Dreaming the Possible Dream

Frants Attorp’s Viewpoint this week (see below) was based on misinformation. The bylaw he quoted, Bylaw 467, governs the establishment of advisory “commissions.” Commissions are different than “committees.” The Housing Action Program Task Force, was not a commission, and was, therefore, not subject to the “rules” of Bylaw 467.

Regardless, Mr. Attorp continues to fail to understand this community has been in the midst of an unresolved, workforce housing crisis for over 20 years, one which existed before he moved here.

Apart from myself, I am not aware of anyone presenting a comprehensive plan to address the issue. And by that I mean a solution that addresses the magnitude of the problem, the affordability, the locations, the process, the rezonings required, the scale of development, and, the mechanisms needed to ensure that the proposed increased development to house our workforce remains sustainably affordable going into the future.

Solutions to some of the pieces of the “puzzle” were addressed by the recent Task Force, just like some were addressed by the housing task force we assembled in 2002-2005, when I was a Trustee.

Salt Spring Islanders who own their own homes at the moment need to wake up to the economic displacement that is going on with respect to our workforce, which represents about ½ of our population (6,340 employees as of the last census).

Given current housing prices and interest rates, purchase of housing without large down payments is now impossible for the vast majority of workers in 2024.

Anyone who has ever considered/studied the issue understands that we are on the same trajectory as Nantucket Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Vale, Whistler and Catalina Island. Housing does not, and will not, magically become more affordable here. It will take a plan and political willpower to overcome the “Attorps” who incessantly bemoan and insist the island cannot sustain the growth necessary to address the crisis.

I call BS on that, and, over the years, I’ve challenged them to come up with an alternative, realistic solution to the crisis. Their response has been crickets. Using their own argument, I have at times, sarcastically suggested every one of them, who moved here since the inception of the Islands Trust in 1974, should leave and go back to from whence they came, if they think the island is over populated. Better still, demolish their homes, return the land back to nature and hand it over to the nearest First Nation. But, to date, and unsurprisingly, I haven’t had any takers to that suggestion.  

The crisis is solvable, but the political willpower it requires, apart from Trustee Jamie Harris, is sadly lacking. Last Fall I publicly called for Trustee Patrick’s resignation, and, to date I have seen no action on her part which would convince me to rescind that call. She dismissed the Housing Task Force, ignored them, killed Bylaw 530, created her “silly” proposed Bylaw 537, and here we are 5 ½ years since she was first elected and I am not aware of any practical vision, or solution, or pathway forwards she has presented to truly address the crisis. 

On the other hand, Trustee Harris has been stymied at every turn (by Patrick and Trustee Tim Peterson from Lasqueti Island) in his efforts to make quick amendments to the OCP to address the workforce housing crisis. Instead, we are now on another slow boat of OCP studies and committees to advise Patrick and Peterson who apparently believe they need to hear more from the community on the issue.

Given there have been over 20 studies on the crisis, in about as many years, the term “studied to death” is appropriately applicable here. And yet Patrick wants to set up yet another committee to inform her of what the community thinks about housing. If this is her version of leadership in the middle of our crisis, Heaven help us all, because all I see in our future is another wasted 2 ½ years til the next election… unless she wants to do us all (with the exception of the “Attorps”) a favour and step down now, so we can hold a by-election, and elect someone who is ready and willing to cut through the chaff, stand with Harris, and do what needs to be done.

The only thing that is fading fast is our workforce…the dream of a sustainable future however is achievable…lack of vision is not an excuse to do nothing.

Would love to see responses to the Driftwood, from anyone else who agrees.

Time to Redefine “Affordability”

Salt Spring’s OCP defines “affordable housing” as:

affordable housing describes rental or owned housing that can be acquired with 30 per cent of the
median gross income of families or individuals on Salt Spring Island.

Using that metric, there is no affordable housing on Salt Spring, nor will there be for the average family or individual.

So, the community of Salt Spring can either change the definition, or die…pardon me…continue to die.

What should the definition be changed to? Here’s one suggestion:

Affordable housing describes rental or owned housing that has a rent increase cap, or resale cap, linked to Consumer Price Index increases, registered on title in the form of a covenant, thereby removing the housing from the impact of free market increases.

This is the “Whistler Model” I have written about extensively over the past 20 years.

