[0:00] Morning.

[0:04] Uh good morning everyone. Um and

[0:06] welcome. Um and uh welcome back. I know

[0:11] we uh we had planned to do this a week

[0:13] ago, but I'm really glad that we could

[0:15] reschedu and um thank you for joining us

[0:18] this morning. Uh as chair of the Central

[0:21] Coast Regional District, I call this

[0:23] public hearing to order at 9:04 on

[0:26] Thursday, August 13th. Um, this public

[0:29] hearing concerns Bellakula Valley

[0:31] official community plan bylaw number 565

[0:37] 2026.

[0:39] This the proposed bylaw would adopt a

[0:41] new official community plan for elected

[0:44] electoral areas C, D, and E, including

[0:47] the accompanying map schedules, and

[0:50] would repeal the existing official

[0:53] community plan, Bella Valley official

[0:56] community plan designation bylaw number

[0:58] 302 from 1998.

[1:02] Um, the purpose of this hearing is to

[1:04] provide every person who believes that

[1:06] their interest in property is affected

[1:08] by the proposed bylaw a reasonable

[1:11] opportunity to be heard or to present a

[1:14] written submission on matters contained

[1:16] in the proposed bylaw. This is a

[1:18] statutory statutory hearing. It's not a

[1:21] debate, an open house or a meeting at

[1:23] which the board will make a decision.

[1:25] The role of the board here is to listen

[1:28] with an open mind and where necessary

[1:31] ask neutral questions for clarification.

[1:34] The merits of the bylaw will be debated

[1:36] and decided on later at an open board

[1:38] meeting.

[1:40] Um, notice of this hearing has been

[1:42] provided to the public and copies of the

[1:44] proposed bylaw and related background

[1:46] material have been made available for

[1:48] inspection. Written submissions received

[1:50] by the stated deadline form part of the

[1:53] public record and will be identified by

[1:55] the corporate officer. Everything said

[1:57] or submitted at this hearing may become

[1:59] part of the public record. Participants

[2:02] should therefore avoid including any

[2:04] personal information that is not

[2:06] necessary to their comments. Once the

[2:08] hearing is formally closed, the board

[2:11] cannot receive or consider any further

[2:13] public submissions regarding this bylaw.

[2:16] This hearing is being held in person at

[2:19] the CCRD office and electronically

[2:21] through Microsoft Teams. Participants

[2:24] attending through Teams should remain

[2:26] muted until they are called upon and

[2:28] should use the raise hand function when

[2:30] they wish to speak. Staff will monitor

[2:32] both the room and the online meeting so

[2:35] that participants in either format have

[2:37] a fair opportunity to be heard. To

[2:40] ensure an orderly and fair hearing, I

[2:42] ask everyone to follow these procedures.

[2:45] Please direct all remarks through the

[2:47] chair and limit your comments to matters

[2:50] contain contained in bylaw number 565.

[2:55] When called upon upon, please state your

[2:57] name and indicate whether you are

[2:59] speaking on your own uh behalf or on the

[3:02] behalf of an organization. Please keep

[3:04] your remarks focused and reasonably

[3:06] concise. To ensure that everyone has a

[3:09] reasonable opportunity to be heard, each

[3:11] speaker will initially be provided up to

[3:13] five minutes. Speakers will be given an

[3:16] initial opportunity to speak before

[3:17] anyone is invited to speak a second

[3:20] time.

[3:22] I may ask a speaker to conclude if

[3:24] comments become repetitive, unrelated to

[3:26] the bylaw, disrespectful, or disruptive,

[3:29] personal attacks, interruptions, and

[3:31] applause are not appropriate.

[3:34] Uh board members may ask questions to

[3:36] clarify a speaker's comments or the cont

[3:40] content of the proposed bylaw. Questions

[3:43] will be directed through the chair.

[3:45] There will be no cross-examination,

[3:47] rebuttal, or debate between speakers,

[3:50] board members, staff, or other

[3:51] participants. Anyone wishing to provide

[3:54] a written document during the hearing

[3:56] should give it to our corporate officer

[3:58] or send it through the method identified

[4:00] by staff before the hearing is closed.

[4:05] Um, so Mr. Prime. Uh, please confirm for

[4:09] the record that the notice of this

[4:11] public hearing was given in accordance

[4:12] with the applicable requirements and

[4:15] advise whether any written submissions

[4:16] were received by the stated deadline.

