Comox Valley Echo - January 20, 2015

www.comoxvalleyecho.com COURTENAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA • Tuesday, January 20, 2015

PRICE: 57 CENTS PLUS GST

VOL. 21, NO. 06

NEWS

SPORTS

10.Valley mayors

12.Ski racers

look in their 2015 crystal balls.

make a splash at Whistler slalom.

04.SOME SHOPPERS ARE GOING TO MISS THE TARGET STORE

11.RD BACK IN COURT STOTAN FALLS BATTLE WITH 3L DEVELOPMENTS AWAITS RULING Thinking of Building?

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com

2

TUESDAY.COURTENAY, BC. JANUARY 20, 2015

ECHO

NEWS Comox Valley Weather

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Tuesday Cloudy. 30% chance of showers or drizzle in the morning. Fog patches. High 7°C.

Wednesday A mix of sun and cloud.

Low 2°C. High 6°C.

Thursday Cloudy.

Low 4°C. High 7°C.

Friday Rain.

Low 5°C. High 7°C.

Saturday Periods of rain.

Low 6°C. High 8°C.

For the latest Comox Valley Weather visit: www.comoxvalleyecho.com

COMMUNITY GIVING

CV Foundation hands out largest cash awards ever to local non-profits

Helen Kime of the Comox Valley Archives and Museum is pleased with the $1,500 they received to expand its storage area. Presenting the checks were Wendy Craig (l) of the CVCF and donor Judy Hagen (r)

$118,000 presented in grants to community groups, and there’s more to come with busaries, endowments BYMICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff The Comox Valley Community Foundation was extremely generous this year when it doled out $200,000 to local charities and students.

At the Community Enrichment Awards held at the Comox Recreation Centre, the foundation handed out over $118,000 in grants to 20 local organizations.

“This is a 50 per cent increase over last year and the largest amount the Comox Valley Community Foundation has been able to disburse since it was founded,” said Norm Carruthers, CVC Foundation President. “To be able to pay such a sizable amount is very exciting for our many donors and our directors.”

This year, the foundation received close to 60 applications from the different organizations in the valley that need help to achieve their goals and keep their operations sustainable. Their needs are

diverse, according to Carruthers.

The selected organizations fall within one of the five areas of interest supported by the Comox Valley Community Foundation and include Arts and Culture, Environment and Parks, Health and Welfare, Education and Youth, and Seniors. The CVC Foundation has awarded over $1.5 million since 1996.

“The Community Enrichment Awards ceremony is one of the highlights of the year for the Foundation,” said Carruthers. “We hear first hand from the groups about how these funds impact each organization and the community as a whole. It’s inspiring!”

The 2015 Grant Recipients: • Black Creek Community Association ($1,500) - To improve community event capacity with purchase and installation of a dishwasher, gas grill and event tent.

• Comox Valley Community Adult Literacy & Learning Society ($3,500) (Continued on page 3)

We hear first-hand from the groups about how these funds impact each organization and the community as a whole. It’s inspiring,” NORM CARRUTHERS CVC Foundation president

Black Creek Community Association representative Dana Starrit (centre) receives grant worth$1,500 from foundtion member Mark Burger (right) and donor Bent Harder.

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Jan. 16 – Jan. 22 Cinema #4: “The Merry Widow” Metropolitan Opera - LIVE Saturday, January 17, 10:00 am (ends approx. 12:45 pm). Doors open at 9:30. Approx. 2 hours, 45 minutes. 1 intermission Cinema #4: “Beethoven” In Search of Great Composers Sunday, January 18, 10:00 am (ends 12:15 pm). Doors open at 9:30 Approx. 2 hour, 15 minutes Cinema #1: “The Imitation Game” PG: Violence. Nightly: 6:50 (8:55) & 9:25 (11:30).

Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 12:20 (2:35) & 3:35 (5:40) Cinema #2: “Taken 3” 14A: 14A: Violence. Pass restricted until January 23rd. Nightly: 7:00 (9:00) & 9:30 (11:30) Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 1:20 (3:20) & 3:45 (5:45) Cinema #3: “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 3D” PG: Violence; frightening scenes. Nightly: 6:30 (9:05) & 9:35 (12:10) Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 3D 12:00 (2:35) & 2D 3:15 (5:50) Cinema #4: “American Sniper” 14A: Violence, coarse language. Nightly: 6:40 (9:05) & 9:40 (12:05).

Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 12:10 (2:35) & 3:25 (5:50) Box Office Hours for Jan. 16th – 22nd. Nightly: 6:00 pm – 9:50 pm. Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 11:30 am - 3:50 pm

Show Times Jan. 16 - Jan. 22, 2014 | Campbell River, Showcase The Imitation Game (PG) Nightly 6:55 & 9:30. Sat & Sun Matinees 12:55 & 3:30 Taken 3 (14A) (No Passes) Nightly 7:20 & 9:45. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:20 & 3:45 Into the Woods (PG) Nightly 7:00 & 9:40. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:00 & 3:40 Paddington (G) Nightly 7:05 & 9:20. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:05 & 3:20 American Sniper (14A) Nightly 6:45 & 9:35. Sat & Sun Matinees 12:45 & 3:35 The Merry Widow (MET Opera) Saturday Jan. 17th 10:00AM In Search of Beethoven Sunday Jan. 18th 10:00AM

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

3

Hornby residents vote no to funds for new fire hall AAP fails as more than 210 voters submit responses against proposed $1.9m project

BY MICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff The residents of Hornby Island have spoken loud and clear. They are against the Comox Valley Regional District’s plan to borrow funds for the construction of a new fire hall on Hornby Island.

The alternative approval process, which the CVRD has used effectively in getting major projects funded like the Comox Valley Curling Club, didn’t work this time.

When the AAP closed on Jan. 15, more than 10 per cent of the electors 83 or more electors - submitted response forms opposing the adoption of a bylaw to borrow $1.6 million to fund the project. The CVRD received 212 valid elector response forms that were submitted by the deadline.

A resident said it was a strong message from the residents, who are offended the CVRD board opted to apply the AAP for a major project that requires

To make a statement or choice by way of not responding ,,, is not the Hornby way. Indeed, in BC this mechanism has eroded our rights” BOB GEE Hornby resident

significant funds.

“To make a statement or choice by way of not responding - as we would

say - ‘is not the Hornby way,’” said resident Bob Gee. “Indeed in BC this mechanism has eroded our rights.”

The cost estimate for the construction of a new fire hall in Hornby Island is $1.9 million that the CVRD board decided would be funded by borrowing $1.6 million in debt financing, $200,000 in federal gas tax funding and $100,000 from capital reserves. They need electoral approval to borrow funds, which would

be paid back through tax requisition.

Residents made sure the AAP process did not succeed by keeping track of opposing votes that were delivered to the CVRD. Gee was critical of the AAP being held during the Christmas season. It was not the best time because some residents were either absent from the island and whose attention was elsewhere at the time.

As well, the AAP forms were only available through the internet and

at CVRD offices in Courtenay. Not all Hornby residents have computers, said Gee, and not all travel off the island, which made obtaining a form inconvenient.

There was also the issue of the true cost of the project, said Gee. They felt there is a lack of consistent and transparent information due to conflicting reports in brochures handed out by the Hornby Island Fire Department and the CVRD. (Continued on page 4)

CV Community Foundation gives out local grants (Continued from page 2) - To deliver online and in person “Money Matters” program to help lower income learners develop their skills in the areas of budgeting and managing money.