With current interest rates hovering around 5%, you need a combined family income of about $200,000/year to qualify for buying a home on Salt Spring. How many professions do you know that can provide that level of income?

The current average median gross income on the island hovers around $75,000.

Thus it is clear we have lost the plot here…

The Province has apparently abandoned Salt Spring by excluding us from the latest housing plans which have been implemented in communities throughout BC.

Why? Apparently because we are not a municipality. Bowen Island Municipality has been included, so we know its not an Islands Trust exclusion.

One of our elected representatives, Trustee Jamie Harris, is outraged, while our other Trustee, Laura Patrick, can’t even pass the most simple of amendments to our Land Use Bylaw to help with the housing crisis, and takes waffling on issues to a pro level.

If you own your own house you may be oblivious to the fact our community is crumbling at its core. Without sufficient, affordable, ownership housing there is no future for ANY young family here. Why would you live in a community where you would never be able to own your own home? Thus, younger people are moving off the island, and, that trend, unless addressed will continue, until all small stores are shut down, as the employee turnover and retirements take their toll, with no replacements able to find housing of any kind, rental or ownership.

Wake up Salt Spring. Start demanding your elected representatives make the necessary changes to our land use bylaws to provide for ownership, work force housing.

Our Climate is Not out of Control…

…but our local political climate is.

Transitions Salt Spring would have you believe the sky is not only falling, but, warming at an alarming rate.

Nothing could be further from the truth, and, in the light of day of science, is actually the kind of Fake News and misinformation that Mainstream Media, ala CBC and CNN, spews out constantly to fill the brains of the majority of the population who, evidently, are not critical thinkers, with FEAR. As a result, they become uncritical, “climate catastrophe repeaters.”

The leaders of the “believers” in manmade climate change are inserting themselves and their beliefs into all of our local government policies, from CRD to Islands Trust to North Salt Spring Waterworks to our Fire Department.

Virtually all of the policies have an underlying premise – we should stop all development, and make any development as expensive as possible (e.g. Building Step Code) in order to “control” development, because, hey, CO2 climate change. The impact on our housing crisis is palpable.

Its time for the general population to wake up and smell the coffee…

A good starting point in considering the information necessary, and to understand the local brainwashing machine, can be found in this recent movie – Climate – The Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A24fWmNA6lM

Love to hear your comments.

Transition-ing into a Failed Community

As the Official Community Plan Review is now on the horizon, the anti-housing groups (as they did during the last review, 2006-2008) are getting ready to pretend they represent the “community.”

The first volley has just been fired by Transitions in a letter (see below) by their Chair Bryan Young to the Local Trust Committee (LTC).

In their letter, Transitions states, “the LTC’s “prevailing concern” should not be limited to
“increasing housing options and housing equity” but rather that these legitimate
concerns be seen as inter-dependent with First Nations interests, ecosystem integrity
and climate change resiliency. In other words, none of these elements is subordinate to
the other and must be considered holistically.”

That, if you’re not familiar with eco-radical jargon, means they will be looking to do everything they can to stop any significant movement on the housing crisis, by claiming “First Nations interests, ecosystem integrity and climate change resiliency” should, if necessary, override housing concerns.

I call bullshit on this out of the gate.

Salt Spring has been in a housing crisis for over 20 years. We are losing our middle class, and there is virtually no opportunity for anyone in our middle class to purchase a home here now at our current real estate levels, which, when considered on a worldwide comparison, are LOW when compared to other exclusive, desirable locations around the globe. Vale, Aspen, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket Island, Catalina Island, Hawaii, etc..

The reality is we need, long term about 3,000 community housing units similar to Whistler Housing Authority’s model, IF we want to save a semblance of the diversity this community exemplifies.

The Provincial Local Government Act dictates that the LTC “…MUST include statements and map designations for…the approximate location, amount, type and density of residential development required to meet anticipated housing needs over a period of at least 5 years.“ (Section 473 (1)(a))

In 2008, at the time of the last OCP Review, the LTC failed to meet that requirement, and now here we are 16 years later and our community is dying because of the lack of planning.

In no uncertain terms we are in a fight for our community’s life, its businesses, its well being, its health, its diversity and its sustainability.

We must not allow the eco-radicals to seal our fate.

Housing MUST be the priority in the Review.

The environment is doing great. The Douglas Fir forests are annually increasing their mass in massive numbers. We have protected the Riparian Areas. We have protected the Shoreline. We have protected against Hazardous Slopes. We have preserved/conserved approximately 25% of island. We have thousands of acres in the Agricultural Land Reserve.

