Annual maintenance pool closures will take place as usual this Summer as the Sunshine Coast Regional District works to extend the life of the facilities and minimize unexpected closures throughout the year.

During these closures, water is drained from the wet areas (pool, hot tub etc.) of some of the facilities so that the maintenance work can be completed.

The closures will begin in early June with the Sechelt Aquatic Centre, followed by the Gibsons & District Aquatic Facility in mid-July and the Pender Harbour Aquatic & Fitness Centre in August.

The pool closures are scheduled to ensure that at least two pools are open to the public at any one time.

The full schedule of closures is outlined below:

Sechelt Aquatic Centre – Thursday, June 8 to Friday, July 14. Reopening on Saturday, July 15.

Here’s what you can expect during this time:

• All wet areas (main pool, leisure pool, lazy river, hot tub, steam room and sauna) will be closed.
• Changerooms will be closed.
• Gibsons and Pender Harbour pools will be open as an alternative during this time.

The weight room will remain open except on Sundays, June 11, 18 and 25. On these three Sundays, the weight room will be closed.

Gibsons & District Aquatic Facility – Saturday, July 15 to Monday, August 7, re-opening on Tuesday, August 8.

Here’s what you can expect during this time:

• The entire facility will be closed.
• Pender Harbour Aquatic & Fitness Centre and the Sechelt Aquatic Centre will be open.

Pender Harbour Aquatic & Fitness Centre – Saturday, August 5 to Monday, September 4, re-opening on Tuesday, September 5.

Here’s what you can expect during this time:

• The entire facility will be closed.

Sechelt pool will be open during this time and the Gibsons pool will be open effective Tuesday, August 8.

Learn more at www.scrd.ca/recreation.

Effective immediately, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has declared an end to water conservation regulations in the South Pender and Eastbourne Water Systems.

Residents are asked to please inform neighbours and friends who do not access information online about the changes.

Due to the recent heavy rain events, McNeill lake in South Pender Harbour has recovered, and the Eastbourne Water System aquifer that supplies water for residents on the east side of Keats Island has completely recharged.

Learn more about water conservation regulations at www.scrd.ca/water-regulations

Thieves have struck a locker containing thousands of dollars worth of emergency supplies and the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and the Sunshine Coast RCMP are asking for your help to return the items.

The theft is believed to have occurred over the past few weeks at Sunshine Coast Emergency Program storage lockers in the Gibsons area. The lockers contain supplies to be used by the community in the event of an emergency on the Sunshine Coast. Since the theft took place, the SCRD has taken steps to further secure the lockers.

Included in the stolen items are first aid kits, blankets, hockey bags, waterproof wheeled storage cases, blow up mattresses and other unique items such as bright orange emergency support services vests which have a blue logo on the back of them. Some images of the stolen items are below.

“It takes a considerable amount of work to put together these kits so that we are ready in times of crisis,” says Sunshine Coast Emergency Management Coordinator Nancy Hughes. “It’s beyond disappointing that anyone would break into these lockers and steal items that are there to help and support our community should an emergency occur.”

“We want the public to take a good look at some of the pictures, the vests in particular are quite unique,” says Constable Karen Whitby with the Sunshine Coast RCMP. “Perhaps you have seen these items offered for sale online, or you may have seen them in the community. If you have then please contact police.”

If you have information, contact Sunshine Coast RCMP at 604-885-2266 and quote file number 2023-7705.

Media Contacts:
Constable Karen Whitby, Sunshine Coast RCMP
604-885-2266

Aidan Buckley, Manager, Communications and Engagement
Sunshine Coast Regional District
604-885-8052
aidan.buckley@scrd.ca

As water conservation regulations end for all water systems in the Region, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is providing an update on water projects as we enter the winter months.

Summer Drought Response Plan

In May, the SCRD began its annual Drought Response Plan (DRP). This plan outlines actions to be taken on all SCRD water systems through the summer months to secure water supply for residents. The following is a snapshot of this summer’s DRP.

Chapman Water System
The focus for the Chapman Water System was to ensure that as much water as possible remained in both Chapman and Edwards Lakes to be available for use in late summer. The SCRD achieved this primarily by utilizing the new Church Road Well and supply from Gray Creek. After weeks of drought conditions in the Region, the Chapman Water System entered Stage 4 water conservation regulations in September for 21 days.

