5673 replies to this topic

[JohnN]

Headliner in today's Sewage News is T-C editorial Polak created sewage impasse

 

CRD SEWAGE NEWS 13 July:  Click here to read

 

Audio-Visual News:

- Brownoff on CFAX

- Dejardins on CFAX

- Desjardins on CFAX with Pamela McCall

- Polak on CBC

- The RITE Plan's Youtube Channel

 

News stories:

- ​Westside communities move forward for better sewage treatment

- Cost-benefit competition - Win $1000!

- Esquimalt residents get pitch in the mail to reconsider sewage plant

- Talk 15 July: "Successful sewage treatment for small communities"

- CRD to consider a new sewage idea

- Frank Stanford's comment Friday July 11

- Editorial: Polak created sewage impasse

​

LETTERS:

- Clark should intervene in sewage impasse (Ahlgren)

- CRD not required to build sewage projects (Atwell)

- Dual roles are part of CRD structure (Austin)

- Sewage concerns certainly concerning (Bickerton)

- Peninsula tax money offered to Esquimalt (Cameron)

- Esquimalt should support sewage plant (Crow)

- Maybe Oak Bay should get letters from CRD (Donaldson)

- Let Esquimalt vote on the real proposal (Harvey)

- Smaller treatment plants the way to go (Jardine)

- Esquimalt can be part of the solution (McConnell)

- CRD mailing is disrespectful (Plasterer)

- Look for solutions, don’t offer bribes (Schinbein)

- View Royal favours regional sewage plan (Screech)

- Ignore Polak’s threats on sewage plan (Stocks)

 

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!

 

Click here to read

 

[VicHockeyFan]

View Royal and its Mayor Graham Hill are missing. Could be that View Royal has decided to go with CRD plan as long as nobody thinks about putting a sewage plant in View Royal - like at Thetis Cove or near View Royal up at 1947 Burnside Road West. The renovated and enlarged Craigflower Pump Station (only part of CRD sewage plan that might be actually completed) is just inside View Royal but not sure how that would influence View Royal's position.

 

By the way, Richard Atwell of The RITE Plan is right now setting up his video webstreaming camera to try to catch some of Colwood's sewage treatment event tonight, starting at about 6:30pm: http://www.ustream.t...corded/49690589

 

 

 

TC:

 

 

Re: “B.C. minister gets tough on sewage,” July 5.

I am not sure why Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins would claim that there are ongoing discussions of a West Side group for sewage treatment that includes View Royal. There have been no discussions of any such proposal at View Royal’s council table and no such direction has been given by our council.

The majority of our council is committed to the concept of a regional plan, and believe strongly that sewage treatment is a regional issue that needs to be dealt with regionally, not individually.

David Screech

Councillor

View Royal

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.UiMNfoLN.dpuf

 

 

The majority of our council is committed to the concept of a regional plan, and believe strongly that sewage treatment is a regional issue that needs to be dealt with regionally, not individually.

 

 

He should have added - "as long as the plant is not in View Royal."

[JohnN]

ESQUIMALT BRIBE NO SWEET DEAL FOR SEATERRA TAXPAYERS

Jordan Bateman
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
July 16, 2014

Seaterra’s proposed Esquimalt bribe should leave Capital Regional District (CRD) taxpayers Seaterr-ified.

With the $788 million sewage treatment plan reeling like a bloodied prizefighter on his last legs, the CRD voted last week to send a letter to every Esquimalt property owner, offering to pay a portion of the community’s capital costs in return for allowing a massive sewage plant to be built at McLoughlin Point.

The Times Colonist reported that the CRD believes this deal would bring the average sewage tax increase for Esquimalt residents down to $125 a year. But that number is wildly inaccurate – and should be considered by Esquimalt taxpayers as just more Seaterra spin.

Earlier this year, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released an independent report by off-Island Certified Management Accountant, Sacha Peter, showing the CRD was grossly downplaying the true tax implications of the Seaterra scheme. Back then, the CRD’s plan understated the average Victoria homeowner’s tax bill by $579 over the first six years, Esquimalt by $555, and View Royal by $195.