What we haven’t provided for is affordable housing for the young families, employees, low income renters, artists, ferry workers, doctors and nurses, who actually keep this island alive.

If you truly care about Salt Spring’s future, you need to understand how important these next two years are. And, you need to be on guard and speak out. This is your “speak now or forever hold your peace” time.

Start writing letters to the LTC, start posting on social media, start talking to friends, because believe me, the BANANAists (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone) are doing exactly that. Read the regular NIMBY ranters in the Driftwood, listen to what Transitions is saying, listen to the newly formed “Keep Salt Spring Sustainable” is saying. They have been opposed to Bylaw 530 which was a nothing burger. They are opposed to Bylaw 537 which is a nothing burger without a bun.

We need to fulfill the requirements of Section 473 and provide not only a vision for the future, but, secure it for future generations of islanders.

For nearly 30 years I have been saying “The Islands Trust is preserving and protecting Salt Spring for a bunch of rich people who haven’t even yet been born.” That is our current future. We don’t need that future to come true. We must provide sufficient housing for our working class.

So, there’s you mission, should you choose to accept it. The proverbial clock is ticking. The ball is in your court. Time to hit it out of the park. (sorry for the mixed metaphors).

Transitions’ letter (bolding mine).

tss-position-on-ocp-lub-lcc-march-7-mtg-v1-byDownload

Open Letter to Paul McElroy

Hi Paul

Read your article in this week’s Driftwood (article below). Apparently you, like many others,  don’t understand either the housing crisis on the island, or the realistic, long term, solutions required to actually deal with problem.

While you’re right, I was a Trustee 20 years ago, in the “olden times” as you referred to them, the only thing which has changed since then is the crisis has worsened. And, in the last 5 years it has intensified.

I laid out last year, in a series of articles on the subject, published in the Driftwood, the challenges and outline for the solutions. You may wish to read them to better inform yourself of what I have said in the past, and continue to say to the present.

My request for Trustee Patrick’s resignation was not done lightly. She has had 5 ½ years to provide her vision for the solutions, and no one, to the best of my knowledge, has seen anything remotely resembling one.

Her backing down on Bylaw 530 last year, and her new “silly” Bylaw 537, have been a colossal, two year waste of time and resources. Ask ANY member of the Housing Action Program Task Force, established by Patrick and former Trustee Grove, what they think of Patrick’s lack of action on the issue. Or, just read what they had to say last year, as reported in the Driftwood: “We are shocked and disheartened by the lack of trust, collaboration and goodwill between our trustees, the Islands Trust staff and different agencies across the island.” Signed Stanley Shapiro, Kerrie Proulx, Daniel Wood, Nejmah Guermoudi, Bryce Chapman, Yvonne Saunders, Jessica Terezakis and Rhonan Heitzmann. https://www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com/housing-task-force-members-urge-citizens-to-press-trust-for-change/

Patrick is going backwards now, having failed today (March 7th) to even pass her own “silly” Bylaw 537, booting it down the road again, and, in doing so, evidently did so discriminantly by (a) recanting her stated belief last October that the Tsawout First Nation didn’t need to be consulted any further, (b) proposing a meeting/potlatch with the Tsawout to speak to Bylaw 537, and (c) now failing to refer it to any other First Nation or organization. Why are the Tsawout the only ones being consulted with on 537? Does she think they are going to magically change their minds? From what I can tell, the Tsawout are in league, as it were, with the Keep Salt Spring Sustainable group….better known as the Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone (BANANA-O) Organization.

The Tsawout themselves are ardent developers, and good on them for taking care of their community by having a McDonalds, a White Spot, 1500 mobile home park, a waterfront RV park, and plans for developing 196 acres of “high density” multi-family on their Saanich property.

Would any other development corporation be given the time of day if they were opposed to Bylaw 530, let alone Bylaw 537? The Tsawout were the ONLY First Nation opposed to 530.      

But, because Patrick and Islands Trust Staff promised to sponsor a potlatch to discuss 530, and then reneged on the offer by proceeding with 537, Patrick now has egg on her face.

Just one more reason for your friend to step down. I personally like Laura as a person, but, as a politician she has proven herself incompetent in her position. When she was first elected we were in a crisis….we are no further ahead now, than we were then. Crises demand action, other than that of lips moving. She has the perfect partner in Trustee Harris who has proven he is prepared to do anything and everything to move solutions forward.