• Comox Valley Archives & Museum Society ($1,500) - To build threedimensional dioramas for toppers on information display towers.

• Comox Senior Centre Association ($1,500) - To replace and upgrade existing cabinets in the kitchen area to provide more storage.

• Comox Valley Community Arts Council ($3,000) - Community Loan Program - to create and stock a “Tickle Trunk” to include a sound system, projector, 2 way radios, laptop, folding table and chairs for community use.

• Comox Valley Food Bank Society ($4,000) To replace baseboard heat with radiant heat to improve working conditions for staff and volunteers.

• Comox Valley Hospice Society ($16,000) - To provide all room furnishings

for one of the four new residential hospice beds.

• Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Association ($3,000) - To support the “1000 x 5” Project which aims to ensure every child in the Comox Valley has at least 1,000 books read to them from birth until they are five years old, and entering kindergarten.

• Comox Valley Special Olympics ($24,000) - To purchase new or replacement equipment and pay costs of renting community sports facilities and registration and transportation fees for 90 Comox Valley Special Olympians and volunteers who compete in 11 different sports.

• Comox Valley Therapeutic Riding Society ($5,660) - To upgrade paddocks and horse shelters and provide portable fencing for temporary paddocks.

• Comox Valley Wheelchair Sports Society ($8,064) - To acquire 4 new all-sports wheelchairs.

• Courtenay Recreational Association ($16,000) - To support the Special Needs Recreation programs for adults with de-

velopmental disabilities including a range of active living, social and educational programs (fitness, bowling, sewing, music and art).

• Ecole Puntledge Park Elementary School ($1,425.85) - To support Grade 3 readers and their parents by involving them in the 40 Book Challenge which encourages students to read, build their vocabularies and acquire new knowledge.

• F i l b e rg H e r i t a g e Lodge & Park Association ($4,000) - To purchase 250 new chairs to maximize seating at various events at the Comox Rotary stage and elsewhere in the Filberg Park, including concerts, theatre, dance recitals, public lectures and weddings.

• Glacier View Lodge Society ($5,000) - To purchase equipment for adult day programs focusing on Creativity in Dementia (art, music, movement, horticulture, drama and sensory programs).

• Hornby Island Educational Society ($3,000) - To acquire a storage container for freezers and bulk

food bins used in the Community Food Program.

• Scouts Canada - Camp Gilwell ($4,000) - To refurbishing the kitchen to current Island Health and BC Building Code standards.

• Sid Williams Theatre Society ($5,000) - To replace the aging theatre curtain system.

• The Canadian Red Cross Society ($5,305) To purchase a shipping container for storage of medical equipment loaned to Comox Valley residents recovering from surgery or illness in their homes and emergency/disaster assistance equipment.

• Union Bay Community Club and Recreation Association ($3,000) - To purchase a commercial dishwasher.

The CV Community Foundation also administers a number of endowment funds for local organizations whose total awards, disbursed in late 2014, amounted to more than $50,000.

Later this year $23,000 in scholarships and bursaries will be awarded to local students. The CVC Foundation also sets aside

Rene Poirier of the Comox Valley Wheelchair Sports Society received $8,064 which will be used to purchase four new all-sports wheelchairs.

Presenting the checks were CVCF’s Mark Burger and donor Ken Rowe. funds for grant requests that emerge outside of the grant review and award cycle.

Currently the Comox Valley Community Foun-

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dation has assets totalling $5 million. All assets are invested in perpetuity so there will be an on-going source of funding for local initiatives.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

When the arrow misses ...

Target closing all its stores Employees to receive at least 16 weeks pay

BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff The serene Thursday morning environment is filled with the sound of milk being steamed and infrequent beeps as items are swiped through the checkout counter. There’s also positive chatter between workers as they start to discuss what life will be like since their employer, Target Canada Co., announced Jan. 15 it is pulling out of the Canadian marketplace.

“The stores will all likely be closed within 16-20 weeks,” Target spokesperson Molly Snyder told the Echo in an email. “We also don’t yet know when each store will close, but it will vary by store.”

Target, which has 133 stores with 17,000 people on the payroll, has applied for protection under the

Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and said nearly all Canadian employees would receive a minimum of 16 weeks compensation, including wages and benefits for employees who won’t be needed in the wind-down period.

While many customers have chosen to frequent Target specifically because of the less frenetic pace of shopping, none of the company’s Canadian stores were profitable, forcing it to make the tough decision and give up on its failed foray north of the border.

“I’m sad,” said Courtenay resident Amy Burley, who has come to love the Minneapolis-based retailer for its great deals on toys.

“They put stuff on sale and they don’t advertise it.”

Roger Langill, of Comox, said the local Target store did a good job of catering to his needs.

“They’re one of the better stores,” he said. “It’s really clean and laid out well.”

With two kids at home he’s come to appreciate the prices at Target.

“We’re not happy they’re closing,” he added. “It’s too

bad for Driftwood Mall. It’s a good anchor store.”

Nick Robinson, a professor of economics and international business at North Island College said the specific economic climate of the Comox Valley had little to do with Target’s poor

Not against fire hall, just the cost (Continued from page 3) Another resident Peter Wardle said they are not against the creation of a new fire hall but the majority are not happy with the high cost of the project.

“I am actually supportive of a new hall,” said Wardle. “In 2013 we did public meetings and the consensus was that we should look at alternative ways to provide shelter for the equipment and also provide adequate facilities for the firefighter.

“Once the process was over it became apparent that CVRD staff and the fire chief put their blinkers on and started down the path to do a traditional fire hall without considering alternates.”

Wardle pointed out that the first scheme was 10,000 sq ft then reduced to 8,780 sq ft for the debut in July 2014.

“The preliminary cost was $600,000 over budget,” said Wardle. “This of

course upset many people.

At this point people realized that the process had run amuck. Anyone who spoke up was sanctioned as being against the firefighters who deserved anything they wanted. It became somewhat of a holy war.”

James Bast, the CVRD’s Manager of Fire Services, indicated that an integral part of the project is the public consultation process.

“There had been pretty extensive public consultations on Hornby Island,” said Bast. “It’s not really ours to be surprised (about the no vote), it’s ours to accomplish and provide the electorate with all the information that they require in order to make an informed decision.”

Gee agreed that there had been meetings with the CVRD but called it “one-sided” as none of their input was taken into consideration.

Bast said the CVRD board will have to look at how they will proceed with

this project. They could opt to hold a referendum to obtain the assent of the electors.

The Hornby Island fire rescue department has been serving the community since 1968. There’s an urgency to getting this project underway because the current building is old and no longer a safe place to work for the firefighters and for the department to provide medical first responder, fire protection, technical rescue, and ambulance services. It has functional and spatial deficiencies and will likely not survive in a moderate earthquake.

“The original plan was to begin construction in 2015 and have it completed by the end of 2015,” said Bast. “We recognize the urgency but it’s at the behest of the board of directors to where we will be going with this now.”

Wardle said there are other solutions and they are hoping the CVRD and residents will get a chance to explore them.

performance.

“It is a really interesting story,” he said.

“It’s right up there with the all-time biggest failures by a business to move across a border.”

The retailer just didn’t do the basic things required of a department store, namely putting the right merchandise on the right shelves at the right price “I think they underestimated what was involved,” he said, adding the case showed just how hearty “old Canadian chains” really are. “Canadian retailers came out stronger than we thought they would.”

