Prescribed burn planned for Siwash area

Courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service:

The B.C. Wildfire Service, in collaboration with Yunesit’in First Nation and the Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Regional District, will be conducting several prescribed burns totaling 270 hectares in size at roughly 18 kilometers on the Newton Whitewater Road (7000 Road).

 

Burning is expected to begin as early as October 2, 2024, and will continue periodically until October 31, 2024. Ignition will proceed only if conditions are suitable and allow for quick smoke dissipation. Smoke from this prescribed burn may be visible to commuters along Highway 20 from the Lees lookout (Hanceville rest area) to Puntzi Lake and Redstone, along the 900 road, and to the residences at Scum Lake.

 

The objective of this prescribed burn is to:

Increase forest health by eradicating Dwarf Mistletoe,

reduce fire hazard and,

prepare the site for replanting.

 

Fire is a normal and natural process in many of B.C.’s ecosystems. The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities (including the use of prescribed burns), to help reduce the severity of future wildfires and related threats to communities.

 

Learn more about prescribed burning online at prescribedfire.ca or at BCWS cultural and prescribed fire.

Contact:

BC Wildfire Service

Fire Information Officer

Cariboo Fire Centre

778 -799-2100

Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Government Meetings| Week of Oct 1-4, 2024

During the week of October 1-4, 2024 -- the following local governments of the Cariboo-Chilcotin will be holding meetings, as follows:

Quesnel -- Meetings as noted below:

1) Regular Council Meeting - Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 at 5:30pm in Quesnel Council Chambers (4th Floor, 410 Kinchant St).  On the Agenda:

* Municipal Financing Authority Equipment Financing 2025

* Official Community Plan Amendments

View the full Agenda here

2) Financial Sustainability/Audit Committee - Regular Meeting on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 at 9am in the Fraser Room, Quesnel City Hall (4th Floor, 410 Kinchant St).  On the Agenda:

* Finance Policy Updates

* Budget Timing - Discussion

* Budget Principles Policy

* SPCA Contract - Discussion

* MOU with Cariboo RD - Discussion

* Closed Committee Meeting -- Section 90(1k - negotiations) of the Community Charter

View the full Agenda here

3) Policy & Bylaw Committee - Regular Meeting on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 at 3:15pm in the Fraser Room, Quesnel City Hall (4th Floor, 410 Kinchant St).  On the Agenda:

* Moose Statue Signage - Discussion

* City of Quesnel Policy Review

* Committee Schedule for 2024/25

View the full Agenda here

Williams Lake - Committee of the Whole Session on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 at 6pm in the Rick Hansen Boardroom (Basement, Williams Lake City Hall - 450 Mart St).  On the Agenda:

* Delegation: Cianna O'Connor re: Overdose Awareness

* Budget and Financial Plan - Community Engagement Strategy

* Updated Snow and Ice Control Policy No. 231

View the full Agenda here

Cariboo Regional District Board Highlights - September 26th, 2024 mtg

Present: Chair M. Wagner/Vice-Chair M. Neufeld and Directors Sjostrom, Bachmeier, Massier, Forseth, LeBourdais, Richmond, Glassford, Pare, Anderson, De Vries, Coleman, Roodenburg, and Pinkney 

Meeting called to order at 9:45am

The Chair recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional unceded territory of Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw 

Meeting Agenda adopted

Minutes of the previous Regional District Board Meeting were received/adopted

Delegations - 11am:

1) Lauren Bedford, Regional Agriculture Business Liaison - Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin 

Ms. Bedford appeared before the Board to present information on Community Futures' Cariboo-Chilcotin's involvement in the regional agriculture industry, identifying gaps/needs and extend an invitation to an agriculture focused event in November -- presentation here

Following the presentation -- a Question/Answer period ensued

The Chair thanked Ms. Bedford for her time/information

2) Laurie Walters and Larry Stranberg from Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Laurie Walters and Larry Stranberg from Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin appeared before the Board to provide an update on the PASS program (Planning a Successful Succession) -- presentation here

Following the presentation -- a Question/Answer period ensued

The Chair thanked Ms. Walters/Mr. Stranberg for their time/information

Business:

Development Services:

1) The Board gave 1st and 2nd Readings to Quesnel Fringe Area Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 5488, 2024 (Area A/1387 Maple Drive)

2) The Board gave 1st and 2nd Readings to both Interlakes Area Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 5489, 2024 and South Cariboo Area Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 5490, 2024 as well as 2 conditions being:

* Adoption of the Interlakes Area Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 5489, 2024

* The applicant offering to enter into and entering into a Section 219 covenant to ensure compliance with the CRD Shoreland Management Policy with respect to sewage disposal and riparian protection and the cost of the registration of the land use covenant being at the sole cost of the applicant

(Area L/8270 Wilson Lake Road)

3) Following a Public Hearing -- the Board gave 3rd Reading to North Cariboo Area Rural Land Use Amendment Bylaw No. 5476, 2024 (Area I/605 Tibbles Road)

4) The Board approved DVP/Development Variance Permit #25-2024 for property at 2813 Chimney Lake Rd in Electoral Area "E"

5) The Board agreed to support a Provincial Agricultural Land Commission application for subdivision pertaining to Lot A, District Lot 10947, Cariboo District, Plan 21261 and Lot 1, District Lot 10947, Cariboo District, Plan 19247, Except Plan 21261 at 2335 and 2371 Rawlings Rd in Electoral Area "B", as well as a re-zoning application be pursued as well

6) The Board agreed with a Staff recommendation in regard to property at 2505 Gook Rd in Electoral Area "A", as follows:

That the condition of adoption for Quesnel Fringe Area Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 5479, 2024 be replaced with the following:

The applicant offering to enter into and entering into a Section 219 covenant to ensure compliance with the CRD Shoreland Management Policy with respect to riparian protection.