Service from the Church Road Well Field assisted through the summer and helped to prevent a prolonged period of Stage 4 water conservation regulations. This well field, in addition to a water supply agreement with the Town of Gibsons and the installation of the water meters in the Sechelt area will further help secure future water supply.

North Pender Water System
As has been the case in previous years, the North Pender Water system remained at Stage 1 water conservation regulations through the summer.

South Pender Water System
This summer, the South Pender Water System entered an extended period of Stage 3 water conservation regulations. This was likely due to two main factors.

• McNeil and Harris lakes were still suffering the effects of drought from summer 2022. They did not recharge as quickly as they have done in the past after rainfall. The SCRD will monitor these lakes, and the changes being experienced as plans are put in place for next summer.
• Water use was very for high for some properties through the summer. The SCRD made direct contact with property owners who were using high volumes of water and saw some reduction after residents were made aware of just how much water they were using.

Due to the uncertainty on how climate change will affect water supply, as well as the unknowns of how the system will recharge, residents on the South Pender Water System should be prepared for similar water conservation regulations next summer.

Eastbourne Water System
Just this week, the Eastbourne Water System came off of Stage 4 water conservation regulations. Again, the SCRD has seen changes in how the aquifer that feeds this system has recharged through the summer months.

Ongoing Projects

Several projects are underway to secure water supply for the Sunshine Coast.

Water Meter Installation Project
The installation of water meters in the Sechelt area has begun. The project is focused on the retrofit and replacement of existing meters for the rest of this year with the wider residential and business installation project set to begin in March (weather depending). Further information about this project can be found here. 

Lower Crown Raw Water Reservoir
The SCRD and shíshálh Nation have jointly applied for funding for two water reservoirs and upgrades to the Chapman Water Treatment Plant through the Government of Canada Disaster Mitigation Adjustment Fund. It is anticipated that decisions on funding will take several months. In the meantime, shíshálh Nation has requested immediate funding for the Lower Crown Reservoir from the Province of BC which could expedite work on this project.

SCRD and shíshálh Nation have begun working together on the many tasks associated with this project to ensure we are well positioned to proceed once Board approval and funding confirmation are in place. A recent report to the SCRD Board outlined steps taken to date on this project. The report can be found here. SCRD staff are evaluating this project along side the ongoing raw water reservoir project that had been undertaken above the Sechelt Airport.

Langdale Well Field
The two test wells have been completed at the Langdale Well Field. A draft plan for construction of these well fields has been completed and will be presented to the Board at the November 9, Committee of the Whole meeting. During testing, the water supply from these wells was quite considerable and adding them to the Chapman Water System would further diversify our water supply.

Eastbourne Groundwater Development
Pump tests on three test wells on the Eastbourne Water System were completed in February.  This project aims to provide a year-round sustainable water service for residents on this water system located on a portion of Keats Island. A report, outlining next steps and recommendations to the Board will be discussed this Thursday, October 26, at the SCRD’s Committee of the Whole. You can read the report here.

Garden Bay Water Treatment Upgrade
The feasibility study for this upgrade has been completed. Upgrades are necessary at Garden Bay due to water quality issues and to ensure that the highest standards of quality drinking water are met. The cost of an upgrade could be up to $9 million. SCRD staff are considering next steps.

“What is outlined in this release is just a snapshot of the work being done to secure water supply on the Sunshine Coast,” says SCRD Board Chair Leonard Lee. “This summer, we have seen other jurisdictions in our province grapple with water supply issues for the first time, on many occasions they reached out to SCRD staff for advice. What we know is that decisions made by our previous and current Boards to diversify our water supply are coming to fruition as we see the impact of climate change on our water systems.”

Stay up to date with water projects and ask questions at any time at www.scrd.ca/letstalk

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Board met on October 26, 2023, to address the Board’s response to a workplace incident that occurred during a public Board meeting in the spring of 2023. The incident involved Alternate Director John Henderson and SCRD staff and was witnessed by members of the public.

Following the incident, the SCRD retained an independent investigator to conduct a workplace investigation. The investigator concluded that Alternate Director John Henderson breached the SCRD Respectful Workplace Policy and the SCRD Board Code of Conduct.