Now Seaterra supporters want to add even more cost. With Colwood leaving the Seaterra plan and the CRD looking to charge Langford, Oak Bay, Saanich, View Royal and Victoria taxpayers for Esquimalt’s share, the tax increase for those five cities will be even higher.

Peter has run the new numbers for the CTF, looking at the Seaterra costs in two stages: the first six years, in which the CRD has promised a “phased-in” series of tax increases; and the ongoing annual cost from year seven on.

Over the first six years of the project, Victoria taxpayers can now expect to pay $1,920 in new sewage taxes – $680 more than the CRD’s lowballed prediction. That means as bad as the CRD’s predicted tax hike is, it’s going to be $110 a year worse for those first six years.

In year seven and beyond, once the Seaterra tax increases are fully phased-in, the annual sewage tax bill for a single family homeowner in Victoria will be $600 higher than it is today. That’s $50 more in sewage taxes per month, forever.

In Saanich, once the increases are phased in, property taxpayers will shell out $290 more a year. Oak Bay residents will pay at least $400 more per year. View Royal taxpayers are looking at a $320 annual increase, and Langford single family homeowners can expect roughly a $330 hike.

As for Esquimalt, the savings are nowhere near as much as the CRD claims. Over the first six years of the project, Esquimalt’s sewage tax hike would drop from a total of $1,640 to $1,480. That’s a drop of roughly a twoonie a month for those first six years.

And the ongoing annual tax bill increase for the fully built plan would drop by $80 a year to $430 annually. Some deal: instead of Esquimalt taxes going up $510 a year, it will be “only” $430. And the CRD expects Esquimalt residents to be oh-so-grateful for this “generosity”?

It is unfathomable that the CRD has refused to release detailed property tax implications for the Seaterra project. The CRD has had years to do so, yet taxpayers are forced to rely on numbers calculated by the CTF rather than being given the hard, honest truth by the government sending them the bill.

The CRD’s financial management of Seaterra has been Seaterr-ible since the start. It’s time for the regional district to give taxpayers the true, detailed cost implications of this massive plan, and for Esquimalt taxpayers to put the CRD’s letter in the recycle bin – where it belongs.

http://taxpayer.com/...terra-taxpayers

[Mike K.]

Unreal. It's hard to believe the CRD is still pushing this thing. Sweetnam really wants that bonus...

[JohnN]

 

Unreal. It's hard to believe the CRD is still pushing this thing. Sweetnam really wants that bonus...

 
- Since Sweetnam only gets the bonus for successful completion of CRD sewage project, could be he doesn't want to go the way of Ken Jarvels: "Victoria replaces project manager for Johnson Street Bridge": http://www.timescolo...ridge-1.1206379

[JohnN]

Couple of interesting developments today in CRD's sewage situation:

 

In face of delays, Greater Victoria groups push for sewage cleanup

Local Opposition MLA's will try to break sewage treatment logjam

[JohnN]

CRD's letter sent to province (Ministers Oakes and Polak) on 15 July asks directly for province to take over sewage project or indirectly implies that province should give CRD the legislative authority like Vancouver has, in order to over-ride Esquimalt and to proceed without municipal zoning.

 

Since the NDP have never waivered from supporting CRD sewage plan and NDP will cooperate fully with everybody (province, eco-lawyers, labour, Mr Floatie) to defeat Esquimalt, the new NDP local MLA committee may indeed have formed as cheerleaders for those allies to confront Esquimalt.

 

CRD's 15 July letter to province (Oakes and Polak): http://theriteplan.c...erraProgram.pdf

[JohnN]

CRD SEWAGE NEWS 20 JULY 

 

CLICK HERE TO READ

 

Audio-Visual News:

- Karagianis on CFAX

- Colwood's Hamilton on CFAX

- Bateman of CTF on CFAX 17 July

- The RITE Plan's Youtube Channel

 

News stories:

- ESQUIMALT BRIBE NO SWEET DEAL FOR SEATERRA TAXPAYERS

- In face of delays, Greater Victoria groups push for sewage cleanup

- Local Opposition MLA's will try to break sewage treatment logjam

- CRD sends letter to province

- CFAX Poll: NDP Involvement?