So, with all due respect to you, I suggest you spend some time educating yourself on the issue, and less time defending a political friend. Loyalty is great, but it shouldn’t demand respect in the political arena when no respect is due.

Lastly, I’m available for a friendly discussion anytime with you on the issue.

Regards – Eric

paul-mcelroyDownload

How to Lose Friends and Infuriate Enemies

This is a study in how a local politician has single handedly managed to alienate nearly every person she was elected to represent, supporters, detractors and a First Nation, alike.

Prior to the 2022 Islands Trust election, Trustee Laura Patrick had 4 years of experience as a Trustee. She was acutely aware of the housing crisis on the island, had established a housing committee to look into the issue and provide her with solutions, and, had essentially promised during the election to pass Bylaw 530 which would see the potential creation of some accessory dwelling units.

However, after her re-election, instead of moving forward with 530, she obfuscated and delayed action on the bylaw through the Winter of 2022 and Spring of 2023, in opposition to fellow Trustee Jamie Harris’ clear wish to pass the bylaw. Gaining the support of Chair Tim Peterson, from Lasqueti, Summer came and went without action.

The primary roadblock she couldn’t see her way around were the objections of the Tsawout First Nation, which, apparently working with a group of Salt Spring Islanders who are habitually opposed to everything, was the ONLY First Nation voicing opposition to 530.

In August Patrick arranged a meeting with the Tsawout to discuss 530. However, and for whatever reason, (a) she didn’t bother to invite fellow Trustee Harris, (b) she didn’t inform or seek any direction from the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (SSILTC) prior to the meeting, (c) she invited MLA Adam Olsen along, (d) she invited Islands Trust Director of Local Planning, Stefan Cermak along.

According to Tsawout Chief Abraham Pelkey, at the meeting, where evidently no minutes or notes were taken or subsequently provided to the SSILTC, Patrick, and/or Islands Trust Staff, told them the LTC would “sponsor” a “potlatch” at which the Bylaw 530 issue would be discussed. The Tsawout evidently agreed to the offer.

Subsequently, in October, in what I can only describe as the most ridiculous proposal I have ever seen, Patrick, supported by Chair Tim Peterson (from Lasqueti) proposed a reduction in the proposed number of much needed, potential Accessory Dwelling Units in Bylaw 530 from over 5,000, to, in her own words, a “silly” amount, an “itsy-bitsy” number…around 20 or so.

Incredulously, her stated intention in making the proposal was to garner support for Bylaw 530.

In other words, she proposed something so ludicrous it was intended to anger supporters of the Bylaw, while pleasing all of those (including the Tsawout) who are opposed to it, meanwhile eating up valuable staff time, resources and tax dollars on her “silly” idea, while our housing crisis worsened by the day.

Staff reported at that meeting that they had had “follow-up conversations with Tsawout…these conversations have been caveated by Tsawout as not comprising engagement or consultation.”

Staff complied with Patrick’s “silly” request and drafted Bylaw 537, which Patrick saw no need to hold a public hearing for, and brought 537 forward for consideration on January 22nd.

At the meeting, Patrick proclaimed, “I am comfortable that we have more than addressed [Tsawout] concerns…so I am more than satisfied to move forward today [to give Bylaw 537 three readings.] However, apparently Patrick had never gotten back to the Tsawout after making the potlatch offering of consultation.

In spite of that, Patrick, with the support of Chair Peterson, and in opposition to Trustee Harris, gave it three readings on January 22nd, and sent it off to the Executive Committee.

As a result, when the Tsawout were informed 537 had been given 3 readings, without any consultation on the bylaw, Chief Pelkey wrote a lengthy letter to the Executive Committee (see below) outlining the Tsawout’s objections to the passage of Bylaw 537, including the failed follow through on the offer of sponsoring a potlatch.

However, the Local Trust Committee was NEVER informed of the potlatch offer being made in the name of the LTC. For some reason, Patrick never brought the proposal forward to the LTC for consideration.

In spite of the letter being included in the Executive Committee’s agenda package, on February 28th, the Committee approved the bylaw and sent it back to the Local Trust Committee for adoption.

This Thursday, March 7th, Patrick’s “silly” Bylaw 537 will be considered for adoption by the LTC.