The SCRD has a duty to ensure the health and safety of its workers, and to take all reasonable steps to prevent or minimize workplace bullying and harassment. Further to this duty, at the Board meeting on October 26 the Board passed a motion to censure Alternate Director John Henderson, and to request that District of Sechelt Council remove Alternate Director Henderson from his role on the SCRD Board for the remainder of his term as Mayor of the District of Sechelt.

The portion of yesterday’s meeting where the workplace incident was discussed was closed to the public (also known as ‘in camera’) to ensure the privacy of SCRD staff involved.

The SCRD considers the release of information about its response to this incident to be in the public interest. However, to protect the privacy of the SCRD staff involved in the incident, the SCRD will not be releasing further details of the workplace investigation.

Last year, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) made major changes to one of the primary planning and development bylaws in the region. This bylaw had not been changed for over 30 years! Following this work, the SCRD has kicked off major projects to further improve planning and development services on the Sunshine Coast.

At the July 27 Board meeting, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) received support from the Board of Directors to proceed with the recommendations presented in a report to improve the SCRD’s current development approval processes (DAPs).

In August of 2021, the SCRD secured grant funding from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) to support an end-to-end review of its existing DAPs. The SCRD subsequently engaged KPMG LLP in January of 2023 to review its DAPs and to provide validated recommendations for key process improvements. These recommendations were based on a review of internal procedures, bylaws, technology, engagement with the board of directors, and internal and external stakeholder interviews including with other local governments and representatives from the development industry.

“While the development approval process plays an important role in ensuring developments are healthy and safe, the need to make the process more effective, efficient and responsive to community needs was a common theme among stakeholders,” says Ian Hall, General Manager of Planning and Development.

The findings showed that SCRD processes, policies and bylaws related to development approvals that served well for the times they were created have come to a point in the asset management life cycle where a foundational overhaul is required to meet today’s needs.

KPMG worked with SCRD staff to refine and validate the findings into a focused, prioritized list of ten recommendations that take into consideration level of effort, value, and time requirement for implementation. These recommendations were further broken down into 30 achievable actions that will begin in late 2023 and be completed by mid-2025.

“The Board is pleased to endorse opportunities to help build thriving and resilient sunshine Coast communities,” says Leonard Lee, SCRD Board Chair. “We would like to thank staff and our project contributors for the significant time and energy they have dedicated to this review process.”

The DAP review fits with other major projects underway to renew land use planning on the Sunshine Coast.

First, SCRD has just initiated renewal of Official Community Plans (OCPs) for rural areas. OCPs describe the long-term vision of communities to guide future land use in the region. The SCRD has seven OCPs that range from five to 28 years old, which all require updates to meet current Provincial requirements and best practices. As the review continues, the SCRD will engage with communities in the region on the plans.

Second, a Board Policy on reviewing OCP Amendment applications is also in development. This policy is designed to be a transparency tool, with the goal of making visible the elements of applications to provide better information for the community review and decision-making process. The SCRD Board has directed this work and a follow up report is expected to the Board later this year.

And third, a Regional Growth Baseline study was completed earlier this year in partnership with District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons and shishalh Nation. The study compiles and shares information about historical, current and forecasted regional growth, consider current and future needs such as shared goals, objectives, values, servicing levels, and constraints on the land. This information can inform future regional growth discussion, OCP renewal, and other policy and bylaw updates.

For more information on the DAP review project and others, visit letstalk/planning.

As the Region continues to experience prolonged dry weather, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is moving to protect our water supply now and into the late summer.

Effective August 11, and until further notice, the SCRD has declared Stage 3 (Acute) water conservation regulations for water users on the Chapman water system.

All SCRD water users on the Egmont, Cove Cay, and North Pender Harbour water systems as well as groundwater sources in Langdale, Soames Point, and Granthams Landing remain at Stage 1 until further notice.

The South Pender Harbour water system will continue to follow Stage 3 water conservation regulations until further notice.

For the Eastbourne water system, Stage 4 water conservation regulations have been declared.

Water conservation regulations help ensure that demand does not exceed the capacity of our water supply and distribution system and ensures that there is always enough water for fire protection.