 

LETTERS:

- CRD, not Polak, created sewage impasse (Brown)

- Peninsula residents don’t fund core-area sewage (Bryson)

- Province should give CRD power to act (Chapman)

- Council following wishes of citizens (Lightman)

- Reward politicians who do the right thing (Love)

- Minister clear on CRD approach to sewage plan (Weaver)

 

CLICK HERE TO READ

[JohnN]

Items: Oak Bay Council expresses disappointment in Esquimalt decision and Stop Work order for Hartland sewage sludge RFP bids

 

Oak Bay Council expresses disappointment in Esquimalt decision

MOVED by Councillor Herbert

Seconded by Councillor Murdoch, That Mayor Jensen be requested to send a letter to the Township of Esquimalt noting Council’s disappointment with the Town taking this late action to amend its Official Community Plan to prevent the sewage treatment plant being constructed at McLoughlin Point, which may result in the loss of Federal and Provincial funding for a regional sewage treatment plant.

It was further noted that Oak Bay itself had struggled with placement of the Currie Road pump station within a residential neighbourhood, but in the bests interests of the Capital Region worked hard with the neighbours on the issue, resulting in a station that was acceptable for all.

The question on the motion was then called.

CARRIED
(Councillors Copley, Green and Ney against the motion)

http://www.oakbay.ca...June 9 2014.pdf

 

---------------------

 

 Stop Work order for Hartland sewage sludge RFP bids

 

In this CFAX interview Geoff Young states that there is a "Work Stop Order" on the RFP for the bids on Hartland! (at 19m43s)
 

http://theriteplan.c...Geoff_Young.m4a

[Mike K.]

Sorry Oak Bay, but you don't have the authority to interfere with another Balkanized state's business, remember? But it must show some moxy before your constituents by sending a letter ...and it is an election year.

Just how exactly does the station in Oak Bay compare to Mcloughlin Point? Oak Bay is making it sound like they took a bullet for the region and gravely inconvenienced their tax payers.

[JohnN]

Sorry Oak Bay, but you don't have the authority to interfere with another Balkanized state's business, remember? But it must show some moxy before your constituents by sending a letter ...and it is an election year.

Just how exactly does the station in Oak Bay compare to Mcloughlin Point? Oak Bay is making it sound like they took a bullet for the region and gravely inconvenienced their tax payers.

Since the Currie Road pump station is CRD-owned, possible that the bullet they took for the region was maybe $5K annual municipal property taxes foregone but the "struggle" referred to was the outcry from Currie neighbours that was so vociferous the CRD bought up the neighbours' homes and later resold them: "Oak Bay says no to sewage plant mitigation funding"

[Mike K.]

Aha...

[JohnN]

Interesting post by Richard Atwell this morning on The RITE Plan facebook page about CFAX interview with Rob Fleming and part of it was about CRD sewage issue, given that local NDP MLAs (together with MLA Gary Holman who is new NDP governance critic) are forming a committee to address it:

 

Richard's posting:

 

In his first appearance as the "chair of NDP MLA sewage committee", Rob Fleming appeared on CFAX 1070 with Terry Moore:

http://theriteplan.c...Rob_Fleming.m4a

 

Start at 8m42s for the sewage bits:

 

1) Terry asks Rob if he thinks the CRD is a broken entity that needs to be rebooted. Rob thinks it's fine as it is and we need a regional government.

Reasoning? CRD has done an excellent job with the water system.

"Filling up an entire cubic shower in your home it would be 10 cents" - Fleming.

Rob, can I move next door and tap into your water line? Is this another MLA perk that we're just finding out about?

http://www.saanich.c...ll.html#charges

It's $1.456 / m3 on my water bill and it's gone up 26% in the last 3 years.

 

2) Rob thinks that the final hurdle was siting.

It was but it shouldn't have been and McLoughlin was not zoned for treatment until July 2013. It was an industrial site and the CRD didn't even purchase it until April 2013.