 

Further, that the cost of registration of the shoreland management covenant be borne by the applicant

7) The Board approved a Notice on Title for property in Electoral Area "H" legally described as Lot A District Lot 2939 Lillooet District Plan KAP56036 ; PID: 023-290-447

Community Services:

1) The Board approved a Grant of $1,000 to the Tatla Lake Ski Club and to be charged against the Area "J" Grant for Assistance fund

Finance:

1) The Board received/ratified the Monthly Expenditures Board Summary Report and Mastercard Summary Report for the month of August 2024, in the amount of $3,347,749.05

Administration:

1) The Board approved the Draft 2025 Board Schedule

2) The Board approved an allocation of $1,000 to the Tsq’escen (Canim Lake Band) 2nd Annual Strength Through Our Ancestors Pow-Wow and to be charged against the COVID-19 Smart Restart Funds First Nations Allocation 

3) The Board received a number of "Information-Only" Items and following discussion, took no further action 

Committee/Commission Recommendations:

The Board endorsed 4 recommendations from its' Committees' or Commissions as follows:

1) That the Cariboo Regional District Board hereby confirms its desire to move forward with the establishment of a regional trails and parks service, and that the proposal be shared with the CRD's member municipalities to determine their desire to participate in the service, subject to public engagement (Committee of the Whole meeting of September 5th, 2024)

2) That a letter of support be provided to the Barkerville Heritage Trust for its bid to renew the Barkerville Management Agreement (Committee of the Whole meeting of September 5th, 2024)

3) That a funding contribution of $2,000 be provided from the North Cariboo Economic Development budget to the Kersley Farmers Institute in support of the Agriculture Producers Needs Assessment Project. Further, that review and potential action items from the assessment be included as a goal in the North Cariboo Economic Development 2025 Business Plan (North Cariboo Rural Directors' Caucus meeting of September 10th, 2024)

4) That as per the request of the Parkland Recreation Commission, the Cariboo Regional District provide 90-day notice of termination on October 1, 2024 to School District 28 as per Section (S) of the Licence to Occupy portions of the Parkland Elementary School, thus ending use of the school on December 31, 2024 as a community centre by the Commission (North Cariboo Joint Committee meeting of September 10th, 2024)

Corporate Bylaws:

1) The Board gave 1st, 2nd and 3rd Readings to Wildwood Fire Protection Service Area Amendment Bylaw No. 5491, 2024 

Closed Board Session:

At 12:37pm -- the Board recessed its' Open Session to conduct a Closed Board Meeting as per the Community Charter

At 1:00pm -- the Board resumed its' Open Session

Directors' Requests:

1) At the request of Director Forseth (Area "D"), the Board:

i) agreed to invite representatives of "E" Division, BC RCMP to a future meeting to discuss how the Cariboo Regional District can provide input into provincial policing priorities in the Electoral Areas of the Cariboo Regional District

ii) agreed to refer to its' Policy Committee the current practice of Land Acknowledgement at Regional District meetings for review and report back to the Board 

iii) rejected a request to have CRD Staff research implications on the Cariboo Regional District for the FireSmart Pilot Program for Regional District Cooperative Community Wildfire Response Organizations program 

2) At the request of Director Neufeld (Area "E"), the Board agreed to authorize access to the Area "E" Director Initiative Fund for Director Neufeld to attend the 2025 BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George in mid January 2025

3) At the request of Director Bachmeier (Area "B"), the Board agreed to authorize access up to $2,000 from the Area "B" Director Initiative Fund for Director Bachmeier to attend the 2025 BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George in mid January 2025

4) At the request of Director Anderson (Area "K"), the Board agreed to authorize access to $1,000 from the Area "K" Director Initiative Fund for Director Anderson to attend the NCGLA Mental Health and Addictions Symposium in Prince George in November 2024

Following verbal reports from Directors — the Board then adjourned 

Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District Board Highlights - September 26th, 2024 mtg

Present: Chair A. Richmond/Vice Chair M. Sjostrom and Directors Bachmeier, Massier, Forseth, Neufeld, LeBourdais, Wagner, Glassford, Anderson, De Vries, Coleman, Roodenburg, Pinkney, and Smith 

Meeting called to order at 9:30am

The Chair recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional, unceded territory of the Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw 

Meeting agenda adopted 

Minutes of the previous CCRHD Board Meeting were received/adopted 

Business:

1) The Board received Information Items, as follows:

* Northern Health Community News - August and September 2024

* Regional Hospital District - Delegation List (as of September 26th, 2024)

The Board adjourned at 9:34am

Central Cariboo Joint Committee Highlights - Sept 25th, 2024 mtg

Present from Cariboo RD: Co-Chair M. LeBourdais and Directors Forseth/Neufeld

Present from City of Williams Lake: Co-Chair SPS Rathor and Councillor A. Delainey

Guests: Cariboo RD Areas J/K Directors T. Pare, B. Anderson and Cariboo RD Board Chair M. Wagner and CCACS Executive Director M. Normandin

Meeting Chair: Mayor SPS Rathor

Meeting called to order at 5:30pm

The Chair recognized that the meeting was taking place on traditional, unceded Williams Lake First Nation territory within Secwepemculecw and acknowledged the presence of Cariboo Regional District Area Directors Pare, Anderson and Cariboo RD Board Chair M. Wagner 

Meeting Agenda adopted 

Minutes of the previous Joint Committee meeting was adopted

Business:

1) Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society's 'Spring 2024 Arts and Culture Grant Awards Report'

The Society's Executive Director presented the item to the Committee

Discussion ensued thereon... 

Resolved: The Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society's 'Spring 2024 Arts and Culture Grant Awards Report' be received for information

2) Capital Budget Adjustment - CMRC Rink I Arena Sound System

A report from the Community Services Facility Manager, City of Williams Lake was presented to the Committee

Discussion ensued thereon... 