Stage 3 Watering Schedule:

 Watering Lawns:

• Not permitted.

Watering trees, shrubs or flowers:

• Watering with sprinklers, soaker hoses or micro-spray is not permitted.
• Watering with handheld hoses with spray trigger nozzles, hand held containers or drip-irrigation is permitted up to 1 hour per day between 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Watering food producing plants and trees:

• Watering with sprinklers, soaker hoses, or micro-spray is not permitted.
• Watering with handheld hoses with spray trigger nozzles, hand held containers or drip-irrigation is permitted up to 2 hours per day, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Exemption for Commercial Food Producing Farms: 

• Commercial farms are exempt from Stage 3 water conservation regulations for food crops.

Washing Vehicles or Boats: 

• Permitted only to wash off sea water.

Washing sidewalks and driveways, windows or exterior building surfaces:

• Not permitted except for health and safety regulations.

Filling swimming pools, spas, garden ponds, or fountains

• Not permitted.

“Even with a forecast showing some precipitation this week, dry weather, needing to meet environmental creek flows for fish habitat, and the ongoing community demand, the water level at Chapman Lake continues to drop,” says Shane Walkey, SCRD Manager, Utility Services. “At this time, we really need residents to conserve water at every opportunity, inside and outside the home. If the dry, hot weather persists, we may be looking at a move to Stage 4 water conservation regulations and a complete ban on outdoor water use by late August or early September.”

Current levels of Chapman Lake are available at www.scrd.ca/water-updates

The SCRD is emphasizing the importance of obeying water conservation regulations to help protect the water supply in the event of wildfires here on the Sunshine Coast.

The Provincial Government recently sent a letter to the SCRD highlighting the need to conserve water as the region experiences drought Level 4 (where the maximum provincial drought level is 5). Level 4 means that adverse impacts to socio-economic or ecosystem values are possible.

ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS

The SCRD will issue warnings to properties in violation of regulations. If there is continued non-compliance, bylaw officers will issue a Bylaw Enforcement Notice and a fine of $400 for violations during Stage 3 water conservation regulations.

Staff do not take bylaw complaints by phone. Please submit bylaw complaints using the online form at www.scrd.ca/bylaw-complaint-form

For more information, contact the SCRD at 604-885-6806 or infrastructure@scrd.ca. Visit www.scrd.ca/water-regulations for further details.

Due to a heat warning that is in effect, airconditioned spaces are being made available for the community to take some time out of the heat.

The following locations are available.

Gibsons & Area Community Centre – 700 Park Road, Gibsons – Map
The cooling centre is located in the main lobby area.
Available from 6:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Sechelt Aquatic Centre – 5500 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt – Map
The cooling centre is located in the swimming pool viewing area.
Available from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Further information on other areas to stay cool in the heat can be found here on the B.C. Provincial Government website and include shopping malls, libraries and shaded green spaces. At this link you can also find information on how to prepare your home for heat.

The community is also encouraged to check in on neighbours and friends while the heat warning is in effect.

Stay up to date with information from the SCRD at www.scrd.ca/emergency-program.

Do you know what to do during an emergency? Visit www.scrd.ca/emergency-alerts to find out.

As warm weather continues and water conservation regulations are in place, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is providing a water supply update.

Weather

On August 8 and 9, the SCRD recorded 26 mm of rainfall at Chapman Lake, while the rest of the region at lower elevations received approximately 8-9 mm. The short-term forecast this week and next is predicting increased temperatures with little precipitation which typically results in increased water use.

Chapman Water System

The Chapman Water System is currently relying mainly on supply from Chapman Lake with contributions from Church Road Well Field and Chaster Well.

While the rainfall had a positive impact on the watershed by adding more water to Chapman Creek and reducing draw from the lake, more rain is needed to recover the lake storage used so far this year. As shown on the SCRD website (www.scrd.ca/water-updates), Chapman Lake levels continue to decrease through the summer months.

Church Road Well Field Project is currently supplying 15 to 25 litres per second. This is equivalent to 1.3 million to 2.1 million litres per day. Staff will be upgrading an electrical part and working to increase water supply from this source to the Chapman Water System. Staff are working to increase production to 4.5 million as soon as possible. Water supply from Church Road diversifies the Chapman Water System supply.