What she has done, by backing down on Bylaw 530, failing to follow through on her offer of a potlatch, and her failure to even refer Bylaw 537 to the Tsawout, is set the stage for what will only be a great future squabble with the Tsawout when the OCP Review shortly starts in earnest. That Review MUST increase the density of Salt Spring for workforce, far beyond what Bylaw 530 proposed.

How Patrick will be able to weather the self-created storm now blowing her way from (a) those opposed to 530 and (b) the Tsawout, and, if she fails to act, (c) the working class of Salt Spring and (d) virtually everyone who voted her into office, remains to be seen. However, if past predicts future, get ready to witness someone wavering in the winds of responsibility.

Chief Abraham Pelkey to Executive CommitteeDownload

PS – In case you are wondering how the Tsawout develops their own land, my article from last August lays that out fairly clearly, including a link to their Official Community Plan for 196 acres of high density housing. At Salt Spring’s maximum density of 15 units per acre, that would be the equivalent of 2,940 homes…ironically/coincidentally about what Salt Spring needs for workforce housing long term.

https://islandstrust.wordpress.com/2023/08/21/time-for-tsawout-to-respectfully-butt-out/

The $10 Million Beaver Scandal

This is the saga of how interfering with Nature has just cost taxpayers of BC $10 million, and has caused a 17 year, false narrative, that low St. Mary Lake water levels are due to manmade climate change.

The truth, as I pointed out in my article in 2016 (see https://islandstrust.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/water-water-everywhere/ ) is the levels have been lower due to manmade ignorance and interference with Nature. Those same interferences also resulted in a number of cyanobacteria/algal bloom outbreaks in the lake over the years.

Background:

Prior to 2006 St. Mary Lake levels averaged about 40.8 metres above sea level. After 2006 those levels dropped to 40.6 metres.

Why? Well, because, in 2006 two events occurred. The first was the removal of the beaver dam on Duck Creek, and the second was the installation of the existing weir, which artificially reduced the maximum level of the lake by up to 0.4 metres.

Now, 0.2 to 0.4 metres doesn’t sound like a lot until you do the math and calculate the change in volume of the lake in the middle of Summer – about 80 million gallons less.

With the removal of the Nature built dam, the already shallow lake, became…wait for it…shallower, and, warmer.

Next, a manmade machine (an aerator) was added to increase the temperature of the lake even further, by blowing warm, Summer air, to the bottom of the lake, increasing the temperature by up to 7 degrees Celsius. No one at NSSWD considered that would be a consequence.

I questioned NSSWD about this in early 2013 after looking at NSSWD lake temperature data. When I made a detailed request for further data from NSSWD, based on my concerns of what the aerators were doing to the lake, I received a rather terse one sentence response from Director Bob Watson (retired engineer) – “We have qualified experts looking at all aspects of this.” In other words quit playing investigative reporter.

Around the same time, a report in the Driftwood contained what is now, in retrospect, a rather hilariously, ironic statement from Dr. Ken Ashley, the fellow who designed the aerators. At a Water Council sponsored event, Dr. Ashley is quoted as saying, “There’s a lot of manmade solutions. If I had a dollar for every snake-oil salesman who called me up, I’d be retired by now….There’s a lot of people who want to sell (the treating of symptoms) and they sort of prey on your incomplete knowledge to convince you that something will work and it won’t.”

All of which obviously makes one wonder whether Dr. Ashley is now retired.

At the same meeting Professor John Sprague railed against septic fields surrounding the lake as being a prime contributor to phosphorus…another notion which has recently been dispelled. (see – July 15, 2015 Driftwood Sewer Phosphorus )

Meanwhile, longtime lakeside property owner, Ed Davis, was poo-pooed for suggesting the removal of the beaver dam reduced the flushing action in the lake.

And finally, Denis Russell, P. Eng., and then Chair of the NSSWD, is quoted as saying, “I hate to think of what the lake would be like without the aerators.”

Eight months later, on August 14, 2013, the aerators were permanently shut down. Chair Russell’s worst fear had evidently come to pass.

Two years later, in 2015, NSSWD finally admitted the aerators were the likely cause of the blooms (see NSSWD Aerator announcement ), BUT, to date, there has been no discussion of their effect on lake temperature…or, how much the whole debacle has cost ratepayers.