That it be recommended to the Regional Board:

That pursuant to the report of Brandy Links, Community Services Facility Manager, City of Williams Lake dated August 8, 2024, Joint Committee (and Board) endorse an increase to the proposed Arena Sound System Upgrade budgeted at $25,000 to $45,000, utilizing savings from other 2024 capital projects

3) Central Cariboo Joint Committee Terms of Reference Amendment - New Joint Grant Applications Review Process

A report from the Deputy Corporate Officer, City of Williams Lake was presented to the Committee

Discussion ensued thereon 

That it be recommended to the Regional Board/City Council:

That pursuant to the report of Rena Schill, Deputy Corporate Officer, City of Williams Lake dated September 18, 2024, that Joint Committee (and Board/Council) approve the proposed amendment to the Central Cariboo Joint Committee Terms of Reference to allow for an annual special joint review meeting to include all members of City Council and Cariboo Regional District Area D, E, F, J and K Directors, for consideration of funding applications submitted under the CRD’s Grants for Assistance Program and the City’s Community Grants Program, respectively.

4) Discussion Items

The Committee discussed the following items:

* 2025 Budgets for Central Cariboo Recreation and Central Cariboo Arts/Culture

* BC Transit Presentation to Central Cariboo Joint Committee 

No resolutions resulted from the Discussion Items

5) Action Page

The Committee reviewed its' Action Page and directed that Items #3,4 be removed from the Action Page

The Committee adjourned at 7:23pm

Quesnel Council Highlights - Sept 24th, 2024 mtg

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

A small step forward

Indigenous Liaison, Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg advised Council that together with Lhtako Dene Nation, she will be coordinating a relationship building gathering amongst local Elders, Chief, Council and Quesnel City Council to begin the healing journey.

Photo Mural Project

Council approved the Photo Mural Installation project which is fully funded through a grant from Heritage BC and a small contribution from the Museum Reserve derived from a bequest in memory of Lily Hoy Price.  This project will install 4-6 archival photographs enlarged to near life-size in public spaces, to enliven these spaces, to give prominence to underrepresented people and to create interest in the heritage of the City.

Housing Accelerator Fund

Council supports the submission of an application to the Housing Accelerator Fund to boost investment in local development, such as Accessory Dwelling Units, multi-unit housing, Zoning Bylaw and parking requirement review, creation of a public land acquisition and disposition action plan, implementation of e-permitting and updates to the Development Application Procedures Bylaw.

Development Services

Council approved a development permit at 196 Tatchell Road for construction of a 154.96m² shop for storage.  Although the shops is not located within the Sensitive Ecosystem Development Permit Area, access to the shop passes through that area, so the applicant has obtained works within a stream permit from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

101 Marsh Drive

In March, 2024 Council approved purchase of 101 Marsh Drive; current home to the Food Hub and Nourish Food Bank.  This purchase has now been finalized and, Council has approved an operating agreement with the Sprout Kitchen Society for operation of the Food Hub and, a lease agreement with the Canadian Mental Health Association for operation of the Nourish Food Bank.

Grants

Council approved application to the Union of BC Municipalities Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation fund. Completion of an updated Hazard, Resilience and Vulnerability Assessment and a Risk and Resilience Assessment positions the City to identify risks and focus how the City and community are equipped to respond to and recover from those risks. 

2025 Regular Council meeting schedule

Announcements

• September 30, 2024 - National Day for Truth & Reconciliation - events will be held at Lhtako Dene Park and the Quesnel Tillicum Society.
• City Manager Byron Johnson extended a farewell as he sets out to Clearwater, BC.  Byron shared some of the accomplishments that meant the most during his 18 years of service, thanking staff and Council.

South Cariboo Tourism Forum 2024

Joint Release from the Cariboo Regional District, District of 100 Mile House:

The District of 100 Mile House in partnership with the Cariboo Regional District and the South Cariboo Visitor Centre are pleased to announce that registration for the 2024 South Cariboo Tourism Forum is now open. Speakers are confirmed and the day’s itinerary is set.

The Community Tourism Plan was completed earlier this year to provide a strategic path forward to guide future investment in tourism initiatives and to support the long-term growth of tourism in the South Cariboo.  One of the recommendations in the plan was to host a Tourism Forum to give tourism businesses an opportunity to come together to network and generally provide support for the local tourism sector. 

The South Cariboo Tourism Forum will take place Nov. 5th, 2024 at the Community Hall located at 265 Birch Ave in 100 Mile House.  It will be a full day conference style event.  Breakfast and lunch are provided and there is no registration fee. All tourism operators should plan to attend, including resorts, hotels/motels, campgrounds, restaurants, tour operators, guides, and any clubs and businesses that cater to tourists.  Options include attending for the whole day or just part of the day.

The Tourism Forum will provide an opportunity for new and established tourism businesses to meet and network, and also to hear from industry representatives about how they can help tourism businesses succeed. The morning session will include an overview of the Community Tourism Plan, then a session on Who’s Who in Tourism.  Hear from nearly a dozen organizations who support tourism and what they have to offer businesses.  After lunch, there will be focused presentations and discussions on topics that will be of interest to tourism businesses, followed by a facilitated discussion about how to work together to advance the local tourism industry.  

Please join us for a full day devoted to tourism! To register, please visit: https://www.discoversouthcariboo.ca/tourism-forum

The Community Tourism Plan can be found on the District of 100 Mile House website at https://www.100milehouse.com/investing-here/economic-development-plans.