Alex Yule said she’s going to have to wait for her mom to go down to Target in the States in order to stock up on diapers for her children.

“I find them better,” she said of Target’s generic brand disposable nappies.

“They fit better and they’re way cheaper - by $20.”

She too has enjoyed the atmosphere at Target.

“It’s quiet,” she said. “I guess that’s why they’re closing.”

Zenith Nicholson has made a point of coming to Target when she comes to the Comox Valley from Errington.

Alex Yule and her two kids during a diaper run at Target.

(Continued on page 5)

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

5

Man killed in head-on collision

BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff A man believed to be from Bowser was killed in a head-on collision with a flatbed truck Monday morning along the Inland Island Highway a few kilometers south of the main Comox Valley turnoff. Officials said the driver of

the northbound pickup was killed almost instantly after careening across the median and striking the semi-truck in a southbound lane around 9 a.m.

The pickup was so mangled investigators had a hard time identifying the truck at first.

The driver of the Volvo flatbed, which was carry-

ing no cargo and was on its way to Parksville, was not seriously injured.

Emergency responders from Cumberland had already been looking into two other accidents just after 8:30 a.m. when the fatal collision occured about 2 km south of the Royston overpass.

Firefighters didn’t at-

Some shoppers will miss Target (Continued from page 4) “It’s my first stop,” she said, while unloading bins from the Target cart into her car.

“These were $2.39 each.

You can’t find them cheaper.”

The employees were always available and friendly too, she said, adding the news of the closure took her by surprise.

“I was shocked,” she said. “They haven’t been open very long.”

Over at Walmart that Thursday the checkouts beeped about once every few seconds and the general din was much louder.

As employee Lynn Hickey headed into work at the retailer that analysts say stands to gain the most from Target’s disappearance she said there are some good reasons the company with the bull’seye logo couldn’t survive.

“Nothing caught my eye,” she said adding their women’s clothing selection wasn’t anywhere near as good as at their US locations - where she has purchased items in the past.

“I thought they’d take their buyer out and shoot her.”

Vancouver-based retail industry observer David Ian Gray of DIG360 Consulting Ltd. said Target

Offer Ends January 30 at 3pm!

should have succeeded despite facing a sluggish economy in some parts of Canada.

“This was a strategic management mistake,” he said, extending his condolences to employees. “I hope everyone there lands on their feet.”

Gray notes that Target will have a lasting impact on the local environment, considering it forced other businesses to pull up their socks.

“They really did improve the game of a lot of the incumbent bigger retailers,” he said. “In the long-run I think Target will be forgotten.”

NO atTAX AT

Open Sunday: 11am to 5pm | Open Monday to Thursday: 9:30am to 5:30pm Open Friday: 9:30am to 3pm | Closed Saturday

Towing crews prepare to take away the pick-up truck and semitrailer truck that collided Monday Monday morning on the Inland Island Highway. (Submitted photos) tempt to extricate the driver of the pickup since he was already dead, but instead monitored the gas leaking from the semi.

The highway was closed in both directions as RCMP launched a major investigation.

Officials won’t release the name of the deceased until next of kin are notified.

Icy roads are thought to have caused the accident.

6

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

ECHO

OPINIONS

LETTERS

A logging disaster Further to your story, “Sediment blamed for Boil Water Advisory” Bravo to City of Courtenay CAO David Allen for taking it upon himself and his staff to go take a look for themselves as to what may have caused the recent catastrophic flood and what exactly was contributing to our ongoing water turbidity.

In essence, as they soon discovered, it leads back to all the drainages flowing into Comox Lake that have been stripped bare of timber allowing for massive sediment and mud flows into the lake, the source of our community’s drinking water.

Still, how is it that the forest lands above us have been allowed to undergo full bore liquidation over the past 18 years; especially throughout TimberWest’s Oyster River Division, the old Comox Logging and Railway Co. claim? Well, in essence, it has been a perfect storm of two incredibly toxic public policies; one provincial and one federal.

After the Liberals first came to power back in 2003, Bill 88, the Private Managed Forests Lands Act was quickly passed by our Ministry of “Sustainable Resource Management”, Honourable Stanley Hagen Minister. And, from what I gather, it was at this point that big corporate

interests owning private timberlands became, in essence, “the foxes in charge of the chicken house”, (as one old logger so aptly phrased it) with virtually no accountability to any government agency at all.

(This was confirmed by a source within our Ministry of Forests who stated that they’ve had no oversight of these privately owned timberlands since sometime back in the 1990s.)

To compound this disastrous provincial policy, in the late 1990s our government in Ottawa had given the green light to resource companies to go right ahead and morph themselves into income trusts.

And what was the result? Well, TimberWest did have the best intentions back around 1994 when it signed a sustainability agreement stating that it was to maintain a cut level of 400,000 cubic metres of wood for the next 10 years (An average logging truck can load 42 to 45 cubic metres of logs) on the Oyster River Division claim.

But then once the corporate giant became an income trust, over the next 10 or so years (according to a local source closely connected to our logging community) it found itself having to triple this figure to 1.2 million cubic metres a year in order to maxi-

COMOX VALLEY ECHO An independently owned and operated newspaper published by Echo Publications at 407-E Fifth Street, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 1J7 Phone 250-334-4722 Fax 250-334-3172 Classifieds 250- 334-4215 Circulation 250-334-4734 E-mail: echo@comoxvalleyecho.com Publisher Dave MacDonald Editor Debra Martin Advertising Manager Keith Currie Office Administrator Deb Fowler Circulation Manager Hedi MacDonald Production Manager Ryan Getz All material herein is protected by copyright.

Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from the publisher.

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement Number #0661538

mize profits and meet its obligations of a payout of $1.08 per unit (8% return on average) to its unit holders. So what happened? It seems the forest company quickly discovered it wasn’t able to harvest the cubic metres of wood per hectare originally projected and thereby was forced to increase their cut to a massive degree.

After hearing all these disturbing tales coming out of the local woods after the first major floods down on the Puntledge/Courtenay river flats occurred back in 2010, I thought it only fair to check directly with TimberWest so emailed vicepresident, Timberland Operations, Dave Whitely.

I asked how we, the citizens of the Comox Valley, might access the annual harvest rate for the years between 1994 and 2009 for his company’s Oyster River Division?

He responded by noting that while they do indeed publicly disclose, in their annual reports, harvest rates by “tenure” (for all their Vancouver Island private lands, I presume) they won’t provide them for a specific operating level i.e. the Oyster River Division.

And after asking him once again for a direct ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to whether he’d be willing to provide us with the Oyster River Division

figures he never replied and our communication came to an abrupt end...

In conclusion, what makes this all more incredibly depressing (some are now claiming that, since 2000, Canada has become No. 1 in the world for loss of intact forest landscapes) is that some sources have it our provincial public servant pension plans were, and still maybe are, heavily invested in TimberWest, if not Island Timberlands, the other big private timberlands’ owner here on east coast of Vancouver Island. That being said, I would ask then that our retired public servants gather together and look into this and, if it is indeed true, urge their investment plan advisors to divest of all these toxic holdings a.s.a.p.

And to see for yourself hard evidence of what has transpired on privately owned timberlands along the east coast of Vancouver Island over the past fifteen years try googling: “University of Maryland Global Forest Change” website.

