SLRD

Bruce Bessie

(Editor’s Note: we did not receive a response to our questions, but Bruce provided this comment via email)

Thanks for your interest in our Sea to Sky Corridor. You have valid and fair questions but they are also complex and I certainly am willing to meet with you and your society if I am elected to develop a collaborative approach and plan to address these issues that are important to our communities. Air quality and economic viability with the community must be a balance with the highest level of environmental stewardship. I trust if you publish responses this will be included ?

Cheers, Bruce

Susie Gimse

1.1) Do you support the creation of TDM through smart growth planning and changes to infrastructure such as increasing sidewalks and bike paths and identifying new park & ride areas? If yes, what specific outcomes do you support? If no, why not?

(Did not answer).

1.2) Do you support marketing tools like carpooling and school bike plans and promoting events such as bike to work week and car-free days in the town centre? If yes, what specific tools do you support? If no, why not?

Yes, our Regional Growth Strategy supports Smart Growth planning including bike paths, commuter facilities, etc. Our new Integrated Sustainability Planning process will include a telecommuting policy. The Energy Resilience Task Force report, which the Board has accepted in principle, includes a number of initiatives with respect to smart transportation and other initiatives that reduce energy use. This project was the first of its kind in all of Canada.

2.1) Do you ride local or regional buses on a regular basis (public transit or private carriers)? If not, what would be required for you to start taking the bus? (For example: better schedule, different routes, lower cost? Or other?)

(Did not answer).

2.2) Do you support the development of an inter-regional transit plan that would integrate services in communities from Metro Vancouver and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District (from West Vancouver to Mount Currie)?

Yes.

2.3) What would a successful inter-regional plan look like to you?

Convenient, easy to use and well connected. Ideally, it should connect all communities from within the SLRD, including Lillooet, which lacks public transportation.

3.1) How would you encourage the use of more efficient standards and greener technology for new and retrofitted industries in your community?

There is only so much that can be done by the SLRD with respect to efficiency standards. This is a federal mandate. That said, we have a Sustainability checklist for development that we will use as part of our future negotiation process with developers.

4.1) How will you ensure that all new residential and commercial development occurs in existing developed areas, thereby increasing walkability and proximity to shops and services?

Our Regional Growth Strategy and various OCP’s have this covered by requiring Smart Growth to be adhered to.

4.2) What policies do you think will be most effective at reducing our community’s impact on air quality?

Emissions and GHG’s are impacted on all fronts. This is why we must tackle all of the issues that contribute to air quality degradation. This includes land use planning, transportation policy, telecommuting encouragement, better fleet vehicles, etc.

5.1) The Province of BC is considering a province-wide ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides. Regardless of the outcome, would you support a local bylaw banning pesticide use in your community?

Yes.

5.2) Would you support adopting a similar backyard burning bylaw(s) in (Pemberton/SLRD Electoral Areas)?

We’d need to look into this as we are rural area and there are somewhat different issues regarding burning than in urban areas.

Nancy Hamilton

1.1) Do you support the creation of TDM through smart growth planning and changes to infrastructure such as increasing sidewalks and bike paths and identifying new park & ride areas? If yes, what specific outcomes do you support? If no, why not?

Yes I support this initiative. Area D in the SLRD represents a number of rural communities, which would benefit from park and ride areas for car-pooling. The completion of the Sea to Sky Trail would connect Furry Creek in the South through Britannia and up to Black Tusk/Pine Crest communities. This would bring tourism and add to the recreational options in the area, though it would be a stretch to say that it would be a commuter route due to the distance and elevation gain.

Yes the ultimate goal of the marketing and promotional material should be to educate the public about how these changes can benefit our lives, environments and towns. The goal is to change habits not just have a fun event.

Convenience, consistency and reliability are key for me.

Absolutely

2.3) What would a successful inter-regional plan look like to you?

A successful inter-regional plan would look like an efficient reliable service provider for the public to access on a simple consistent schedule that would connect the communities between West Vancouver and Mt Currie 7 days per week morning afternoon and evening. Thus allowing commuting options for people.