Again, given the available knowledge (lake depth, ambient summer air temperature, climes, etc.) it should have been predictable there would be a potential algal bloom on the lake due to the effect of the aerator.

It is well established science that even a 1 degree increase in temperature can lead to cyanobacteria outbreaks. (Here’s just one study on the issue – effects-tem-nutrient-microcystis-cyanobacteria-blooms-HA2009 )

And, since 2006 there have been innumerable media reports about how St. Mary Lake is suffering from manmade climate change. Nonsense…its been suffering from manmade ignorance of Nature.

And finally, there is the matter of the $40 million lawsuit by Channel Ridge Properties Ltd. for NSSWD reneging on the agreement to provide it with water for the 400 proposed homes, due to the 2015 water moratorium which was at least partially, if not totally, the result of lowering the lake level in 2006.

So, now we have the Province handing over $10 million of taxpayer dollars to NSSWD to effectively replace a beaver dam. Much of that money will go to compensate lakefront property owners for flooding their properties.

I have said for years, they should just put the beavers back in the lake, let them build their dam over top of the weir, and, when properties flood back to pre-2006 levels, consider it a Natural success.

Cost? Transportation of 2 beavers. You don’t even have to provide them with accommodation or meals. And, it is a well known fact that if someone wants to sue a beaver for flooding their property, beavers NEVER pay any attention to subpoenas to appear in Court.

Deep Water Horizon

How much extra water is the North Salt Spring Waterworks District storing in Lake Maxwell?

This is a scaled chart showing the current lake level, 314.5 metres above sea level, in red (August 18, 2023) and the “Minimum Level Permitted” that the lake can be drawn down to…shown as 311.89. You will likely have to scroll down to see that level.

So tell me again exactly why there has been a moratorium on development in Ganges for the past 9 years?

Time for Tsawout to Respectfully Butt Out…

Let me get this straight….the Tsawout First Nation is opposed to the proposed development of affordable housing on Salt Spring. (see Globe and Mail https://archive.ph/UCw4O#selection-47327.136-47327.334 )

With all due respect, if there is a development model Salt Spring does not want to emulate, it would be the Tsawout’s.

For those not familiar with the Tsawout’s property, if you have recently visited Victoria via the Pat Bay Highway, you have driven right through it…its the one with the McDonalds on the left and the White Spot on the right, followed by about a mile of billboards and fence hiding the 1500 mobile homes, and small lot subdivisions they have tastefully developed. You would have to actually drive into the reserve in order to see their very nicely laid out and developed, waterfront, RV park.

Their residential “density” per acre on their land is currently 10 times that of Salt Spring.
As a conceived, born and raised Salt Spring Islander, who cares about his community, and its future, I am therefore having a little difficulty in swallowing the Tsawout’s official statement that the proposed bylaw to support affordable housing on the island will “significantly change the environmental trajectory of the island by pushing the living capacity well past the standards that were originally outlined in the Salt Spring Island Official Community Plan.“
But,if we followed their example, we would eventually have a population of 120,000…that’s if the Tsawout stopped developing and densifying their land today….but, that is not, evidently, their plan.

If I was conspiratorially minded, I would almost think that they were prompted into their opposition, not for virtuous environmental reasons, but by non-virtuous, radical, eco-environmentalists living on Salt Spring.

So, I would respectfully request the Tsawout to butt out of this one, noting the other five First Nations consulted have done so, without having to be requested.

P.S. – I have never, nor will I, suggested how the Tsawout should, or shouldn’t, successfully develop their land, and/or maximize their profits from development, because it is clear they are professionals in that regard, and I wish them all the success and happiness in the world in their endeavours.

P.P.S. – For anyone interested in the Tsawout’s well thought out Official Community Plan ( https://tsawout.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Tsawout_CCP_1-52-opti.pdf )…it includes (a) 196 acres of high density, market housing, (b) 107 acres of Commercial, (c) 36 acres of “eco-industry, and (d) 22% of the land is deemed to be “environmentally and culturally sensitive areas.”

No Solution = No Solution

Response to Marianne Hobbes Driftwood Viewpoint “Drier Days to Have Impact” – April 26, 2023.

My responses to Ms. Hobbes various points.(I have italicized her text.)

Wow! Eric Booth sure dazzled us with lots of figures and formulae in his “WHU series: water talks” Viewpoint column last week.

It would be very instructive to know the sources for his data.