Something's wrong with that cart before the horse approach.

 

3) Blames the government for not using dispute resolution mechanisms to solve this problem.

Actually, Esquimalt and CRD already went through a negotiations process in 2013 facilitated by the Province who sat as observers and the public turned down the CRD, twice.

Not only that, but the negotiated settlement between the staff was rejected by the CRD Board as being too rich. They refused to pay for the very amenities as being too rich that they now think it worth an $18.9m bribe.

CRD blew it.

 

4) Rob worries about losing 2/3rd funding.

Where's any evidence of that? The Province has said the funding will be there as long as CRD meets the Federal Dec 31, 2020 deadline. The Feds are flush with funds.

 

5) Rob implies that a lack of Liberal MLAs in the region or the fact the Minister doesn't come from this region is forcing the NDP to get involved...

The Province has made its decision and it put out their letter laying out the way forward: amend the plan if you can't get an agreement on McLoughlin Pt and continue to meet the deadlines.

IF it was the case, that residents needed better local representation by their MLAs, where has Maurine Karagianis been?

She should be standing behind the public who made their decision at the public hearings but that's not happening. Instead she appears to be backing the CRD.

I think it's pretty clear from this interview that the NDP want to save the project and site the facility at McLoughlin Pt.

And, Fleming's timeline of Oct/Nov for a solution appears to have one purpose: to rescue the NDP councillors before the election, most of whom are responsible for this debacle.

 

[Sparky]

^ Geezus Murphy.

[Mike K.]

Last thing we need is the NDP getting involved.

In between lunches and photo ops they actually think they'll make a difference? That's sorta cute.

Just seconds in to this "A-Team Sewage Taskforce" and already the NDP is blaming their Liberal peers instead of recognizing that the situation on the south Island is messed up with an overabundance of politicians and a lack of direction. Politicians and their egos are the problem here, not the issue and not the solution.

[Nparker]

Just seconds in to this "A-Team Sewage Taskforce" and already the NDP is blaming their Liberal peers ...

To be fair, it pretty much IS the job of the official opposition to blame the government for all problems.

[VicHockeyFan]

Just seconds in to this "A-Team Sewage Taskforce" and already the NDP is blaming their Liberal peers instead of recognizing that the situation on the south Island is messed up with an overabundance of politicians and a lack of direction. Politicians and their egos are the problem here, not the issue and not the solution.

 

Where are all the other municipalities and first nations and their offers of land for the treatment plant?  Anybody want to bet they appear, say, a few days after the municipal election?

[JohnN]

CRD SEWAGE NEWS WEEKLY DIGEST 27 JULY

Click here to read

 

Audio-Visual News:

- Geoff Young on CFAX
- Bateman of Taxpayers Fed on CFAX
- The RITE Plan's Youtube Channel
News stories:

- ​Victoria’s sewage does not pollute Washington shores

- Troubled Waters

- Esquimalt action disappoints Oak Bay

- Guernsey: David De Lisle calls for alternative to sea sewage

LETTERS:

- Saving money on sewage a dream (Bickerton)
SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!

 

Click here to read

[JohnN]

CRD SEWAGE NEWS 3 August: 

 

Click here to read

 

Audio-Visual News:

- Oak Bay Councillor Green on CFAX

- Murray Rankin on a decentralized system

- The RITE Plan's Youtube Channel

 

News stories:

- ​B.C. premier vows sewage treatment for Victoria — someday

- Clark reassures U.S. politicians on capital region sewage

- Victoria pumps sewage despite orders while groups squabble

- The Sewage Treatment Project – Where Do We Go?

 

LETTERS:

- Saanich residents are poorly represented (Etheridge)

 

Click here to read

[North Shore]

Several people (Bingo?) have mentioned using Trial Island for the plant.  It sounds, on the surface, pretty reasonable, as it's in no-one's backyard, and there's no need to bribe any municipality.  Yet, the idea has gained no traction.  Why?  If we are to have this waste of money foisted upon us, then you'd think that would be a viable site?