Williams Lake Council Highlights - Sept 24th, 2024

Present: Mayor Rathor; Councillors Boehm, Flaspohler (via Zoom), Lyons and Nelson

Editor's Note -- Councillor Micheal Moses is currently on unpaid leave of absence from Williams Lake City Council/Committee meetings' until end of October 2024, due to his participation as a BC NDP candidate in the current Provincial Election of October 19th, 2024 

Meeting Agenda approved

Meeting Video here

Minutes of the Special and Regular Meetings of Williams Lake City Council held September 10, 2024 were adopted

Business:

1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listings dated September 12 and 19, 2024

2) Council approved the application to the Union of BC Municipalities 2024 Asset Management Planning program for $25,000 at 50% funding (for project total of $50,080) toward development of a Condition Assessment and Level of Service Framework

3) Council approved the proposed sale and accept the offer received from 1487314 B.C. Ltd to purchase the lot legally described as That Part of District Lot 588, Cariboo District, Shown on Plan EPP124595, at a purchase price of $58,000.00, plus applicable fees and taxes

4) Council approved free transit service (i.e. conventional and HandyDART) on general voting day for the Provincial Election, taking place on Saturday, October 19, 2024

5) Council approved the award of audit services to MNP for a five-year term for a total cost of $202,200, excluding GST, over the term

6) Council approved the award of City banking services to the Bank of Montreal for a five-year term

7) Council proclaimed the following -- 

a) "National Roller Skating Month" - October 2024

b) "Purple Thursday" -- October 17, 2024

c)  Late Item - Council authorized the raising of the "Every Child Matters" flag on the City of Williams Lake's flagpole, pursuant to City Policy, on September 30, 2024

8) Council received the "Council Information Package"  as of September 24th, 2024 

9) Council received an update regarding Atlantic Power including a letter from Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerksen on the same matter... 

Members of Council provided verbal reports as to their recent activities... 

At 6:46pm -- Council agreed to the following Motion:

"THAT Council proceed into a Closed Meeting - following adjournment of the Open Council Meeting - according to Section 92 of the Community Charter for discussion of items identified under Section 90 (1c) [labour relations or other employee relations] of the Community Charter

Council adjourned at 6:47pm

Prescribed burn planned near Thunder Mountain Speedway

Courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service:

The BC Wildfire Service will be supporting the Williams Lake First Nation and the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District in conducting a prescribed burn covering up to 50 hectares in the area surrounding the Thunder Mountain Speedway.

Burning is expected to begin as early as Sept. 23, 2024, and may continue periodically until Oct. 4, 2024. Ignition will proceed only if conditions are suitable and allow for quick smoke dissipation. Smoke may be visible from Williams Lake and surrounding communities and to motorists travelling along Highway 20, Dog Creek Road and Bond Lake Road.

This prescribed burn is a collaboration between Williams Lake First Nation, Alkali Resource Management, Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Resource District and BC Wildfire Service.

The objectives of this prescribed burn are to:

Reduce fuels for resilience to natural wildfire

Support previously completed fuel management treatments

Fire is a normal and natural process in many of B.C.’s ecosystems. The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities (including the use of prescribed burns), to help reduce the severity of future wildfires and related threats to communities. Historically, grasslands in the Cariboo-Chilcotin were renewed and maintained through frequent, low-intensity ground fires. Such fires prevented tree encroachment, rejuvenated understory plants and helped maintain more open grasslands and forests with large trees.

Learn more about prescribed burning online at prescribedfire.ca or at BC Wildfire Service cultural and prescribed fire.

Contact:

Fire Information Officer

Cariboo Fire Centre

BC Wildfire Service

778 799-2100

Happy Autumn Equinox 2024!!

 

BC Election 2024 gets underway

 

Royal Proclamation dissolving
42nd BC Legislative Assembly 

Earlier today -- the 42nd Parliament of BC was dissolved by Royal Proclamation of BC's Lt-Gov, the Hon. Janet Austin - thus kicking off BC's 43rd General Election (see attached picture)

Some related background:

i) What happens now to MLA's who served during the 42nd BC Legislature (BC Parliament) -- https://members.leg.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Transition-Guide_Members-seeking-re-election_V2_2024-09-19.pdf

ii) The BC Government enters into a period called the "Caretaker Convention" -- while this is written in a federal government context, the principles are the same. In short, a provincial government between Provincial Parliaments' (Legislative Assemblies), may only act on matters that are:

routine, or
non-controversial, or
urgent and in the public interest, or
reversible by a new provincial government without undue cost or disruption, or
agreed to by opposition parties (in those cases where consultation is appropriate)

https://www.mccarthy.ca/en/insights/articles/what-you-need-know-about-caretaker-convention

Also -- Elections BC has all the information you need to vote in the October 19th, 2024 provincial election at https://elections.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election/

Finally -- as of 1:30pm today, the MLA candidates in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Region are:

1) Prince George-North Cariboo (officially/unofficially)

* Coralee Oakes, Independent (Incumbent)
* Sheldon Clare, BC Conservatives
* Randy Thompson, BC Greens

2) Cariboo-Chilcotin (officially/unofficially)

* Lorne Doerksen, BC Conservatives' (incumbent)
* Micheal Moses, BC NDP

The deadline to register as a MLA candidate with Elections BC is 1pm on Saturday, September 28th, 2024

All the best to candidates running for election/re-election in the October 19th, 2024 BC Provincial General Election

Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Government Meetings' - Week of September 23-27, 2024

Following the 2024 UBCM/Union of BC Municipalities Convention -- the following local governments' or Boards' of Education of the Cariboo-Chilcotin will be holding meetings during the week of September 23-27, 2024 , as follows:

Wells - Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 7pm in Wells Council Chambers (4243 Sanders Avenue) and via Zoom.  When available, the Agenda can be accessed here

Quesnel - Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 5:30pm in Quesnel Council Chambers (4th Floor, 410 Kinchant St.) On the Agenda:

* Report of Resolutions from Previous In-Camera Meetings of March 19, 2024 and July 30, 2024 (Sections 90.1c + e - labour/land - of the Community Charter)