Point #1 – Mr. Booth’s statement that “there is a massive available water supply on the island” is countered by a 2019 report by the CBC which stated “for years drought and freshwater shortages have plagued Salt Spring Island.”

Response – The 2019 CBC report (see –  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/water-shortage-on-salt-spring-island-sparks-call-for-change-1.5210869 ) gave no source for the statement “for years drought and freshwater shortages have plagued Salt Spring Island.” Thus, it can only be attributed to the CBC reporter’s own, unsubstantiated conclusions, and biased use of the word “plagued.”

Ironically, he quotes no source, which appears to be good enough for Ms. Hobbes.

Point #2 – Whether you believe in climate change or not, simply referring to rainfall/snow melt information readily available on the CHEK News website shows that this area (southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands) has definitely suffered from droughts that start earlier and last longer, without strong winter rains or snowfall. This impacts lakes, rivers and aquifers as they can be depleted.

Response – The chart below (source – https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/climate-action-pdf/reports/2017-07-17_climateprojectionsforthecapitalregion_final.pdf ) shows projected increases in precipitation for January, February, March, April, October, November and December, with slight decreases projected for May, June, July, August and September.

Since the vast majority of precipitation occurs October through April, recharge of aquifers would increase, not decrease. As far as our creeks go, there would be little change during the summer months. We live in a Mediterranean climate zone. Dry creek beds are nothing new on the island, and, as it pertains to availability of groundwater for human consumption, there is little/no effect.

Point #3 – The National Geographic website states that all of the above require rain and snow melt to “recharge” and these “can be depleted if the amount of water drawn exceeds the source’s ability to recharge.”

Response – Very little “snow melt” is involved in aquifer recharge on the island. Our aquifers are the direct result of our rainfall.

Point #4 – An aquifer is a source of groundwater but water obtained from it is not necessarily potable and supply may not be reliable or long-lasting. Not all groundwater from an aquifer is safe. For example, there is a history of arsenic in well water on the island. Currently, as Health Canada fine-tunes its guidelines about potable water, manganese levels challenge the Cedar Lane Water District, with a need for remediation measures.  

Response – In some areas levels of arsenic ARE above health levels, however, when indicated, water treatment systems are employed to remove it. Thus, the mere presence of arsenic is not a barrier to using water, just like the presence of manganese isn’t.

Point #5 – Mr. Booth seems to think that Lake Maxwell appears to be in good shape. Perhaps this has less to do with the water cycle than the good stewardship of North Salt Spring Waterworks management over the decades.

Response – Lake Maxwell IS in good shape. In fact it is in such good shape that there is about 30,000,000 additional gallons available for use BELOW the threshold recommended by NSSWD’s consulting engineers’ hydrology reports – https://northsaltspringwaterworks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210521_FINAL_MaxwellLakeHydrology_2020Update_Signed.pdf .

Point #6 – We are about to enter an El Nino weather event. The projections for all of B.C. strongly indicate that the province will be in for very hot, dry weather. CRD and NSSWD will be introducing stringent measures to reduce water usage in the districts they manage, to ensure sufficient water is available for basic needs.

Response – El Ninos come and go. There is no identifiable trend over the past 140 years. Every year conservation measures, either privately or publicly, are implemented for areas which are more water challenged than others.

It is interesting to note that the last time NSSWD did an audit on water consumption (2018), the trend was headed downwards, not upwards.

Point #7 – (While focusing on household water needs, Mr. Booth fails to mention water consumption used in agriculture, livestock maintenance, business and services such as hospitals, schools and police/fire departments. He also omits the impact of tourism on the island’s water draw during the driest months.) We seem to be at a crossroads: if we love the island and hope to see its natural areas preserved for the future, we must think very carefully. Mr. Booth appears to be advocating greatly increased development when our resources — and particularly water — will not support it.

Response – Yes, we are at a crossroads. Either our community actively seeks viable solutions to the servicing of new workforce housing, or this community will continue to wither and die the slow death it is clearly suffering at the moment.

Conclusion – There are a number of viable solutions available to us. However, like many others who choose to ignore the big picture, Ms. Hobbes offers none. It’s almost as if they actually want to turn Salt Spring into a park devoid of young working families. The only conclusion one can arrive at is their unspoken “solution” is to import workers from Vancouver Island on a daily basis.

With all due respect, that, ladies and gentlemen, is gentrification attitude exemplified.