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Click here to watch Susan Kotturi speak for the possibility of re-examining the ‘Oak Bay Compost site’.
Click here to watch Ron Walmard speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods.
Click here to watch Phil Lyons of Greater Victoria Waterwatch Coalition speaks in favour of multiple small sites.
Click here to watch Michael Eby comment on the need to mitigate environmental impacts if plant sited in Haro Woods.
Click here to watch Mary Thompson speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods (Effects on Children)
Click here to watch Julia Day speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods. (Effects on Schools)
Click here to watch John Newcomb speak on the role of Integrated Resource Management in the planning process and the need to choose a the McKinnon Gym parking lot for a sewage plant.
Click here to watch Harry Drage speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods.
Click here to watch Eric Neilson speak in favour of siting a sewage plant in Haro Woods.
Click here to watch Dorothy Clippingdale speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods. (Lack of room for resource recovery)
Click here to watch Deborah Dickson speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods.
Click here to watch David Blundon speak against siting a sewage plant at Haro Woods. (endanged ecosystem)
Click here to watch Bill Dancer speak of the need for full public consultation, and for mitigation of impacts if Haro Woods is chosen for a sewage plant.
Click here to watch Alex Murdoch speak against secondary sewage treatment.
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Twice a month, a committee of mayors and councillors from seven of the 13 municipalities in the CRD meet to discuss the largest infrastructure project the region has ever seen.
The Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee is tasked with planning for secondary treatment of Greater Victoria’s sewage. Earlier estimated to cost over $1.2 billion, consultants hired by the CRD now expect the project to cost less than $1 billion.
Victoria is one of the few cities in the world that dump untreated sewage into the ocean. This has long been a sore point for those concerned with the effects of this practice on the marine environment. The debate has been going on for many years, with environmentalists demanding treatment facilities, and opponents of the idea producing reports that show little effect on marine life.
In 2006, the provincial government mandated the CRD to upgrade it’s sewage treatment plan.
The CRD is working under a deadline of December 31 to have a plan in place, and have allowed for only a couple topics to be given public consultation. The first round of public consultation focused on the creation of a Triple Bottom Line Analysis which the directors would apply to future decisions.
The second phase of public consultation started in June and focused specifically on the siting for a plant in Saanich East/North Oak Bay (SENOB). (This plant would be one of four in the core area once the project is complete.)
From June 16 to July 9, CRD staff, led by Janette Loveys, CRD Manager of Visitor Services and Community Development, held 3 Open Houses and 2 Neighbourhood Siting Workshops. According to a report published by the CRD, 376 residents attended the Open Houses, and 246 residents attended the Neighbourhood Siting Workshops.
CRD residents have been outspoken regarding every aspect of this project. Despite the mandate from the province to treat our wastewater, the very need for sewage treatment is still one of the points that residents continue to raise. The availability of the UVIC sites, as well as the fact that the CRD already owns the Haro Woods site, which the consultants say wins the TBL analysis, has led many residents to question the sincerity of the public consultation process, believing that CRD staff and consultants have already made their decision.
Two further opportunities for public comment were provided to the public after the Public Consultation Summary Report had been released. These were special CALWMC meetings, one held at Victoria Council Chambers, and one at Emmanual Baptist Church in Saanich.
Twelve members of the public spoke at the first meeting. (Minutes here.) and 14 people spoke at the second meeting. B Channel attended both meetings and video clips from the second meeting are available to view on the left side of this page.
Of the 12 comments from the first meeting, 5 people spoke out against all three sites, 2 people spoke out against the Haro Woods site, 1 spoke out against the UVIC Fields site, 2 in favour of UVIC sites (unspecified which one), and one spoke in favour of the Haro Woods site.
Of the 14 comments from the second meeting 7 people spoke out against the use of the Haro Woods site, one person spoke in favour of the Haro Woods site, 2 people asked that social and environment impacts be mitigated IF the Haro Woods site is chosen, 2 people spoke in favour of sites not being considered by the CRD (Oak Bay Compost site and McKinnon Gym parking lot), and one person spoke in favour of multiple small sites.
A decision has not yet been made as to the siting of the SENOB plant. At the last CALWMC meeting on September 23, staff and consultants provided CRD directors with a report outlining the three options for over-all sewage treatment planning. Colwood Mayor David Saunders, who had at the last meeting threatened to opt-out of the plan, pointed out that two of the three options (1b and 1c) included excavating a tunnel across Esquimalt Harbour and down the length of the causeway that runs along the lagoon, adding that if these options were chosen, he and the residents of Colwood would come out in strong opposition.
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Latest Related Media Links
Sewage treatment could cost less
Times Colonist, September 24, 2009
Report today says Victoria area municipalities can opt out of sewage plan
Times Colonist, September 23, 2009
Minister: No sewage cash until plan done
Times Colonist – September 5, 2009
CRD reassured sewage money is coming from province
Victoria News – September 4, 2009
EDITORIAL: Report call sends wrong message
Victoria News – September 2, 2009
Reassurance For CRD Over Provincial Sewage Funding
C-FAX 1070 – September 1, 2009
Decision nears for Greater Victoria sewage sites
Victoria News – August 26, 2009
Sewage plan amounts to highway robbery
Times Colonist – August 26, 2009
Esquimalt threatens to pull out of sewage project
Victoria News- August 25, 2009
Esquimalt Mayor Cautious About Sewage Treatment Plans
CFAX 1070- August 24, 2009
Esquimalt to study sewage technologies
Times Colonist – August 23, 2009
More Local News Links
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