* Committee Reports

* UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund: Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation – Risk and Resilience Assessment 

* Photomural Project

* Housing Accelerator Fund Application

* DP2024-76 at 196 Tatchell Road – Sensitive Ecosystem Development Permit for crossing of Tatchell Creek to build garage

* Sprout Kitchen Operating Agreement 

* CMHA Lease

* 2025 Council Meeting Schedule

View the full Meeting Agenda here

School District #27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin) - Regular Board of Education (1st meeting of 2024-25 School year) on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 6:30pm in the SD27 Boardroom (350 2nd Avenue, Williams Lake).  When available, the Meeting Agenda can be accessed here

Williams Lake - 

1) Special Closed Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 5:30pm in the Rick Hansen Boardroom (Basement - 450 Mart St), as per Sections 92 + 90 (1e - land) of the Community Charter.  View the closed meeting notice here

2) Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 6pm in Williams Lake Council Chambers (450 Mart St).  On the Agenda:

* Land Disposition - McKinnon Road Lot

* UBCM Grant Application - Asset Management Project

* Free Transit Service for Provincial General Election Day - Saturday, October 19, 2024

* External Audit Services - Review and Award of Contract

* Banking Services - Review and Award of Contract

* Update on Atlantic Power Co-Gen Plant

* Closed Council Meeting following adjournment of Open Council Meeting - Section 90(1c - labour) of the Community Charter

View the full Meeting Agenda here

100 Mile House  -- Meetings, as noted below, in 100 Mile House Council Chambers (385 Birch Avenue) on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024:

a) Regular Council Meeting at 5:00pm -- on the Agenda:

* Delegation: Melissa Lapointe re: Recruitment/Retention of Healthcare Professionals in South Cariboo

* Report from Accessibility Committee

* Street Closure - Remembrance Day 2024

* Canim Lake Powwow Request 

* Emergency Preparedness Grant Application

View the full Meeting Agenda here

b) 100 Mile Development Corporation at 5:30pm or upon adjournment of Regular Council Meeting.  On the Agenda:

* Rental of Space at Martin Exeter Hall

* Facilities Attendant at Martin Exeter Hall/Lodge

View the full Meeting Agenda here

Cariboo Regional District -- 

a) Emergency Preparedness Committee/Regular Meeting - September 25th, 2024 at 2:00pm in the Cariboo Regional District Williams Lake Boardroom (180D North 3rd Avenue, Williams Lake).  On the Agenda:

Information Items -- Emergency Operations Centre Activities, May 2024 – September 2024; EOC Communications for 2024 Wildfires & Chilcotin River Landslide; 2023 UBCM CRI FireSmart Funding & Supports Project Update

Action Items -- 2024 Community Resiliency Investment Program - FireSmart Community Funding and Supports Application; Emergency Program Services Strategic Plan; Emergency Notification System Policy

View the full Agenda here

b) Central Cariboo Joint Committee/Regular Meeting - September 25th, 2024 at 5:30pm in the Rick Hansen Boardroom (Basement - 450 Mart St).  On the Agenda:

* Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society's 'Spring 2024 Arts and Culture Grant Awards Report'

* Capital Project Budget Adjustment - CMRC Rink I Arena Sound System

* Central Cariboo Joint Committee Terms of Reference Amendment - New Joint Grant Applications Review Process

* Discussion Items -- Central Cariboo Recreation and Leisure & Central Cariboo Arts/Culture Budget Development for 2025; Invitation to BC Transit to appear before Joint Committee 

View the full Meeting Agenda here

c) Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Hospital District (CCRHD)/Regular Board Meeting - September 26th, 2024 at 9:30am in the Cariboo Regional District Williams Lake Boardroom (180D North 3rd Avenue, Williams Lake).  On the Agenda:

* Information Items -- Northern Health Community News - August and September 2024; CCRHD Delegations - Memorandum of Business

View the full Meeting Agenda here

d) Cariboo Regional District/Regular Board Meeting - September 26th, 2024 following adjournment of the CCRHD Board Meeting in the Cariboo Regional District Williams Lake Boardroom (180D North 3rd Avenue, Williams Lake).  On the Agenda:

2 Delegations -- Lauren Bedford, Regional Agriculture Business Liaison - Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin and Laurie Walters and Larry Stranberg from Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin (PASS Program) 

* Land Use Matters

* Year-Round Grant for Assistance Application – Tatla Lake Ski Club (Area "J")

* Draft 2025 Cariboo Regional District Board Schedule

* Tsq’escen (Canim Lake Band) 2nd Annual Strength Through Our Ancestors Pow-Wow Invitation and Donor Request

* Committee Recommendations

* Wildwood Fire Protection Service Area Amendment Bylaw No. 5491, 2024 (For 3 Readings and Extension of Fire Protection to Bull Mountain, north of Wildwood)

* Requests from Director Forseth (Area D) re: Invite “E” Division, BC RCMP as Future Delegation at Committee of the Whole meeting; Refer Land Acknowledgement for meetings to Policy Committee for review; Refer FireSmart Pilot Program for Regional District Cooperative Community Wildfire Response Organizations to Staff for review/report back to Board

* Request from Director Neufeld (Area E) -- Authorization for Area E Director Initiative Funds to attend 2025 BC Natural Resources Forum

* Closed Board Session -- Sections 92 + 90(1a,c,e - appointment, labour and land) of the Community Charter

View the full Meeting Agenda here

9th Annual Harvest Nutrition Run Coming Up Sunday, September 22

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

The City of Williams Lake invites the entire community to celebrate fall’s arrival with its 9th Annual Harvest Nutrition Run happening on Sunday, September 22.

Every year, participants meet at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex to walk, run, ride, or utilize other forms of active transportation for the event which sees walkers, runners and riders navigate a gentle five-kilometre route through downtown Williams Lake. This free annual family event gets underway at 11 am starting and ending at the CMRC parking lot.

