News Release
Young People – Get Ready for Fare-Free Travel on Transit!
October 15, 2024
Get ready to hop on board, fare-free transit for youth is coming to the Sunshine Coast on November 1.
The Youth Travel Pass, known as the “S-Pass,” will provide fare-free transit on Sunshine Coast bus routes for young people aged between 13 and 18 who are attending secondary school. Kids 12 and under can already travel for free.
In the lead-up to the start date of November 1, students, parents and school staff will see lots of information about the S-Pass at schools and recreation facilities around the region.
Who is eligible?
To get your hands on an S-Pass you need to have a valid SD46 student ID card or a current government issued photo ID (such as a passport or drivers license).
How to get the pass?
SCRD staff will be at the locations listed below to help young people get their hands on the S-Pass. Before attending these locations, decide if you would like a physical card or if you’d rather have it available via an app on your smartphone.
If you want it on your smartphone, then please download the UMO Mobility App from your app store. Ensure you bring your smartphone, along with your ID and SCRD staff can activate the S-Pass on your phone.
Where to get your pass.
Sechelt Aquatic Centre – 5500 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt
Gibsons and Area Community Centre, 700 Park Road, Gibsons
- October 29, 30 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- November 2 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- November 4 to 8 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Pender Harbour Aquatic and Fitness Centre
- October 23 from 12:15 p.m, to 1 p.m.
After November 8, drop into the Sechelt Aquatic Centre, the Gibsons and Area Community Centre or the main SCRD Administration Building at 1975 Field Road, Sechelt, during regular operating hours to have your pass activated.
Don’t forget your ID and if you want to have the pass on your smartphone, download the Umo app and bring your smartphone too. If you have an existing Umo card you can bring it and the S-Pass will be activated on that card.
The 2024-2025 S-Pass is valid on SCRD conventional Transit buses between November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2025.
Visit https://www.scrd.ca/s-pass for more information.
2024 Trash Bash
October 1, 2024
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is celebrating the success of its 11th annual Backroad Trash Bash, which took place on Saturday, September 21.
Thirty-one volunteers gathered to clean up trash illegally dumped at 30 sites from Halfmoon Bay to Roberts Creek.
Volunteers included community residents, members of the Sunshine Coast Four Wheel Drive Association Club and Sunshine Coast Dirt Bike Association, and representatives from Salish Soils and the SCRD.
Special thanks to the Sechelt Lions Club for helping to set up the event and cook the volunteers’ lunch.
This year, 3,880 kilograms of illegally dumped waste was collected by community volunteers. Materials found at the dump sites included tires, electronic waste, furniture, appliances, metal, and household garbage. Of the materials collected refrigerators, TVs and microwaves are recyclable for free at a local depot. Some of the tires, like off rim passenger tires are also accepted for free at local tire shops four at a time.
“We are thrilled with the excellent turn out and community spirit at this year’s event and are grateful for everyone’s hard work cleaning up the illegal dump sites,” says Marc Sole, SCRD Manager of Solid Waste Services. “It is events like this that help create cleaner, safer, healthier, and more vibrant communities for our residents and businesses.”
If an illegal dump site is found, please report it to the Conservation Officer Service Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277 or online https://forms.gov.bc.ca/environment/rapp/.
To learn more about the Backroad Trash Bash, visit letstalk.scrd.ca/trash-bash.
For information on how to clean up an illegal dump site year-round in our region, visit www.scrd.ca/illegal-dumping.
End of Water Conservation Regulations on All Water Systems
October 1, 2024
Effective immediately, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has declared an end to water conservation regulations for water users on the Chapman, Egmont, Cove Cay, North and South Pender Harbour, Langdale, Soames Point, Granthams Landing and Eastbourne water systems.
“We are thankful that we made it through this summer without the need to implement Stages 3 or 4 in the Chapman Water System, first time in nine years,” says Remko Rosenboom, General Manager, Infrastructure Services. “Repairing leaks combined with the Church Road Well Field water source have played a significant role in maintaining water supply in the Chapman Water system this year.”
“I want to commend our staff for their dedication in identifying and communicating with property owners about large leaks on private properties,” says SCRD Board Chair, Leonard Lee. “I also want to thank property owners for conserving water and for promptly addressing their leaks, including those that have been identified as part of the ongoing water meter installation project in Sechelt.”
Information on water conservation regulations can be found at www.scrd.ca/water-regulations
Fare Free Transit for Youth is Coming this Fall
September 23, 2024
Get ready to hop on board, fare free transit for youth is coming to the Sunshine Coast on November 1, 2024.
Youth between the ages of 13 to 17 or still in Grade 12 will need to get a transit pass, known as the S-Pass, that allows them to ride the bus at no charge. Young people 12 and under can already travel for free.
The S-Pass will be available as a smart phone app or by obtaining a physical card. Because it is a special fare, Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) staff will need to help youth activate their S-Pass. Whether using the app or requesting a card, youth will be required to present picture I.D. (i.e. SD#46 picture I.D. card or Drivers License) to activate the pass.
More information on how and where to get the S-Pass will be available in the coming weeks.
So whether it’s a trip to the pool, dropping by a friend’s house or heading off to a practice, get ready to go for free starting November 1.