Rick James Sandwick

Logging to blame Re: Our ‘record setting’ boil water advisory Considering the seriousness of the turbid water situation in the Vallley, your article had a few mixed

messages on the ‘cause’ of the mud flow affecting the high turbidity. David Allen, Courtenay CAO, tells us that “the mouth of the Cruickshank is showing extraordinary sediment flow to the Comox Lake... this is what’s led, as far as I can tell, to the turbidity...”.

Ken Jensen, woodworker and mushroom picker, frankly says he hasn’t seen anything like this in his 48 years in these woods, and goes on to describe how the very steep areas above the Cruickshank have been logged off, as are the areas around the Comox and Willemar Lakes.

But the explanation by David Leitch, the CVRD’s senior manager as to the possible reasons for the turbidity really puzzles us, and I quote: “The recreation activity out there has changed, the weather, the major storm events have changed, the population has changed and housing” “So there’s been a lot of change. To pinpoint one thing is really difficult”.

Why is it so difficult to blame the real cause of the muddy water situation on the logging in that area? That answer actually seems a bit ‘political’. All we have to do is look at the photographs in the article the outflow of silt from Perseverence Creek into Comox Lake, and the photo of

sediment from the Cruickshank River. Open your eyes for heaven’s sake! And what ‘recreation activity’ is Mr. Leitch talking about?

Please enlighten us. Major storm events? Yes we agree on that, but with serious climate change galloping upon us, the Advisory committee might have to burn some midnight oil to mitigate the continuing and very serious problems which the Valley will be experiencing from now on.

F u r t h e r, h o w d o e s “changing population and housing’ affect this situation? Mr. Leitch ends with “To pinpoint one thing is very difficult”.

No it isn’t Mr. Leitch.

The cause was the serious extent of logging in our watersheds - something that many countries would never allow, but obviously the BC government does!

Someone should tell them that trees hold the soils which hold back the water when severe weather events occur.

Sadly you can’t plant trees fast enough to keep this from happening again and again, especially now with climate change staring us in the face. I’m actually feeling quite nervous about the future of our drinking water situation in the Valley.

Rosemary Baxter Courtenay

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

ECHO

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SOCIAL GROUP FOR CV SINGLES A year ago a new group was formed in the Comox Valley for singles to get together and have dinner out in a restaurant. It was a great concept that quickly grew as more people heard about it. It is a way for singles to go out to dinner in a relaxed friendly atmosphere without the pressure of dating or eating out alone. The group meets for dinner at a different restaurant every second Tuesday evening.

The Comox Valley Dinner Club soon became the Comox Valley Social Group as the activities expanded beyond the bi-weekly dinners. In addition to the dinners, the group has done pot luck dinners, walks, barbeques, dances, beach parties, a murder mystery, mushroom picking and even a pot luck dinner on Christmas day.

The average age of the group members are between 40 and 60 years old however

all singles are welcome to attend. There is no obligation and the only cost is for the activities you choose to take part in. Once you sign up to join the group email list, you will receive information about dinners and activities by email and you can decide which activities, if any, you want to participate in.

If you would like more information about the group check out the group website at http://comoxvalleysingles. weebly.com or send an email to cvsinglesdinnerclub@ gmail.com.

Bring water; bringing a yoga mat is optional. Drop in fee is $5-7; $3 for low income. If daytime doesn’t work for you, please email your interest for an evening or weekend class.

FREE SLEEPING WELL WORKSHOP Free Wellness Workshop: Make Sleeping Well Your First Priority in 2015 - Is Stress Keeping You Awake at Night?

Hosted by Heart Drum Beat Yoga and Healing Services on Saturday January 24th from 11 am - 12:30 pm. The House of Now - 536 Fifth Street, Courtenay The workshop is designed to help people suffering from sleep deprivation break through their cycle of frustration and take back the night. The training is a mixture of lecture, gentle exercise and worksheet activities. It is suitable for all ages and physical conditions.

During the workshop participants will: You can register for your free ticket online at: http:// heartdrumbeat.com/makesleeping-well-your-ďŹ rstpriority-in-2015 or phone: (250)650-9905

DISCOVER ART AT BLACK CREEK Discover Art is happening at the Black Creek Community Centre!

One Saturday per month, the Centre will be transformed into a studio for art sessions.

Christine Randolph, an artist herself who has experience in every medium of art making, will be here to lead you and your young ones through unique art projects created from recycled materials.

Participation is for all ages and everyone is welcome, especially parents with young children.

Saturdays, January 24, February 14 & March 14. $10 per family, per session.

Pre-registration is a MUST as space is limited. Call 250-3375190 to register

7

Cumberland skatepark designs shown to users Key feature of Village Park upgrades

BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff An outdoor skatepark planned for Cumberland took a step into reality as the companies behind the Village Park upgrades revealed detailed conceptual drawings at an open house Jan 15.

Tim O’Brien, owner of Comox Valley-based Outlook Land Design, said it has been fun to work on the realignment of the property. “The design phase is the first step in creating the vision,� he said. “There are more things to do, and it’s going to be a very pleasant, beautiful project.�

The Village of Cumberland is building new tennis and basketball courts and a 7,100 square foot concrete skate park in the heart of the community.

About 60 people attended a workshop at a school library in the community last year, drawing elements they hoped would be incorporated into the new skatepark.

Jim Barnum, president of Spectrum Skateparks, worked to incorporate this input into the computer models of the extreme sports facility that’s meant to appeal to riders of many abilities and ages. “I took the feedback from the meeting and the online survey, combining it with our designer’s knowledge, and produced a design that we feel will serve the skaters of Cumberland of all ages and abilities,�

Barnum said in an email interview. “It’s a park that really has longevity and the power to keep drawing riders back due to the high ‘fun factor.’�

O’Brien said the feedback was helpful in crafting the implementation of overall concepts for Village Park, which is the component of the project Outlook has been tasked with. “You bring them into the design so that their ideas are brought forward,� he said. “All that information was tabulated and graphed.�

Over the next two-tothree months the designers will proceed with detailed

construction drawings. “It is a very exciting project for Spectrum and Outlook,� he said. “We’re looking forward to the project getting built.�

Last Thursday’s open house provided an important check point before going ahead, he added, since the design team were able to hear feedback from the community members who will ultimately use the skatepark and the surrounding facilities. “We were able to confirm what they liked and areas that could be improved,� he said. “There will be more tweaking of the designs to follow.�

The construction of the skatepark is expected to cost about $600,000, and $338,000 of that total has already been committed to the project. “We’ve got the design out on a survey available via the Village website so for anyone who missed the review meeting, they can provide feedback there,�

Barnum said. “To get involved, people should reach out to the Cumberland Skatepark Society!

There’s lots of fundraising and work to still be done before this beauty can be built.�

You can comment on the skatepark designs online at: http://www.jotformpro.com/cumberlandcss/ sk8parkdesign

Spectrum Skateparks revealed the look of Cumberland’s new skatepark at a public meeting in the Village.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

Robert Mulrooney

Russ Wigle, B Comm

Senior Investment Advisor

Associate Investment Advisor

HollisWealth (a division of Scotia Capital Inc.)

HollisWealth (a division of Scotia Capital Inc.)

MONEY MATTERS FIVE BIG QUESTIONS FOR 2015

By Gordon Pape With 2014 behind us, it’s time to look ahead to the next 12 months. I think there are five major issues that investors need to consider when planning strategies for 2015. The way in which these play out will go a long way towards determining the winners and losers in the year ahead. Here they are.