The Harvest Nutrition Run is held to encourage residents to remain active and healthy year round, and is a fun way to foster fitness and community spirit while enjoying some beautiful fall weather with family and friends.

“We invite everyone to come out to participate, and welcome all forms of active transportation like strollers, wagons, bikes, skateboards, longboards, scooters, wheelchairs, rollerblades and walkers,” said Maria McKee, Adult Recreation Program Coordinator.

Once again for this year’s Harvest Nutrition Run, the CMRC is partnering with several organizations who are helping to offer fresh snacks and prizes for participants. Thank you to the following organizations and businesses for their support: Williams Lake Farmers Market, Interior Health, Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society, Streets for All Williams Lake, FreshCo and Save-On-Foods.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support these organizations offer to the event each year,” McKee said, noting it’s exciting to see the event grow. “It’s such a great time of year to get outside, enjoy the fresh fall air and spend some time with family and friends while getting in some exercise. We just love seeing all of the people, and their pets, take part.”

Participants are encouraged to learn more about the harvest season and nutrition by following along with a ‘True or False’ trivia game along the course route. Children are also welcome to search for and count pictures of scarecrows along the way to be entered into a complimentary family drop-in pass draw.

Healthy snacks and refreshments, provided by FreshCo and Save-On-Foods, will be served at noon.

The City encourages everyone to come on out on Sunday, September 22 at 11 am – kicking off with a quick warmup and stretching session 10 minutes before start time led by CMRC Fitness Instructor Carol Morrison - to enjoy some early fall weather and to celebrate active living while enjoying some fresh local food.

Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Governments' receive funding to improve Climate Resiliency

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note --The District of 100 Mile House to receive $97,289 for Bridge Creek drought assessment; City of Williams Lake to receive $1.2 million for Fairview Drive emergency booster station and Hazard and vulnerability risk assessment for WL River Valley area; City of Quesnel to receive $84,500 for Dragon Lake Dam planning and District of Wells received $5.3 million for Disaster risk reduction planning as well as Lowhee Creek water management project in partnership with Lhtako Dene Nation

To better protect people and improve community defences against climate change, the Province is providing funding to communities across British Columbia for disaster risk resilience and climate-adaptation projects.

“Climate change is no longer a future concern, it’s happening now and we’re seeing its impact all over British Columbia,” said the Hon. Bowinn Ma, BC's Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “Through disaster mitigation funding, our government is committed to helping communities become more resilient by empowering local governments to adapt to the changing climate and better protect themselves and their residents against future climate challenges.”

Sixty-five communities will receive approximately $56 million for 78 projects from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) through the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream. This funding will help communities tackle current vulnerabilities, minimize the risk of future disasters and support communities to make informed decisions.

Funding includes approximately $1.2 million through the program’s October 2023 intake to tackle drought conditions in the Sunshine Coast Regional District by supporting the shíshálh Nation’s Lower Crown Reservoir project. The reservoir will capture water from Chapman Creek to improve access to water and increase water security for people living in the region.  

“We want to thank the Province for their support and funding to move the water security project for the Sunshine Coast along,” said Chief Lenora Joe, shíshálh Nation. “By working with our partners at the Sunshine Coast Regional District, we know we can make transformative change creating a better future for all residents. It is only through unifying our communities and working with partners like B.C., that we can tackle climate change and other significant challenges of our time.”

Other projects include:

creating a green corridor by installing rain gardens, planting trees and native plants around Tillicum Elementary school in Saanich to reduce heat, help mitigate flooding and cut carbon emissions for the entire Tillicum community;

designing disaster-risk and policy-assessment models in Gibsons to inform planning and policy around risks from climate-related issues such as flooding, erosion and salt-water intrusion to lessen future emergency costs and adapt to climate change;

protecting essential wastewater infrastructure in the northern Village of Lumby by reinforcing riverbanks near the treatment lagoons to improve the longevity of flood mitigation and better serve the local area; and

preventing soil erosion and protecting riverbanks in Vanderhoof by planting willow saplings along the Nechako River and Stoney Creek to reduce damage downstream, preserve nearby communities and protect the eco-sensitive area to safeguard water systems from climate-related threats.

The Province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since it was established in 2017. Approximately $279 million has been provided to local governments and First Nations through the CEPF for approximately 2,100 projects. This includes approximately $176 million to support disaster-mitigation and climate-adaptation projects.

The CEPF supports local governments and First Nations to better prepare for disasters and reduce risks from natural hazards in a changing climate in several categories. In addition to disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation, other categories include:

volunteer and composite fire department equipment and training;

emergency operations centre equipment and training;

public notification and evacuation-route planning;

Indigenous cultural safety and cultural-humility training; and

emergency support-services equipment and training.

The CEPF is administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) on behalf of the Province.

Learn More:

For information about the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, visit: https://www.ubcm.ca/cepf

For information about disaster and climate-risk reduction, visit ClimateReadyBC: https://www.ClimateReadyBC.ca

To learn about the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/BC-Adapts

BC working with communities on building more housing with zoning extensions

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- the District of Wells has been granted an extension to comply with BC Housing Legislation until December 31st, 2024

The Province has granted extensions to 21 B.C. local governments to provide them more time to amend zoning bylaws and upgrade infrastructure for some, or all, of their community.

This will give the local governments time to comply with the new actions to allow for more row homes, triplexes and townhomes.

The list of communities and specific neighbourhoods follows in the backgrounder.

The Province set new requirements for local governments to fix outdated zoning rules and create capacity for more row homes, triplexes and townhouses, paving the way for more housing options for people and families with middle incomes. Local governments were required to make changes to zoning bylaws by June 30, 2024, to allow: either a minimum of one secondary suite or detached accessory dwelling unit; a minimum of three to four dwelling units; or a minimum of six dwelling units near bus stops with frequent transit service, depending on location and population.

