way to respond to it.

Yet, the focus can be directed to your love life as well as other creative expressions.

Can you be more present, respectful, acknowledging, empathetic, conscientious, romantic…, with the one(s) you love? Step back, observe and really notice where your creative energies need to be invested.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You are happy to huddle in close to home now and this mood will continue into spring. Yet, the pace is busy perhaps especially with communications with family neighbors and friends.

As well, you want answers and to understand others in general and what is going on in the world .To this end, you are more open to new knowledge, perceptions and interpretations than usual.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) More than usual, you have and continue to want to get a firmer grasp on where things are headed. While the future cannot be absolutely predicted due to the role of free will, at least a sense of probability will do. Yet, the Pisces factor is also directing you to appreciate the intrinsic value regarding current events and the choices you feel inclined to make. Balance journey with outcome.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) The seeds of a new beginning have gestated and are now beginning to take root.

This will become increasingly evident over the coming days and weeks. The strong Aquarius factor is leading you to set your sights on the future. This does include the prospects of making needed changes close to home, perhaps even thoughts about making some big moves, literally and figuratively.

Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) A busy time behind the scenes continues this week.

Plans, dreams, schemes and strategies are all dancing in your mind. Yet, these have also required realistic clarification and outline in preparation for their actual expression. This more proactive stage is now fast approaching. The New Moon in your sign on March 13 will serve to activate your desire to express yourself in beautiful ways. michael@sunstarastrology.com

10

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

Gravel lands transfer to shíshálh Nation The Province has transferred three parcels of Crown land to shíshálh Nation.

Since 1988, the 616 hectares, known as the gravel lands, have been leased from the Province to Lehigh Hansen Materials and used for a gravel extraction business. As the new owner, shíshálh has signed a lease with Lehigh Hansen to continue gravel production, ensuring longterm business certainty for the company and Nation.

The transfer fulfils a commitment under the landmark 2018 Foundation Agreement that will bring significant long-term economic, cultural and social benefits to the shíshálh Nation.

“Our Foundation Agreement recognizes shíshálh Title and Rights and expresses how the standards of the United Nations Declaration

on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples will be co-operatively implemented in our relationship with the Province,” said Chief Warren Paull, shíshálh Nation. “One aspect of this is the recovery of the lands of our swiya, and ensuring decisions regarding our lands occur with our co-operation and consent. The return of these lands is one important step in this work, which demonstrates how principled and transformative approaches to reconciliation are achievable and important and beneficial for entire regions and all peoples who live there.”

“Lehigh Hanson supports this important agreement between shíshálh Nation and the Province for the transfer of these lands,” said Kevin Tokarek, area manager, British Columbia Aggregates, Lehigh Hanson Materials Ltd. “We

are excited about the future and look forward to working with shíshálh Nation going forward.”

The Foundation Agreement recognizes and respects Indigenous title and rights and supports self-determination and shíshálh self-government. Key components of the agreement include the establishment of

a government-to-government working relationship, new decision-making structures for natural resource use, economic and socio-cultural investments and land-use planning, as well as the transfer of the gravel lands for economic, social and cultural purposes.

“The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is working closely with our fellow board member hiwus

Warren Paull and members of the shíshálh Nation to support the implementation of the Foundation Agreement,” said SCRD Chair Lori Pratt. “I want to thank the shíshálh Nation for its ongoing co-operation in ensuring SCRD staff can continue to access and operate key infrastructure that is located in the gravel lands.”

BC and shíshálh have established strong provisions to

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and Unifor Local 466 negotiating committees are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached between the SCRD and Unifor Local 466.

The agreement was reached following two days of renewed negotiations between the parties and was signed on Feb. 24.

“I want to express my sincere thanks to all participants who were involved in these negotiations and especially to Unifor Local 466 for their collaboration through this entire process,” says Gerry Parker, chief spokesperson for the SCRD. “Due to COVID-19, these negotiations took place virtually, and we are appreciative of the willingness of the representatives to en-

sure this agreement could be moved forward at this time.”

The previous collective agreement between the SCRD and Unifor Local 466 expired at the end of 2019, and negotiations have been continuing since then.

“I am very pleased to have reached an agreement with the SCRD that I can confidently recommend to our mem-

WORK WANTED

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SCRD/union reach tentative agreement

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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EMPLOYMENT

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COVID PROTOCOL IN PLACE

bers,” says Bryce Viitanen, chief spokesperson for Local 466. “Working together, we were able to overcome some significant challenges, and I want to thank everyone at the ‘virtual’ table for their hard work to make this agreement possible.”