Gray Creek was offline for a couple days due to recent rainfall which makes this source too turbid to meet drinking water quality guidelines. Gray Creek is now online again.

South Pender Harbour Water System

Water use in South Pender decreased in July. Thank you to the community for responding and being mindful about water use which maintains water supply and ensures total water use remains under the water licence limit.

Staff are working on options to supplement the South Pender Water System with water from Harris Lake, now and in the future. The South Pender Water System is currently following Stage 3 water conservation regulations.

Other Water Systems

Eastbourne Water System is in Stage 4 Water Conservation Regulations as of July 31, 2023. All SCRD water users on the Egmont, Cove Cay, and North Pender Harbour water systems and groundwater sources in Langdale, Soames Point, and Granthams Landing remain at Stage 1 until further notice.

The SCRD implements Water Conservation Regulations to ensure that water is available for community use, health purposes and fire suppression through the summer and into the fall. In 2022, water conservation regulations helped extend drinking water supply into December when there was no significant rainfall.

 Water Supply Updates

• August 10, watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqfgtP6KLyY&t=2s
• August 24 will be live streamed at 9:00 a.m. and posted to the SCRD website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2HpCNdgOhQ

On August 16 at 9:00 a.m., business owners and operators can join the SCRD, the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization (SCREDO) and Sunshine Coast Tourism (SCT) for a second virtual water update for local businesses using the following meeting link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82783050328?pwd=Z2JnRlZOY0JmNVlsSFFCclJRdlJnUT09

Water Conservation

Residents on the Chapman and South Pender Harbour Water System are on water systems with limited drinking water supply. Now is the time to conserve. With the provincial wide drought likely to continue in the near future, voluntary conservation measures are encouraged.

Stage 3 Water Conservation Regulations limit outdoor watering daily to one hour for trees, flowers and shrubs and two hours for food producing trees and plants, between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. must be followed. Shirley Macey Water Spray Park is closed and sports fields are no longer being irrigated.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is inviting community members and businesses to volunteer their time and services at the 10^th Annual Trash Bash event which takes place on Saturday, September 16.

This year, the event will focus on cleaning up illegal dump sites off roadsides and forests from Pender Harbour to Egmont.

Since the event launched in 2012, over 50 tonnes of illegally dumped material has been hauled out of forests and backroads and disposed of responsibly at the landfill. Each year, an average of 30 to 40 volunteers help clean up a different area of the Sunshine Coast. The last two events focused on Halfmoon Bay to Roberts Creek, and Elphinstone to West Howe Sound.

“This event helps keep our community free of harmful waste and brings attention to the fact that dumping waste such as garbage, hazardous waste and even green waste is illegal,” says Andrea Patrao, SCRD Solid Waste Programs Coordinator. “The materials collected each year range from garbage and scrap metal to recyclable electronics and tires.”

Pre-registration for the event is required at https://letstalk.scrd.ca/trash-bash. Complete the registration form and find out more about this event. Questions can be directed to infrastructure@scrd.ca or phone 604-885-6806.

Once registered, volunteers are asked to sign-in on September 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the Lions Park, Madeira Park, 13776 Sunshine Coast Hwy. Volunteers will be treated to a free lunch, prepared by Pender Harbour Lions Park volunteers, and will have a chance to win great prizes.

To learn more about the issue of illegal dumping and how to report dump sites in the region, the SCRD invites the public to view the “Stop Illegal Dumping” video made in partnership with the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities at www.scrd.ca/illegal-dumping.

Residents are advised to report an illegal dump site to the BC Conservation Service RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line at 1-877-952-7277 or www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/rapp/rapp.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will begin accepting applications for the 2023 Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (WRIP).

Launched in 2015, WRIP was introduced to support waste reduction and recycling priorities identified in the SCRD’s Solid Waste Management Plan.

The program has a total of $7,500 available for financial assistance to Sunshine Coast based community groups and associations, non-profit societies, registered charitable organizations, school groups from school districts 46 and 93. for projects that will reduce waste in the region. Project applications must include a plan for measuring and reporting the amount of waste diverted from the landfill.

