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SEHAB ROUNDTABLE CONTRIBUTION – NORTH CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND REPRESENTATIVE – JACK MINARD
4916 Island Highway N.
Courtenay BC
V9N 1Z5
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H/O - 250.338.4934
Cell – 250.897.4670
COMMUNITY ADVISOR – DAVE DAVIES
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O – 250.339.0431
February 16, 2007
General:
Three basic issues have dominated the communications I have received over the past few
months:
1. Water Quantity   - Low summer flows are generally becoming more and more
pronounced. Solutions to this growing problem are difficult, far reaching and involve the entire community.
Most groups are trying to push all levels of Government for real climate change policy, general watershed protection policies and the need for Governments, agencies and the public to work together.
2. Eroding habitat protection re: EPMP, RAR and Fisheries Act Bill C-45  Habitat losses are still occurring and there is concern that the various initiatives being
implemented do not compliment one another. Serious concerns about the changes to the Fisheries Act have many of our groups writing letters and demanding a real public consultation take place before second reading.
3. Growth Planning and a perceived lack of inter-jurisdictional cooperation  In our rapidly growing communities there are concerns that a lack of regional planning is
occurring. There is a need to develop conservation tools in our communities that give, particularly local Governments, ways and means of developing policies,  developing a conservation ethic and a comprehensive education program that covers water conservation, water metering, septic field maintenance, Low Impact Development methodologies and Smart Growth principles.
Communities are attempting to work with local planning departments to demonstrate real leadership. “The days of “developer led” community development is a thing of the past. It is time for our politicians and planning departments to take a leadership role in these issues and insist that developers develop our communities according to existing OCP’s.” There is much talk and effort being expended to address updating OCP’ and LAP’ with LID and SG principals, delineating “no development zones” and looking at a regional biodiversity, regional wildlife movement, regional recreation and access to nature with some areas being delineated off limits to humans.