The agreement will be jointly recommended and brought forward for ratification by the respective parties in the coming weeks.

Submitted by SCRD/Unifor 466

admin@thelocalweekly.ca

EMPLOYMENT

Booking appointments starting Mon. March 8 Please contact tricia@rightsizingsolutions.ca or 604-741-4424 for sale starting Fri. March 12th

ensure drinking water quality is maintained in a section of the Chapman Community Watershed that overlaps with the gravel lands. The Sunshine Coast Regional District’s water treatment plant is located on the gravel lands, and the land transfer agreement gives the regional district a legal right-of-way so staff can access and work at the plant.

Submitted by GovBC

for the Gibsons Branch.

A valid “N” driver’s license is required. Wage to be discussed upon interview. We require full-time employees. 4-on/3-off shifts available.

Email: dayton@gibsonsbuilding.com or call 604-886-8141, ext. 1111

Email: hcap@vch.ca to apply today!

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Motorhomes Travel Trailers Camper Vans

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Firearms, Hunting & Military Items In Any Condition.

Ph: 604-740-6474 Top Cash Paid!

SHOP LOCAL. SAVE LOCAL Support the local businesses that support your local newspaper.

Please GIVE to the Food Bank

WE ACCEPT CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING AT: #213-5710 Teredo Street, Sechelt • BY PHONE: 604-885-3134 • BY EMAIL: admin@thelocalweekly.ca

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25¢ each additional word

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021 11

HERE TO SERVE YOU DIAMOND BUYER

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55. Belonging to us 57. Treachery 61. Shaped like a ring 65. Be of use to 66. Allow 68. Thrust 69. Tennis stroke 70. Argument in favor 71. Large black bird 72. Woody plant 73. Amateur radio operator 74. Awake

DOWN

Solution on page 10

Your first choice in foods Trail Bay Centre • 5755 Cowrie Street, Sechelt • Meat & Deli 604-885-9812 • Produce & Floral 604-885-9841 • Bakery 604-885-9823 • Office 604-885-2025

CALLY OW LO

70

ND

D NE

1. A flat float 2. Not working 3. Disastrous destiny 4. Fumble 5. Make attractive or lovable 6. Waistcoat 7. Mineral 8. Break forcefully 9. A pastry with fruit filling 10. Musical instrument 11. Domesticated 12. Panache 15. Large artillery gun 20. Move stealthily 22. Assistance 24. Enliven 25. At right angles to the length of a ship

26. Literary genre 27. Desert haven 29. Part of the eye 31. Type of file 32. Skin covering the top of the head 33. Debate 34. To the lowest degree 36. Trial 38. Eat dinner 42. Shaped to fit a mortise 45. Infirm with age 49. Pole 51. Vast treeless plain 54. Imaginary being 56. Relating to farming or country life 57. Yore 58. At any time 59. Uncommon 60. Basketball team 61. Particle 62. Exist 63. Affirm 64. Let for money 67. Epoch

YEARS

of service

E

D

ACROSS

1. Long narrow range of hills 6. Solemn pledge 9. Carry 13. Decorate 14. Make a mistake 15. Conspiracy 16. Deluge 17. Understand 18. Fragrance 19. Storm 21. Water flask 23. Consume 24. Similar 25. Fuss 28. Used to control a horse 30. Back fin 35. Troublesome child 37. Desiccated 39. Mother-of-pearl 40. Alleviate 41. Boundary 43. Heroic tale 44. Awry 46. Mentally healthy 47. Arithmetic operation 48. Maestro 50. Portable shelter 52. Domestic animal companion 53. Olfactory organ

Courtesy of: www.puzzlechoice.com

A

The Squamish Nation announced on Monday that it has entered into an agreement with the Province that protects the Dakota Bowl area on the Sunshine Coast from timber harvesting (logging), now and in the future.

The cutblock, Timber Sales Licence A87126, was removed from the BC Timber Sales operating schedule in December 2020.

The Nation and the Province are working together on options for land use that recognize the significance of this area, which has been used and occupied by Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw since time immemorial. This could include, for example, making Dakota Bowl an Old Growth Management Area, a Wildlife Habitat Area or a Squamish Nation Area of Interest.

Submitted by Squamish Nation

CROSSWORD

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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12

The Local - Thursday, March 4, 2021

MARCH madness SALE

DE I W E STOR INGS!!

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and Runs Until the End of March*

65

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UP T

Set Of 4 Pineapple/ Watermelon Glasses

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