Communities were able to request an extension on adopting the legislation beyond the June 30 deadline for parts, or all, of their community where the requirements apply, depending on need.

Seven requests for extensions were declined and can be found in the backgrounder.

Applications for extensions were required to demonstrate that the local government is in the process of upgrading infrastructure that services the specific area or lots for which the extension was requested; the infrastructure for the area, or areas, where the zoning changes would apply was such that compliance was likely to increase a risk to health, public safety or the environment; or extraordinary circumstances exist that prevent compliance.

Some local governments have already amended their bylaws for most areas of their community, but were granted an extension for certain areas or neighbourhoods where infrastructure upgrades are needed or underway.

As of Sept. 16, 2024, 172 of 188, or more than 91% of local governments in B.C., have now adopted the small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) legislation by passing local bylaws for all areas where an extension was not requested.

The Province will continue to evaluate the implementation of the legislation by local governments to ensure its success in helping to deliver more row homes, triplexes and townhouses in communities throughout B.C.

These changes create more options for the kinds of housing people are looking for, whether seniors looking to downsize while staying in their neighbourhoods, or young families searching for more attainable homes with outdoor spaces for pets, children and gardens.

Learn More:

To learn more about government’s new Homes for People action plan, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online
 https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit:
https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/

Backgrounder -- https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024HOUS0178-001534

Central Coast Regional District By-Election goes to BC Supreme Court for resolution!

Back on April 10th, 2024 -- former Central Coast Regional District Area "E" Director Jim Ward tendered his resignation, due to changing personal circumstances.  Full background here

Accordingly -- the Board of Directors' of the Central Coast Regional District was required to call a by-election as per the Local Government Act (Sections 54 + 203) and the date of the by-election was set for Saturday, August 24th, 2024.  2 individuals put their name forward for the position and after all advanced and general voting opportunities were complete, Leslie Harestad was declared elected over Zachary Taylor by just a single vote - final election results here

However, like the Peace River Regional District back in October of 2022, and after careful review of election records, the Chief Election Officer of the Central Coast Regional District Area "E" By-Election determined that it is necessary to submit an application to the BC Supreme Court (Court) to challenge the validity of the election due to evidence of a person voting when not entitled to vote in Electoral Area E. Elections documentation indicated that an elector from outside of Area E voted in the election by mistake. There was no evidence to indicate this was done purposefully to undermine the validity of the election. However, due to the closeness of the election results, the ineligible ballot may have determined the overall election result and the validity of the election must be challenged.

Upon review of this application, the Court will decide whether a new election must be held in Electoral Area "E" of the Central Coast Regional District. Leslie Harestad will now take office as Area "E" Director of the Central Coast Regional District until such time as the Court issues a decision.

Like the Peace River Regional District declared in October/November of 2022 -- the Central Coast Regional District (CCRD) also declared that it is committed to upholding public trust in the democratic process and ensuring that proper elections protocols are followed. They publicly apologized to the candidates and voters who participated in this election and look forward to implementing a fair resolution, as decided by the Court. As this matter is now before the Court, the CCRD will not comment further until after the BC Supreme Court has made its ruling.

Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Governments' at UBCM 2024 Convention!

Next week -- Mayors', Councillors' and Cariboo RD Area Directors' of the Cariboo-Chilcotin will be in Vancouver during the week of September 16-20, 2024 attending the 2024 UBCM or Union of BC Municipalities' Convention.  Full details here

Meanwhile -- only the Board of Education for School District #28 (Quesnel) will be meeting locally during the week of September 16-20, 2024.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 at 7pm in the SD28 Boardroom (401 North Star Rd, Quesnel).  It will be their first meeting of the 2024-2025 School Year.  The Meeting Agenda, when available, can be viewed here

As I am not attending the 2024 UBCM Convention next week -- there will not be daily reports from the Convention but I am looking forward to hearing how the UBCM Convention played out from my Cariboo RD colleagues at the next meeting of the Cariboo Regional District Board in Williams Lake on Thursday, September 26th, 2024 

Cariboo RD/CCRHD Board Highlights - Sept 5/6, 2024

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

Region-wide trails & parks service discussed, CRD (Cariboo Regional District) makes preliminary commitment

After an initial conversation, the Board will be investigating a regional parks and trails service. Initially brought forward in the previous Board term, an updated memo and overview of the proposed service was presented by Darron Campbell, Manager of Community Services. The memo outlined a framework for a regionwide service and the process to establish it.

The CRD has historically invested grant and recreation service funds into developing low mobility trails throughout the region. This includes trails the recently developed in Pioneer Park, 108 Mile Ranch, and the Esler Sports Complex, adding to existing trails throughout the Cariboo and Chilcotin. These trails are not managed consistently, with each trail having different maintenance needs and priorities based on who owns property and tenure for the trails. The last five years have seen a significant demand for more trails in the region, but existing funding mechanisms limit trail development to sub-regional recreation service areas, provincial parks and tenures, or other specifically established services like the 108 Mile Greenbelt.

A key feature of a new service would be a new trails coordinator position, which would be responsible for leading the design, construction, and maintenance of the CRD’s existing and possible new trail networks. A regional service would also allow the CRD to focus on funding the best projects within the whole region, rather than having to manage internal jurisdictional boundaries alongside funding inequities between different areas with varying population sizes. The service could also fund trails connected to key recreation sites with additional amenities available within them as part of the overall service.

A preliminary outline of the service would see residential taxation set to around $1.30 per $100,000 assessed value, which would raise $225,000 for the service. One area to be determined moving forward for the service would be transferring trail maintenance and development costs from other budgets, like sub-regional recreation, to the newly established regional trails service. Additionally, unlike most regional district services, there is no requirement for any elector approval process for this type of service.