3.1) How would you encourage the use of more efficient standards and greener technology for new and retrofitted industries in your community?

Environmental Tax Credits. Awards & recognition for green practices & innovations. Directories for companies looking for green businesses. Education as to the benefits of going green and resources to help companies improve.

4.1) How will you ensure that all new residential and commercial development occurs in existing developed areas, thereby increasing walkability and proximity to shops and services?

Encourage density around shopping and schools with Industrial zoned lands a short drive, walk , bike or bus ride from the town centres.

4.2) What policies do you think will be most effective at reducing our community’s impact on air quality?

Commitment to transportation systems, bike lanes and centrally located business. Smart zoning and community planning.

5.1) The Province of BC is considering a province-wide ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides. Regardless of the outcome, would you support a local bylaw banning pesticide use in your community?

Yes I would support this though I would want to consult with farmers to help them with finding alternative materials which are both effective and environmentally sound.

5.2) Would you support adopting a similar backyard burning bylaw(s) in (Pemberton/SLRD Electoral Areas)?

(Did not answer).

Deb McBride

Yes I support creating TDM strategies. Sounds Great! We need it! Without public pressure there will not be the change we need to survive. For decades people in Squamish BC told me the pollution was the “smell of money”. The District vehicles have been converted to Deisel! Smelly!

Squamish C.A.N. works well with the D of Squamish and has offered solutions and alternatives to the usual way of doing things. Perhaps Squamish C.A.N would have a committee for TDM initiatives. I like bike lanes and have concerns about losing ditches as they are habitat for birds here. Park and ride areas need to be increased and mass transit promoted and insisted upon so the BC government will partner with SLRD and municipalities to provide the commuter bus again. Perhaps Greyhound will reinstate stops that have been designated flags or eliminated if it is the company to take over the commuter bus route here. There are about 300 commuters from Squamish to Whistler who were using the commuter bus.

Yes I support them and again would rely on Squamish C.A.N. to have a committee to encourage Council and SLRD members to initiate and participate in these events. Also Squamish C.A.N. should receive their grant in aid for the full amount requested last year as should all organizations helping people and the planet to survive.

Yes and I have a seniors bus pass. $45 for an entire year entitles me to ride BC transit in any city in BC! Events are often held in the evening and there needs to be a bus then. There needs to be a bus on Sunday. Those using the food bank need a bus ride and to have the Food Bank relocated to the Recreation Centre so we are not suffering while lined up on the street. It is strange to have the buses North leaving at the same time. The routes differ slightly but there is a long wait for the next bus north.

There are jobs in all these areas and mass transit is the only wise solution to commuting. Where is the mono-rail concept that was used at the 1967 Expo in Montreal? I thought that was what we would have for Transpo, not a Kokahala hwy past a politicians property.

2.3) What would a successful inter-regional plan look like to you?

Do I know? Would I need to consult an expert? I would like a mono rail. I liked it in Montreal! It’s almost as though smaller buses could be used at non peak hours. The new electronic passenger monitoring system on the buses would give a precise graph of the flow of passengers. We need to keep people working. That will take funding transit and not wasting money on consultants for OCP changes at $50,000 for an estimate. Funds need to be allocated to getting a bus. It’s really not that difficult. Get a bus, a driver and the people ride together.

3.1) How would you encourage the use of more efficient standards and greener technology for new and retrofitted industries in your community?

The old polluters have left Squamish with their profits and left behind the pollution and the unemployed. There are new polluters, fish farms, more people more cars more pollution. The pollution does blow around though…

Enforce DFO Regulations and whatever other regulations are not adhered to and pressure the Federal Government to set standards for industry to comply with that will lower the emissions. Pressure the Federal Government to require Canadian companies to adhere to Canadian standards of pollution control when doing business in third world countries. Move fish farms to land based containment if the virus can be eliminated… which it can’t. Let the oceans be free of fences! The ocean is our air as much as the forest is our air.