Project categories considered for the program include:

• Community reuse and repair
• Composting
• Construction and demolition waste reduction, reuse and recycling
• Food waste reduction
• Green waste reduction
• Recycling initiatives

Applications open September 1, 2023 and all applications must be received by midnight on October 20, 2023.

Projects must be completed, including a final report, by June 30, 2024. Interim reporting, project guidelines and restrictions can be found at https://letstalk.scrd.ca/wrip. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the SCRD in advance of submitting their application to ensure that their project is eligible for funding.

Successful past projects include:

• Sunshine Coast Alternative School repurposed waste into art projects. Students learned about waste as a potential resource and community members generously donated items that would have ended up in the landfill.
• Roberts Creek Community Hall no longer needs to use one time use items like plastic forks or cups with the purchase of dishware for use during rental or events at the hall.
• Lunch waste was reduced at Langdale Elementary School with the purchase of reusable dishware for serving hot lunches.
• Kinnickinnick and Gibsons Elementary Schools tackled reducing paper towels going to the landfill by improving diversion to composting paper towels.
• Chatelech Secondary is reducing waste by moving away from one-time plastic markets by opting for refillable versions.

If you have questions about the Waste Reduction Initiatives Program, or are interested in submitting an application, please visit https://letstalk.scrd.ca/wrip email infrastructure@scrd.ca or call 604-885-6806.

Our water supply is at risk due to prolonged dry weather. Effective Friday, September 8, and until further notice, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has declared Stage 4 (severe) water conservation regulations for water users on the Chapman Water System. The Chapman Water System services homes and businesses in Halfmoon Bay, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone, and part of West Howe Sound.

Stage 4 water conservation regulations means a BAN ON ALL OUTDOOR USE OF SCRD DRINKING WATER.  This includes, but is not limited to, watering gardens and greenhouses, construction activities, road and property maintenance. Under these drought conditions, water use priorities focus on water for human health, firefighting and minimum creek flow requirements.

“Due to sustained heat and hardly any rain in the past few months, Chapman Lake levels have dropped triggering the need to start using the Chapman siphons and Edwards lake storage,” says Dean McKinley, SCRD CAO and Acting General Manager of Infrastructure Services. “This has unfortunately led us to have to make the difficult decision to move to severe water regulations.”

Commercial farms are exempt from Stage 4 water conservation regulations for food crops, for a two-week period, commencing from the first date of Stage 4 regulations, September 8 to 22. All businesses and residential properties using water indoors are encouraged to plan a water reduction strategy to reduce water consumption as much as possible during Stage 4.

The SCRD is offering a bulk water filling station, located in Langdale, to support business continuity for farm irrigation or construction projects impacted by Stage 4. Please contact 604-885-6806 or email infrastructure@scrd.ca to enquire.

“The fire danger rating is currently very high on parts of the Sunshine Coast,” says Matt Treit, Manager of Protective Services. “On behalf of all our Fire Chiefs, I ask that our community obey Stage 4 water conservation regulations to ensure we have adequate water supply in the case of wildfire on the Sunshine Coast.”

Other Water Systems

All SCRD water users on the Egmont, Cove Cay, and North Pender Harbour water systems as well as groundwater sources in Langdale, Soames Point, and Granthams Landing remain at Stage 1 until further notice.

The South Pender Harbour water system will continue to follow Stage 3 water conservation regulations until further notice.

For the Eastbourne water system, Stage 4 water conservation regulations have been declared.

These regulations apply to the use of SCRD drinking water not to the use of rainwater, private well water or any forms of recycled water.

Enforcement

The SCRD may proceed directly to fines without warnings for regulation violations in Stage 4 water conservation regulations. Continued non-compliance may result in multiple fines.

Staff do not take bylaw complaints by phone. Please submit bylaw complaints using the online form at www.scrd.ca/bylaw-complaint-form.

For more information, contact the SCRD at 604-885-6806 or infrastructure@scrd.ca. Visit www.scrd.ca/water-regulations for further details.

This afternoon, Leonard Lee, Board Chair of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) ordered a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) due to a wildfire at Clowhom Lake.

An evacuation order has been issued for seven properties in the Clowhom Lake area in electoral area B in the Sunshine Coast Regional District. An additional five properties have been put on Evacuation Alert. The order ensures protection of human life and while firefighters work to control the wildfire and protect critical infrastructure.