Background:
Recognizing the importance of encouraging regular transit use, building life-long ridership, reducing barriers to transit, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the SCRD Board of Directors approved the removal of fares for youth in their 2024 Financial Plan.
Water Supply Projects – September Update
September 19, 2024
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), along with other local governments on the Sunshine Coast are working on several projects to increase water supply.
This is the September update on projects and initiatives underway in the Region. Last month’s update can be found here.
Many of these initiatives are being moved forward through a Water Supply Technical Working Group. This group meets regularly and includes representatives from the SCRD, the District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons, shíshálh Nation and the Provincial Government.
Projects
Water Meter Program
The residential portion of the water meter installation program has been underway for almost five months in the District of Sechelt. This project will see over 4,000 meters installed by next year. Once in place, these meters will greatly assist with leak detection in the system and will also provide the community with valuable information about their own water use.
To date, over 2500 meters have been installed.
Lower Crown Raw Water Reservoir
There is no substantial update on this project at this time. The following is what has been provided in the last two updates.
The feasibility of this projects project is still being confirmed in collaboration with the shíshálh Nation. With over one million dollars in grant funding from the Provincial Government, shíshálh Nation and the SCRD are confirming the technical feasibility of this project and the costs for the SCRD service participants associated with the operation of the reservoir.
A decision is pending on grant applications for funding of the construction costs for this project. If funding confirmation is received, the SCRD Board and the service participants will be engaged to determine if this project will proceed.
Environmental Flow Needs (EFN)
The SCRD releases water from Chapman Lake into Chapman Creek to ensure that there is 200 litres of water in the lower reaches of the creek to maintain the health of the ecosystem. This is provided in addition to the water for community use.
The SCRD sought approval from the shíshálh Nation on a proposal to amend the current EFN for early Summer. The SCRD has been informed that the shíshálh Nation is not supportive of the proposal, so EFN will stay at 200 litres of water per second during the summer of 2024.
shíshálh Nation has committed to working with the SCRD and the Provincial Government to confirm if the EFN can be reduced without impacting the salmon populations in 2025 and 2026.
Siphons
The SCRD has received approval from the shíshálh Nation to use the siphons at Chapman and Edwards Lakes until late summer 2025. The associated applications are being submitted to the Provincial Government for continued use of the siphons.
These siphons are vital to maintaining the Environmental Flow Needs of Chapman Creek as well as summer water supply. They are used to access water from Chapman Lake and Edwards Lake during Stage 4 water conservation regulations.
Groundwater wells – Sechelt
The SCRD has initiated another phase of groundwater investigations to explore the feasibility of supplementing the Chapman Water System with a new groundwater source. This investigation focuses on the Sechelt area, with five identified sites where test wells will be drilled and two additional sites where established wells are located.
Pump tests were completed in August on two of the established wells at Cliff Gilker Park and at the Sunshine Coast Arena. These tests will establish whether there is enough yield from these wells for community consumption.
The drilling of another five wells will be completed in the coming months. If the test results of these wells are favourable, and if the required funding is secured, the next phase would be applications for license(s), design & engineering and permitting of production wells in the chosen location(s).
North and South Pender Harbour Areas
There are several projects underway in North and South Pender water service areas.
Vital safety upgrades have begun at McNeil lake dam and the project is anticipated to be completed by October 2024.
In addition to the above, the SCRD is retaining a contractor to complete the design and construction of an upgraded treatment process for the water treatment plant for the Cove Cay water system.
There are also two projects recently approved by the Board to support water supply for the South Pender Water System. A study to confirm the necessity and feasibility of several options to improve water supply for the system and a study to confirm the potential to connect the North Pender and South Pender Water Systems. This project will begin later in the year.
Water Map Resource
The SCRD has developed a map to show where water projects are taking place on the Sunshine Coast. The map can be found here. Users can click on any of the locations / icons on the map and learn about each project. This information will be updated as more information becomes available on these projects and as they progress further.
You can learn more and ask questions at any time about water projects under way in the region at letstalk.scrd.ca/water.
Get Funding to Help Reduce Waste
September 3, 2024
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will begin accepting applications for the 2024 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 are now open and must be received by midnight on October 28, 2024.
Projects must be completed, including a final report, by June 30, 2025. 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:
- Davis Bay Community Hall that reduced the need for single use items like plastic cutlery, cups and plates thanks to the Davis Bay Wilson Creek Selma Park Community Association.
- Roberts Creek Community Hall expanded the recycling collection system and improved on the overall sustainability and waste reduction for events at the hall.
- Opening events and monthly exhibits are closer to being zero waste at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery. The implementation of reusable serving ware and improved waste sorting has reduced the resistance to reducing waste my making it easier to serve food at events.
- Davis Bay Elementary is serving up hot lunches with reusable dishware and cutlery, so single use items are no longer needed with this easy switch.
- The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre is reducing e-waste with their kindness corner by redistributing electronics like phones and computers that would have otherwise been recycled to new homes.
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.
Contact Us
Aidan Buckley
Manager, Communications and Engagement
Phone: 604-885-6800 Ext. 6123
Cellular: 604-885-8052
Email: aidan.buckley@scrd.ca