4.1) How will you ensure that all new residential and commercial development occurs in existing developed areas, thereby increasing walkability and proximity to shops and services?

oh dear… in Squamish there are a few blocks of dilapidated but quaint buildings that are being propped up by plans for high density housing and we are all in a flood plain. The industries here have been moved from the entrance to town, to the waterfront, to the Industrial park and now industrial zoning is being replaced with commercial residential high rises in the flood plain to prop up a few blocks of dilapidated buildings called downtown. I only see the David Suzuki Foundation as having a plan for building safely outside the flood plain. How to relocate these stubborn minds who have replaced their clear cut and burn mentality with a clear cut and build mentatlity is beyond me… I can only hope that with changing times come changing minds and am in the Squamish Council and SLRD elections to be an influence to build safely and best to live and work in the same place with schools and shopping and recreation within walking distance. It’s not that difficult, a post office, bank, grocery store above the flood plain. Squamish zoning is geared to continue building these in the flood plain and not on higher ground. The Highlands could have a little community centre with these.

4.2) What policies do you think will be most effective at reducing our community’s impact on air quality?

Start counting trees and stop killing trees. We could plant orchards of fruit trees. We could throw food onto an empty logging truck and dump it in the Elaho or Ashlu to help the bears and wildlife to “know their place”. We could have greenhouses, we have zoning for that! Local food production would reduce transportation of food. We can grow anything, cantelope, melon…

with global warming we may not need a greenhouse… we have to stop making the same mistake of building in floodplains and go back to farming them, naturally. Protecting the estuary helps ensure fry survival from stream to sea and back to spawn and that is a natural global farm, no fences.

5.1) The Province of BC is considering a province-wide ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides. Regardless of the outcome, would you support a local bylaw banning pesticide use in your community?

Glad this is the last section, the opposition to doing things naturally is really difficult to discuss. Please ban province wide the use of cosmetic pesticides. All Pesticides should be banned and other means sought. Again, the David Suzuki Foundation is a source of alternatives. Include slug bait and rat poison too in the ban. It isn’t used properly. How did it become ok to use poisons and leave them around, like the mercury spilling out of FMC that is being buried by Mother Nature in the Mamquam Blind Channel and estuary. The same channel that is to be used to park boats after dredging mercury.

5.2) Would you support adopting a similar backyard burning bylaw(s) in (Pemberton/SLRD Electoral Areas)?

YES YES YES WHERE DO I SIGN!?!

Geoff McCleod

I support worthwhile initiatives that encourage the public to affect change in their daily transportation habits. Forcing “demands” on the public to affect change is usually not as effective.

I support Smart Growth planning and cost effective initiatives such as sidewalks, bike paths, and park &ride areas within urban areas. All of these infrastructure changes will support families by reducing the cost of transportation, reduce pollution, and reduce health issues resulting from lack of daily exercise.

I support all of these initiatives wherever possible in our community and area. Yes. These initiatives may not be practical in rural areas.

No. I am a farmer and most of my business involves transporting livestock, supplies and obtaining parts and repairs in a timely fashion. I use Greyhound for transportation of parts and repairs wherever possible.

Yes, a cost effective plan.

2.3) What would a successful inter-regional plan look like to you?

(Did not answer).

3.1) How would you encourage the use of more efficient standards and greener technology for new and retrofitted industries in your community?

It is expected in this day and age.

4.1) How will you ensure that all new residential and commercial development occurs in existing developed areas, thereby increasing walkability and proximity to shops and services?

I already support keeping urban development contained.

4.2) What policies do you think will be most effective at reducing our community’s impact on air quality?

The Department of Environment deals with air quality issues in this area admirably.

5.1) The Province of BC is considering a province-wide ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides. Regardless of the outcome, would you support a local bylaw banning pesticide use in your community?

They are the most responsible users of pesticides or herbicides. They use the absolute minimum required. I do support a ban on cosmetic use of pesticide and herbicides because it affects birds.

5.2) Would you support adopting a similar backyard burning bylaw(s) in (Pemberton/SLRD Electoral Areas)?

I am running for SLRD Area C and a bylaw of this nature is not warranted at this time. SLRD Area C is a rural area.