After a detailed discussion, which included questions on further public engagement and conceptual funding model scenarios, the Board in Committee approved a resolution to confirm its desire to proceed with the establishment of a regional parks and trails service. The Board will need to ratify this decision at its next regular Board Meeting, and then will share the proposal with municipal councils to determine their desire to participate. This will mark the next step in a possible service establishment, and next steps will be identified at a future board meeting. Several other factors for how a service will be funded, delivered, and operated will need to be identified as part of the decision making.

Community Works Funding Policy Review

The Board reviewed its policy for how Community Works Funding is assigned and allocated during financial planning. The current policy allows these funds to be used on various projects subject to a 2/3 majority vote, without allocating funding to specific electoral areas. The Board identified water systems, firehalls, and asset management planning as key priorities for these funds moving forward to address aging systems and increasing costs to replace them. The discussion closed with a decision not to request changes to the existing policy.

In depth overview given about needs for CRD utility systems

The CRD’s Manager of Utilities, Kelly McDonald, provided the Board with an overview of the 16 water and sewer systems operated by the CRD. The presentation highlighted key concerns and priorities for each system. Several systems are prioritizing the installation of a SCADA system, which will allow for remote monitoring and control of key features of these systems. Several systems need investment to address deteriorating and end-of-life infrastructure. A major concern for these systems is limited funding, as the CRD must either raise revenues through local service area taxation and fees, or secure grant funding from other levels of government. An overview was also provided of technical information related to chlorinating water alongside treatment systems in most of the CRD’s water systems, either to address ongoing water quality advisories or to mitigate future risks of issuing boil water notices and advisories.

CCRHD lends support to City of Williams Lake on hospital closure solutions

Following careful and lengthy deliberations, the CCRHD’s Board will be supporting the City of Williams Lake’s call for an independent review of the working conditions at Cariboo Memorial Hospital to identify challenges and try to find solutions to the staffing issues at the hospital. This follows a series of emergency room closures over the last month, which also impacted 100 Mile General Hospital, and follows a meeting organized by Interior Health for the City of Williams Lake’s Council.

In discussing the request, there was broad acknowledgement that there is a broad shortage of post-secondary training spots for doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, and other health professionals. The Board also acknowledged that Interior Health’s Chief Executive Officer has been mandated by the Minister of Health to conduct a similar review as was done in Clearwater. The costs of such a review would be borne by the Province and have no impact on the financial position of the CCRHD.

The CCRHD also funds a healthcare landing and retention program, which seeks to complement the recruitment efforts of both Northern Health and Interior Health. These programs assist in securing temporary accommodations for health professionals coming to the region, providing exposure to unique recreation experiences in the region, and supporting peer-networking events. The CCRHD is also engaging School District 27 in an effort to secure dedicated childcare spaces in Williams Lake for children of health professionals.

Multiple notices on title filed for expired, missing permits, missed inspections, improperly zoned buildings

The Board spent more time this week authorizing CRD staff to register several notices on title for buildings which were not built to the requirements of the BC Building Code. Notices on title can affect multiple things for property owners – it’s a signal to insurance companies, financial institutions, and future property buyers that a building on the property was not certifiably built to the standards of the BC Building Code. Cariboo Regional District residents are reminded to obtain their building permit before they build, and request inspections at key construction points to ensure compliance with the BC Building Code. Code compliance isn’t just a legal requirement – it signals that your home meets common standards for future home buyers, insurance companies, and financial institutions.

It bears noting that the purpose of building inspections is to provide a limited and interim spot-checking function for health and safety. Accordingly, inspections are not a warranty that the building is free of defects or that it complies in every respect with the BC Building Code. It remains the responsibility of the owner and their builder, as applicable, to ensure that the construction materially complies with the BC Building Code.

CRD Board approves agreement, allowing 10-new T-hangars to be built at SC Reg Airport

The Board has approved a new occupancy agreement for a private developer at the South Cariboo Regional Airport. The agreement will allow for up to ten new T-Hangars to be built at the airport, which will increase the aircraft storage capacity of the airport and boost revenues generated from airside services. The hangars are to be financed, built, and operated by the private developer in the future.

Troll Mountain Ski Hill rezoning application gets a nod

A rezoning application from the owners of Troll Mountain Ski resort received its first steps towards approval on September 6, with the Board granting first and second reading of the necessary bylaw amendment. The bylaw would see the property’s land use designation under the North Cariboo Rural Land Use Bylaw be designated as a Comprehensive Development Zone. This would facilitate further development of the site alongside recognizing the property’s current use within the existing bylaw. The resort is also located primarily on Crown Land within a designated controlled recreation area under an approved Operating Agreement with the Province of BC. The current zoning designation is a mix of Resource Agricultural, Rural Residential, and Tourist Commercial zones, which do not fully recognize the property’s current and historical use.

A public hearing will be scheduled by the CRD to provide a platform for public input on the application. The property owner will also be required to receive several approvals before the application proceeds further, including a covenant agreement to comply with the CRD’s Shoreland Management Policy, receiving approvals for encroachment agreements and controlled access permits from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and removal or relocation of a building within the designated set back area. Following these steps, the Board could consider adoption of the bylaw.

Lac La Hache Sewer System extension approved

A bylaw was adopted to authorize the expansion of the Lac La Hache Sewer System service area boundaries to include one larger property on Timothy Lake Road. Originally introduced at the August 16, 2024 Board meeting, the bylaw will allow the property owner to connect to the system and discharge wastewater into the system.

Upcoming Meetings:

Sep. 25 @ 2:00 p.m. – Emergency Preparedness Committee

Sep. 25 @ 5:30 p.m. – Central Cariboo Joint Committee

Sep. 26 @ 9:30 a.m. – CCRHD / CRD Board Meetings