1. Is the U.S. economic boom for real?

We haven’t seen anything like this for more than a decade. In the third quarter, the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.9% according to revised numbers from the Commerce Department. That brought the growth rate for the second and third quarters combined to 4.25%, the best the United States has experienced since the second half of 2003.

Now the big question is whether this growth rate is sustainable. The International Monetary Fund, for one, doesn’t think so. In its latest projection, it pegs the U.S. rate for next year at 3.1%. That’s still healthy, but nowhere near as hot as the spring-summer pace we just experienced. By comparison, Canada’s projected rate for next year is about 2.5% according to the Bank of Canada’s October Monetary Policy Report. The IMF’s global forecast for the coming year is 3.2%.

One reason for the caution about 2015 is the sluggish pace of growth in U.S. consumer spending. The Commerce Department reported a gain of only 0.2% in October, while September was flat year-over-year. Those numbers came as something of a surprise, because conventional wisdom had expected the drop in gasoline prices would translate into more spending at the malls. That doesn’t seem to be happening; U.S. retail sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend were down 11% from last year. So the U.S. picture is not entirely rosy.

A strong U.S. economy is obviously good news for Canadians, since the Americans are our number one export market. It would also be good news for the U.S. stock market. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 set record after record in 2014. Some analysts have suggested that share prices have run ahead too quickly, but if economic growth continues at anything like

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the recent pace, we will likely see more upside in 2015. The key word is “if.”

2. Where will the oil price settle?

The oil shock of 2014 is not over yet. Crude prices have fallen 35% in recent months, to the US$65-US$70 a barrel range, and there could be more downside to come now that Opec has opted to keep production at current levels.

Canada is caught in the middle of these global machinations. We have virtually no pricing power because of our lack of access to international markets (Keystone and Energy East would change that). Our energy companies benefit from the fact oil is priced in U.S. dollars, but the inescapable reality is that low world prices combined with the “Canada discount” will hurt bottom lines in 2015 and act as a depressant on share prices.

That means that in the short term, the energy sector looks dodgy for new money. But investors with long time horizons may see some real bargains in the coming weeks.

3. What will happen to interest rates?

The OECD surprised almost everyone late last year by saying that the Bank of Canada will probably start raising interest rates next May. That’s a lot sooner than economists have predicted, but the Paris-based organization said that an improving economy and inflation running near the BoC’s target 2% rate will force the issue.

“Given the uncertainty surrounding the amount of economic slack, the Bank of Canada should maintain its current policy stance for the time being,” the OECD report said. “But it will have to start to withdraw stimulus as remaining slack is progressively taken up.”

In its December policy statement, the Bank gave some credence to the OECD’s forecast by saying that inflation has risen faster than expected and that our economy “is showing signs of a broadening recovery.” However, it offset these observations by noting that “the labour market continues to indicate significant slack in the economy” and “weaker oil prices pose an important downside risk to the inflation profile.”

I think it is highly unlikely that the Bank of Canada will move before the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, since that would put upward pressure on the loonie. Both the Bank and the federal government are quite happy with a lower Canadian dollar because it increases the competitiveness of our exporters in world markets. In fact, the OECD mentioned this in its report, saying Canada’s “exports will be supported by stronger foreign-market growth and recent currency depreciation.” So why would the Bank of Canada upset that apple cart?

The Federal Reserve Board wound up its quantitative easing program at the end of October but has been dovish when it comes to raising the federal funds rate, which has been stuck at near zero for several years. The current thinking is that the Fed is likely to hold its ground until at least the second half of 2015 and perhaps not move until 2016. Continued strength in the U.S. economy could change that outlook, of course. If the Fed should move earlier, then we could see a response from the Bank of Canada. But it is hard to imagine our central bank acting in isolation.

When interest rates do start to rise, the effect on both stock and bond markets will be negative. Defensive securities such as utilities, REITs, and telecoms will be hit, as will the prices of government bonds and, to a lesser extent, corporate bonds and preferred shares.

So we need to keep close watch on the interest rate front. I think the OECD is premature in its prediction but if it turns out to be right watch out for a lot of market turmoil in the spring.

4. What will happen to Keystone XL? President Barack Obama is out of time. He has procrastinated on this issue for years, but he won’t be able to dither any longer. The new Congress, with its Republican-dominated Senate, has prepared a bill approving the construction.

Mr. Obama can veto it, of course, and he probably will. But that’s a stalling tactic at best.

The new Congress will keep the pressure on.

Opinion polls show Keystone is a winner with the U.S. public and the Republicans, who already have their eyes on the 2016 presiden-

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Commissions, trailing commissions, management tees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Rates and prices as of Jan.16, 2014 . Rates and prices subject to change and availability. RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2014 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.

tial election, are well aware of that. They’ll milk the political optics as much as they can.

It appears from his recent comments that Mr. Obama has already said no to Keystone in his own mind – his remarks about it benefitting Canada more than the U.S. were highly revealing. But he may not be able to resist the Republican pressure, especially since his own party is divided on the issue. Moreover, The Wall Street Journal recently suggested that the President’s foot-dragging may be having a negative rub-off effect on the leading contender for the Democratic nomination in 2016, Hillary Clinton. The President has his back to the wall on this one.

If he rejects Keystone, it will send a signal to the energy industry that any major pipeline projects in the U.S. will likely be put on hold, at least until after the 2016 election. That in turn will provide even more impetus to the shift to transporting crude oil by rail – which, ironically, is more dangerous and environmentally damaging than pipelines.

Approval should give at least a temporary boost to pipeline stocks in general and to the shares of TransCanada Corp. (TSX: TRP) in particular. It will also be good news for oil sands producers, even though the pipeline won’t be operational until about two years after a Presidential permit is issued.

5. Whither China?

Of course, a 7.1% growth rate in any Western country would be phenomenal – too much of a good thing, in fact. But in China, which needs strong GDP growth to provide jobs for its growing labour force, any rate below 7.5% spells potential trouble. That why Beijing has taken a number of unusual steps to try to boost the economy, including cutting interest rates and easing lending rules for home buyers.

So far, none of these moves appears to have had much of an impact. China’s annualized GDP rates for the first three quarters of this year were 7.4%, 7.5%, and 7.3% and there is little optimism the fourth quarter will be any better. The World Bank recently cut its outlook for Chinese growth in 2015 to 7.2%.

If the predictions of a continued slowdown in China are correct, it means that global economic growth will remain sluggish next year, despite the resurgence in the U.S. Investments in Chinese stocks and in companies that do significant business there will likely underperform. And the resource sector will remain in the doldrums through 2015.

Courtesy Fundata Canada Inc. © 2015. Gordon Pape is one of Canada’s best-known personal finance commentators and investment experts. He is the publisher of The Internet Wealth Builder and The Income Investor newsletters, available through his Building Wealth website. This article is not intended as personalized advice.

The slowdown in China’s growth has had a huge effect on Canadian resource producers by driving down global commodity prices.

The country’s 318 A Duncan Ave., Courtenay (Corner of Duncan & 3rd St.) GDP growth rate now stands at a five-year low, coming in at 7.3% in Investment Advisor the third quarter.

The IMF forecasts UÊ/ - ÃÊ UÊ,,-*ÃÊ UÊ/>ÝÊ* > } that 2015 will be UÊ,, ÃÊ UÊ ÃÊ UÊ/>ÝÊ- i ÌiÀÃ even worse, comUÊ-Ì V ÃÊ UÊ `ÃÊ UÊ ÕÌÕ> Ê Õ `Ã ing in at 7.1%.