The evacuation order was made by the Sunshine Coast Regional District Emergency Operation Center (EOC), based on advice from the British Columbia Wildfire Service. Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue will be expediting this action.

The BC Wildfire and the Sunshine Coast Regional District are continuing to work together to co-ordinate efforts to protect people and property.

“It is important for people to abide by evacuation orders” says Rob Michael, EOC Director. “Structure protection is also being implemented for properties within the alert area”.

The BC Wildfire Service has command of the site. The lightning caused wildfire is currently 231 hectares and it is slowly continuing to spread.

For more information, please visit www.scrd.ca.

The evacuation order for the Clowhom Lake area in Electoral Area B in the Sunshine Coast Regional District has been expanded.

A total of ten properties are now on Evacuation Order due to the Clowhom Lake wildfire. The Evacuation Alert area has also been expanded to include more Crown land; no further properties have been added to the Evacuation Alert.

The order ensures protection of human life and property while firefighters work to control the wildfire and protect critical infrastructure.

The evacuation order was made by the Sunshine Coast Regional District Emergency Operation Center (EOC), based on advice from the British Columbia Wildfire Service.

The BC Wildfire Service and the Sunshine Coast Regional District are continuing to work together to co-ordinate efforts to protect people and property.

The BC Wildfire Service has command of the site. At last update, the lightning caused wildfire was 231 hectares and slowly continuing to spread. BC Wildfire will post updates on the fire status and response here.

For more information, please visit www.scrd.ca.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will begin installing water meters in Sechelt area residences and businesses.

At its meeting on April 20, 2023, the SCRD Board awarded a contract to Neptune Technology Group Canada Co. for Phase Three of the water meter installation project.

“Phase Three is the final phase of the universal meter installation project and involves installing water meters in the District of Sechelt, including West Sechelt, West Porpoise Bay, Downtown Sechelt, East Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook, Tuwanek, Selma Park, Davis Bay and Wilson Creek,” says Bryan Shoji, Manager, Capital Projects.

Meters were installed for SCRD water customers in Egmont/Pender Harbour, Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone and West Howe Sound between 2014 and 2017.

Water metering is a widely recognized industry best practice. Many cities and regional districts across Canada have already metered their water infrastructure. Water meters help measure and manage water supply and are a critical tool for leak detection and resolution. It is common for communities to realize a reduction in water consumption by 20% to 30% after the installation of meters. Since water meters were installed in the Town of Gibsons in 2009, the average annual water consumption decreased from 781 liters per day to 357 liters per day in 2022.

Water meter installations are expected to begin in mid-October 2023 and be complete by July 2025. The contractor will communicate directly with each water customer affected by this project to provide details and instructions on how to make a water meter installation appointment. In addition, the SCRD Let’s Talk water metering page will be updated with project specific information for the duration of the project.

“As witnessed during this and last summer’s unprecedented droughts, it is critical that we use our water resources as efficiently as possible,” says Shane Walkey, Manager, Utility Services. “The installation of water meters and backflow prevention devices will provide much needed information to optimize the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water.”

For more information on the SCRD’s water metering program and to ask questions online, go to letstalk.scrd.ca/water-metering. For information on water supply and projects, visit www.scrd.ca/water-updates.

The hardworking staff and volunteers at Xwesam / Roberts Creek Volunteer Fire Department were shocked last week when they discovered that a large quantity of diesel had been stolen from the fire hall.

The theft is believed to have taken place last Friday (September 15), after 8:30 p.m. The diesel that is stored at the fire hall is crucial for emergency response efforts.

The diesel tank at the fire hall

“Having been Chief here for a number of years, I can say that this is one of most disgusting acts that our fire department has faced,” says Chief Pat Higgins. “To think that anyone believes they have the right to steal from our fire department and jeopardize our ability to respond to emergencies in our community is completely unacceptable.”

The theft is under investigation and the fire department is asking anyone who may have information about this theft to contact police and quote file number 2023-6769. The fire hall is located on the Sunshine Coast Highway at the intersection of Roberts Creek Road.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has replaced the fuel to ensure there will be no service impacts because of the theft. Security monitoring has been increased at the fire hall.