That is well below the government’s target of 7.5%.

Lori Ste. Croix

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

9

RACING

Back on the water

After a long hiatus, MIke McLellan is finally racing boats again and he’s having a real blast BYDEBRA MARTIN Echo Staff Mike McLellan is finally back doing what he loves the most in life - racing fast boats.

The Comox Valley-born McLellan has had some rough years since he was named the Rookie Driver of the Year on the unlimitedl light hydroplane circuit back in the late nineties.

Locals may remember Mike with his Digital Arksponsored hydroplane appearing in Valley parades and other special events, as well as his appearances racing at the Seattle SeaFair and the Kelowna Thunderfest.

But after some initial success, he decided to take a break from the circuit.

And then came the injuries suffered as a passenger in a crash with a logging truck.

That put him on the shore for years.

“It was a long hard fight,” he recalls.

But he kept up with what was going on in the world of motorboat racing, and when he saw the Formula 1 boats have a support series at SeaFair, he was intrigued.

Physically and mentally he finally felt ready to handle the rigours of racing again, but this time in a different class of boat.

The Formula 1 boats are probably most familiar to Canadians.

They use outboard, rather than inboard, engines.

They’re smaller and lighter than the hydroplanes Mike was used to racing.

But they’re fast and more maneuverable.

“I started doing some research, found a boat, bought a boat ...,” recalls Mike.

Getting the all-necessarly sponsorships to run an F1 boat is easier than for hydroplanes, mostly because they have more of a history in Canada.

“They’re a lot of fun to drive,” says Mike. “I”m having more fun in the F1

than in Hydro. They’ll pull a 6-G turn all day long.”

F1 racing uses tunnelhull catamarans which are designed to create an air cushion under the hull resulting in high speeds.

The boats accelerate from zero to 100 in less than four seconds, reaching a top speed of up to 140 miles per hour.

“We race so much closer in to the beach. The spectators are right there,” Mike says.

He made an initial foray into the F1 series last year, finishing 12th for the season despite only competing in Indiana and Seattle.

That “great season” has encouraged Mike to continue with racing again this year.

That’s why he’ll be a featured guest at the Vancouver International Boat Show all this week - you can find Mike and his boat on the main floor at BC Place stadium, by the food court. He’s one of only three Canadians licensed to drive in F1 racing.

And he’d love to see old Comox Valley and Island friends if any are attending the show.

While at the Vancouver boat show this week, Mike will also be working on finalizing sponsorships for the season.

It’s a long way from his first racing sponsorship by the Comox District Free Press for a bathtub in the Nautical Days bathtub races. Mike has indeed ‘been messing about in boats’ from an early age, growing up near Comox Lake, racing personal watercraft to a national championship for sponsor Parker Marine, then the hydroplane experience.

He has access to the advice and help of two of the most experienced and ‘legendary’ F1 racers on the coast, and a crew chief with whom he has “great chemisty.”

So he’s optimistic that he’ll find success this season now that he’s back doing what he truly loves.

Mike McLellan is back on the water again, racing F1 boats. You can meet him at the Vancouver boat show this week.

Lots for boaters, anglers at show this week in Vancouver Set sail this week as the Vancouver International Boat Show returns to BC Place and Granville Island with an impressive lineup of the newest and most innovative in boats and boating products, engaging speakers, and interactive displays.

Don’t miss the chance to board the luxury boats making their Canadian debut, and meet your favorite sea captains and television stars at this year’s Show, January 21 - 25!

With over 100 seminars taking place this year, your weekend at the Boat Show will be jam-packed with educational and inspiring sessions from some of the most note-worthy leaders in the international boating industry.

For all the sport fishing fans out there, the Vancouver International Boat Show will offer a variety of appealing and relevant seminars, ranging from topics like deep-sea fishing off the coast of Vancouver and Vancouver Island, freshwater lake fishing, fishing the rivers of BC, and the opportunity to meet Sport Fishing TVs host, Mike Mitchell.

Pre-plan your visit at w w w.Va n c o u v e r B o a t Show.ca.

Show Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm Admission: Adults: $15 Seniors: $13; Kids (16 and under): FREE

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

Mayors look at what the year holds ahead for Valley Infrastructure a high priority

Water, sewer big concerns

BY PAUL IVES Mayor of Comox The next 12 months will be very busy for the Town of Comox’s council and staff as we begin our strategic planning review process in mid-January and work towards adopting a new budget and 5 year capital/operational plan by mid-May at the latest.

Our Comox Valley regional district representatives (Councillors Ken Grant and Barbara Price) will be getting up to speed on the regional water and sewer infrastructure projects, and bringing back to council reports/recommendations on water quality and sewer capacity improvements.

This will be of particular interest to Town residents given recent boil water advisories, and sewage pump station location concerns in the Croteau Beach neighbourhood.

Aside from these ‘beginning of term’ processes, there’s going to be much focus and public engagement regarding the Lorne Hotel project (public hearing to be held in January/February), the Mack Laing Park proposal (staff report to be reviewed early in the New Year), and the Ma-

rina Park Enhancement project (funding confirmations from Island Coastal Economic Trust anticipated in February and from Western Economic Diversification anticipated in August).

While council will no doubt hear from different views and perspectives on these and other issues that may arise, it will be important for us to make decisions with as much information and input as can be obtained and then with a view toward what’s in the long term interest of our community, having regard to the Official Community Plan and related documents.

What we don’t know is exactly how global, national, provincial and regional economic forces will affect our local residents - the best we can do is to ensure that we have a safe and healthy community, a key focus on the local environment, a fiscally prudent approach to maintaining and renewing infrastructure, and a customer-oriented approach to dealing with local residents, investors, builder and developers.

In my view, we have a great team of councillors and staff at Town hall to tackle these challenges for 2015!

BY LESLIE BAIRD Mayor of Cumberland

?

Top priorities are Maple Pool, holding line on taxes

BY LARRY JANGULA Mayor of Courtenay I am looking forward to a second term as the Mayor of the City of Courtenay.

My priorities are those issues I considered when I chose to run again last November.

My number one priority remains to stop the court case against Maple Pool and work with the community to resolve this issue.

My next concern is to work with the owners and merchants of the downtown businesses in

an attempt to do what we can to cut development cost charges, hold the line on taxes and make it economically feasible to densify and rebuild the downtown core.

I would like to work more closely with the members of the development and construction industry to streamline the application process, wherever possible.

Our city’s infrastructure needs attention. We need to protect, and in some cases, improve our streets and roads by applying a planned, long term, year over year approach to street and road

maintenance. It is imperative that we repaint the 5th Street bridge as well.

The combined taxpayers of the Comox Valley have raised funds and purchased property to build a subsidized housing facility on Braidwood, near the Old Island Highway.

The City of Courtenay has received a $50,000 grant from the Provincial Government and these funds would be used in establishing a plan to develop this property.

Although the construction and operation of this building will be a Provincial and Federal re-

sponsibility, it is gratifying that the City could play an important role in making this much needed facility a reality.

I continue to be very concerned about the escalating tax bills being placed on our businesses and homeowners. We need to find solutions that will deliver the services to our community in an efficient and cost effective way.

Many of our taxpayers can no longer absorb those increased tax burdens.

These are all achievable if we focus our attention and energies on the issues that constitute our Municipal Government man-

The Council will be meeting in early February to discuss our strategic priorities for the next year. In the past we have included our infrastructure Sewer, Water and Roads as high priorities. Followed by a number of projects that members of council would like to see completed.

My list includes updating our Zoning bylaw to comply with the new Official Community Plan. The purchase of land for the Fire Department to build a new Fire Hall.

We have completed a number of plans for parks within the village and set aside funds to start the process of bringing positive changes to these areas.

Over the next number of years the purchase of Maple Lake as a day use park for valley residents.

I would also like to look at Dunsmuir Avenue and the issues of paving, parking, sidewalks, planters, trees and boulevards as we are creating a tourist destination we can welcome everyone and be proud of our community.

During the year we will have projects that will come forward that were not planned or budgeted for but need to be looked at.

I realize that my list is long and could not be completed without the support of Council and staff.

I would also like to thank all the volunteers that are working on established Council Committees and soon to be working committees.

All the best to everyone in 2015!

Special Information Supplement

Trending in the Right Direction 2015 is shaping up to be another exciting year in the automotive industry Sales are on the upswing due to a combination of low interest rates, increased consumer confidence and the dozens of new makes and models available at dealerships across the country.

Many 2015 cars and trucks

By Blair Qualey have been for sale for weeks now across the province, and more are being delivered in the days and weeks ahead.

“If you like cars and trucks, you’re going to love 2015,” Edmunds.com wrote in an article outlining its choice for the best new cars of 2015.

On its list was the new Ford F150, which has received a lot of attention for its new aluminum body, as well Tesla Motors’ highly anticipated crossover SUV Model X, which is expected to be available later this year. Other manufacturers unveiling new vehicles or versions this year

include Audi, Cadillac, Jaguar and General Motors, to name a few.

Drivers are also on the hunt for the latest vehicle technology. Remember when automatic windows were considered revolutionary? Now we’re talking about technology that detects pedestrians and other objects around our vehicles, offers intelligent braking features and semi-autonomous driving.

In 2015, we can also expect to hear more about driverless vehicles. While the technology isn’t expected to become mainstream for the foreseeable future, it’s proof of how rapidly the auto industry is changing.

Auto enthusiasts can get a sneak peek at some of the industry’s latest advancements at the upcoming Vancouver International Auto Show, which takes place March 24 to 29 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

This year’s show is expected to be even larger

than last year, which featured more than 400 vehicles from 30 companies around the world.

Attendance for last year’s six-day event reached 84,506 people in 2014, a five-percent increase from the year before.

We’re expecting this year’s show will be even bigger and better. That’s in part to the new show management team, which includes Jason Heard, one of the country’s most experienced show managers, his father and well-known businessman and event expert Phil Heard, and highly respected Canadian auto journalist Keith Morgan.

The trio, and the rest of the auto show team, has been working for months on making the 95th annual Vancouver International Auto Show a huge success. I can’t wait for our visitors to experience it in just a few weeks’ time. Tickets are already available at www.

VancouverInternationalAutoShow.com

Our members are also looking forward to another year of working in and giving back to our communities around the province. That includes our 30-year relationship with the Special Olympics BC (SOBC). Since 1984, our charitable arm, the New Car Dealers Foundation, has raised more than $4.2 million for the SOBC – the largest sum we’ve raised for a single charity.

We look forward to supporting the SOBC and other organizations in 2015, and to continue being a valued member of our local communities across the province.

Best wishes for a happy, safe and productive 2015.

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. Email him at bqualey@newcardealers.ca.

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

11

3L Developments, CVRD await ruling Regional District spent over $18,500 last year dealing with Stotan Falls issue

BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff The Comox Valley Regional District and 3L Developments squared off in a two-day legal battle held in a Victoria courtroom last week that will set the future for a popular stretch of land just outside Courtenay. The developer behind a controversial residential housing project along Stotan Falls is trying to wrestle its way towards a valuable Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) concession by claiming the municipality didn’t follow its own rules.

“I think we had a pretty good case,” said Kabel Atwall, 3L Developments manager, adding he didn’t want to hazard a guess as to which way Justice Emily M. Burke is leaning. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”

A decision is expected in thee to six months.

“The lawyer for the CVRD focused his arguments on reasonableness, noting that it was not in

Our point is you’ve got a prescribed process in the Regional Growth Strategy. We couldn’t figure out what they’re doing” KABEL ATWALL 3L Developments manager

the public interest to initiate an amendment to the RGS when it was only two years old and had taken more than 3 years to complete, following extensive public engagement,” said Ann MacDonald, general manager of planning and development services at the regional district. “He pointed out that unlike an amendment to the official community plan and zoning bylaw, where there are express provisions in part 26 of the Local Government Act providing for a land owner to apply for an amendment and be heard, there are no such provi-

sions in part 25 of the Local Government Act pertaining to regional growth strategies.”

In June the CVRD voted 7-3 to shut the door on a process that would amend the RGS, and potentially usher in the 741home project planned by 3L Developments.

On Jan. 6 CVRD directors met in camera to discuss the 3L Developments property, which been a thorny issue for the board, snaring CAO Debra Oakman and director Edwin Grieve with a human rights tribunal settlement that prevents these members from participating in discussions on the issue.

“There is always a period of orientation for newly elected officials,” MacDonald said.

“Part of that work for those newly elected officials is be to become fully familiar with that legal framework and that will help guide their decisions.”

Sensing the board had been weakened by the set-

tlement, 3L Developments went on the offensive last fall, launching a lawsuit that questioned the validity of the process that prevented the company from building the kind of lots it hopes to construct along the picturesque waterway of pooling rapids.

The company also accused the regional district of failing to abide by the terms of the human rights tribunal settlement, which addressed what is believed to have been a racial epithet directed at Atwall, who is of Indian descent.

For its part, the regional district took the extra step of removing the Stotan Falls lands from the Rural Official Community Plan, so Oakman and Grieve wouldn’t be contravening their agreement while dealing with the broader planning document.

Responding to 3L Developments’ legal proceedings, the CVRD filed their missive in Supreme Court Dec. 16.

The regional district claims the steps 3L De-

velopments wishes it had taken in considering their opinions about how the RGS should look would have been too onerous and cost too much.

The RGS dictates 90 per cent of all future growth must occur within the core settlement areas of Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland, within the Settlement Expansion Areas and in the three settlement nodes of Saratoga Miracle Beach, Mt. Washington and Union Bay. Only 10 per cent of future growth is to take place in the rural areas such as 3L Developments’ lands between Stotan Falls and the Browns River.

“The prime intent is to ensure that new growth be located in areas that can support public infrastructure, including transit, new and replaced water and sewer systems and road improvements by establishing efficient threshold levels of development,” explained MacDonald.

“Another goal is to preserve the rural areas for as

long as possible.”

Many Comox Valley residents wee Stotan Falls as a public resource, despite the reality that developer owns the land, including the riverbed.

The regional district asked the court to dismiss the 3L Developments’ application and wants to recoup its legal costs.

Fighting the developer has been adding up.

The CVRD spent about $13,500 in 2014 to administer the RGS and to obtain legal advice about the 3L Developments application. Formulating the December response cost an additional $5,000.

Atwall said the regional district was able to bypass a proper method for dealing with their requests by allowing a process prescribed in the fees and procedures bylaw to take precedent.

“Our point is you’ve got a prescribed process in the Regional Growth Strategy,” he said. “We couldn’t figure out what they’re doing.”

Business optimistic for growth in 2015 Cutting red tape tops the list to improve local business climate

BY MICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff Cut the red tape. That’s the message business leaders in the Comox Valley expressed to local governments in a survey commissioned by accounting firm MNP, the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Comox Valley Economic Development Society.

Participants were asked, “What is the one thing you would tell the local government they should do to improve the business climate in the Comox Valley?”

“Bring down the roadblocks to development” was the number one reply followed by lower property and business taxes, and third was amalgamate local governments.

The survey, conducted between Nov. 25, 2014 and Jan. 8, 2015, involved 200 local business leaders, who were randomly selected from a list of 527

chamber members and 115 businesses on the online Yellow Pages. They are owners, CEOs, presidents, executive directors and designated senior corporate officers from businesses across all industry sectors in the Comox Valley.

The results of the survey were presented at an economic forecast luncheon held at Crown Isle last week. It featured a panel that consisted of a professional economist of Vann Struth Consulting Group Inc, Jamie Vann Struth, founder and president of AFC Industries Construction, Alan Fletcher, and a partner in ABC Printing and Signs, Bryan Wiley, who all gave their views on the outcome of the survey.

In commenting on enhancing the business climate in the region, Fletcher applauded the City of Courtenay for working on improving the time spent on processing develop-

Local business community hears results of survey at presentation last Thursday ment permit applications, which have been the biggest concern of people in the construction and development sectors.

“I am just going to give them accolades,” said Fletcher. “I think they’re heading in the right direction. They’re reaching out to the construction industry and development community to try and improve what they’re doing.”

The survey touched on a range of topics that included business expectations, hiring, the future and sustainability.

Peter Van Dongen, MNP regional marketing manager, said the initiative was modeled after similar surveys they’ve conducted in communities across

I think they’re heading in the right direction.

They’re reaching out to the construction industry and development community to try to improve what they’re doing.”

ALAN FLETCHER AFC Industries Construction

Canada. “It’s designed to be a pulse survey which really provides an economic snapshot of what is happening in the community,” said Van Dongen.

“Ultimately our goal and our reason for conducting the survey is, we want to generate some baseline

information that we can work with as a community and use this information pro-actively so that we can improve both the local business planet and help businesses in the community more successful.”

The survey showed 60 per cent of entrepreneurs in the valley are optimistic of business growth in 2015. They also feel the local impact of Western Canadian oil and gas sector is more positive than negative. As well, the survey indicated that the business climate in the Comox Valley is competitive with other Island regions but it still has room to grow.

The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce has a petition asking the

community if it wants an independent review of the local government structure of in the Comox Valley. The survey showed that 88 per cent of the respondents favoured the initiative to see if alternatives would better serve the region.

Around 95 per cent of the business leaders interviewed are members of the chamber. It involved a cross-section of businesses in the community. Majority of the respondents, 60 per cent were located in the City of Courtenay (120 people).

The balance were from Town of Comox, the Village of Cumberland, and Comox Valley Regional District areas.

12

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

Mt. Washington ski club wins big at Whistler slalom The icy conditions from man-made snow were no deterrent for the Mount Washington U14 race team of Natalia Bellefleur, Luke Hoefer, Emilly Johnston, Ava Langevin, Kieran Nilsen, Sylvie Nymann, Chris Raduy along with Coach Krystal Francisty last weekend Jan 10 and 11 in Whistler.

After one one day of training in Whistler, the athletes embarked on tackling a steep, icy and challenging Slalom Course on Whistler Mountain. No small task so early in what started off as a dubious season snow-wise.

As per usual, the little mountain that could team of athletes did not disappoint! The race hosted 58 athletes in both the Women’s and Men’s Divisions. On day 1 race 1 Ava Langev in roared down the course for a 9th place finish with Emilly Johnston in her first year of this age group hot on her heels in

Mt. Washington Ski Club U14 team: Back Row: Emilly Johnston (Comox), Natalia Bellefleur (Campbell River) Sylvi Nymann (Campbell River), Ava Langevin (Comox). Front Row: Luke Hoefer (Nanaimo), Chris Raduy (Qualicum Beach), Kieran Nilsen (Comox) 10th and Sylvi Nymann in 17th. On day 1 race one for the Men it was Kieran Nilsen pulling in with an 8th place finish and Luke Hoefer in 37th. The second race on day one proved to be more challenging as the conditions and the course changed in the afternoon. Emilly Johnston blasted down

the hill winning an impressive 5th place, Natalia Bellefleur easing in a personal best of 12th place for the day, Ava Langevin in 13th and Sylvi Nymann in 17th. For the men it was a stellar afternoon for Chris Raduy as he slipped in a personal best himself in 10th place and Luke Hoefer also a personal

best in 11th. What would have been a 4th place finish for Kieran Nilsen was crushed when he slipped past and missed the last gate and was disqualified.

The Mount Washington Ski Team continued to shine and catch the competition unaware with high placements over the weekend. On day 2 in

Nominations accepted until

January 30th, 2015!

For nominations forms and event details, visit:

www.20under40.ca

the combined 2 run Slalom event Emilly Johnston continued to be consistent with a 5th place finish and personal best, Natalia Bellefleur in 11th, another personal best, Ava Langevin in 13th with Sylvi Nymann taking a 19th spot.

For the Men in the same combined event, Chris Raduy took home an impressive 5th place finish and Kieran Nilsen placed 11th while Luke Hoefer was having the race of his life, missed a gate, had to hike to make the gate in time before the next racer came by, but was not able to finish.

As Coach Krystal Francisty put it “I am so proud of our athletes with a mountain of our size and team of our size all of our athletes finished within the top 20 for each race this is something that we should all be very proud of”.

Next up for this team is a U14 Giant Slalom Speed event being hosted by the Mount Washington Ski Club on Feb 14th and 15th on Allison Forsyth Invitation at

Mount Washington. Please come out and support these dedicated and hardworking athletes and enjoy some impressive skiing too!

THE DART BOARD COMOX VALLEY PUB LEAGUE MIXED DARTS POSITION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

A Division Crty Legion Black Cats Crty Legion DA’s Cx Legion Beer Pigs Comox Legion Misfitz Comox Legion Bulls Hitters Griffin Gang Elks FunGi’s Griffin Darts of Hazzard

Pts 86 76 72 68 67 61 53 21

January 13 Results Black Cats 8 - Griffin Gang 1 Misfitz 5 - Beer Pigs 4 FunGis 4 - D.A.s 5 Darts of Hazzard 2 - BullsHitters 7

Ladies Hi Score: Joanne Scott 138 Men’s Hi Score: Al Oelke, Glen Litchfield, Bill McPherson, Howard Bull, Laurie Bull, Brian Wilcox 140 Ladies Hi Checkout: Joanne Scott 85 Men’s Hi Checkout: Dave Willington 97 180s: Glen Litchfield 1, Laurie Bull 1

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com TUESDAY.JANUARY 20, 2015

Betties fund-raising for Sunday The Brick House Betties roller derby team is pleased to announce that its first scrimmage of 2015 will be a fundraiser on behalf of local small-business owner and Betties’ supporter, Sunday Dennis, who recently required emergency medical treatment.

Spectators are welcome to watch as mid-Island roller derby players,

including some male and junior skaters, come together to scrimmage.

Join the Betties on Sunday Jan. 25 at the CRI in Cumberland from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Show your support, donate to Sunday, and cheer for your Betties!

Photo credit: John Bonner, bonnerphotography.com

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