[4:20] » Thank you, Madam Chair. I can confirm

[4:21] that uh we did post notice accordingly

[4:23] through uh the procedure bylaw. We

[4:25] posted on our Facebook website as well

[4:28] as on the public notice boards at the uh

[4:30] CCRD office. We've received two uh

[4:33] written correspondents. uh both are

[4:36] within the agenda package that you have

[4:38] received. Um I will note here that while

[4:42] um you know there certainly everyone is

[4:44] aware of the new health letter that was

[4:46] posted on Facebook that was never to the

[4:49] best of my knowledge sent to the CCRD

[4:51] directly to staff or board.

[4:56] » Thank you very much.

[4:59] Um I will now um ask our our planner to

[5:03] provide a brief overview of the

[5:06] Bellacula Valley Community Plan official

[5:09] community plan bylaw number 565 2026.

[5:13] Following that overview, I will invite

[5:15] represent um representations from the

[5:18] public beginning with participants in

[5:20] the room and then participants attending

[5:22] through Microsoft Teams.

[5:27] is our

[5:29] » And uh Chair Kennedy. Yeah, I believe

[5:31] that was for the previous one. Chris

[5:33] Rele is not here today. Yeah, sorry.

[5:35] » Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I uh Yeah, I didn't

[5:38] » That was on me.

[5:40] » No, no, I'm sure I Yeah, I should have

[5:42] reprinted. I was saving paper.

[5:45] [laughter]

[5:46] Um Okay, no problem. Um is there a uh do

[5:51] we have a chance to do a brief overview?

[5:53] Um perhaps Mr. Prime or Mr. Slingerland,

[5:56] I don't know um if we can do just a

[5:58] quick overview of

[6:02] um either like the the purpose of the

[6:04] plan or kind of what uh you know where

[6:08] how we got here today basically.

[6:11] » Okay. I uh through the chair I can take

[6:14] a bit of a stab at that. So the official

[6:15] community plan is the highest level uh

[6:17] planning document that uh local

[6:19] government does. It sets out a bit of a

[6:21] kind of a vision over a loadar in

[6:23] regards to where community wants to go

[6:25] and the CCRD has started this process in

[6:27] 2022 and uh had urban systems undertake

[6:31] that work which involved uh community

[6:33] meetings in 2022 2023 and has advanced

[6:37] to uh to the point now. It is not a

[6:40] zoning bylaw but it will but it does uh

[6:43] affect a future iteration or updates of

[6:45] zone of the zoning bylaw. So, um that is

[6:49] a general overview of it. It has been

[6:51] available for uh public comment and

[6:54] review for a bit of time and uh we're

[6:57] here today for the public hearing.

[6:59] » Great. Thank you very much. Yes, the I

[7:02] um yeah, three three four years um in

[7:06] the making. So, thank you very much.

[7:08] That's great. Um so I will now um I will

[7:13] now uh call on our speakers who are in

[7:17] the the boardroom. Um

[7:20] and I I don't have a great view. I did

[7:23] see Mr. Nestagard there or I don't know

[7:25] if there if there's if anyone is

[7:28] speaking before him. Oh yes.

[7:30] » Yes.

[7:30] » We have Katherine Best will be first and

[7:32] if you want to go to the podium you can

[7:34] speak from there.

[7:35] » Okay.

[7:35] » Great. Okay. Good morning, Miss Best.

[7:38] » Good morning. Um, oh, sorry, I prepared

[7:41] a question. Um, so I'm just sort of

[7:43] frantically writing it as a comment, I

[7:45] suppose. Maybe I'll just read the

[7:46] question and whether or not it can be

[7:48] answered, it might give some

[7:49] understanding of where I'm coming from.

[7:50] Um, so this is in regard to 4.2.3.8,

[7:55] which uh is a line saying discouraging

[7:57] recreational trails that bisect or

[7:59] border farmland. Um, and that raised a

[8:02] bit of a red flag for me just because,

[8:04] uh, recreational trails provide access

[8:07] beyond just hiking in the valley. Um,

[8:10] they're for harvesting, for exploration,

[8:11] for cultural practices. Um, and for a

[8:14] whole host of reasons that are really

[8:16] important to a lot of people. Um, and I

[8:18] think the restriction of where they may

[8:20] be built uh, should the the cost of that

[8:23] should be recognized. Um, and I

[8:24] understand that uh, agriculture uh, is

[8:27] an important part of this plan and I

[8:29] think that's wonderful. I'm really in

[8:30] favor of that. I'm looking at getting

[8:32] farm status myself. Uh but I do think we

[8:35] need to be very very careful about the

[8:38] restriction of general public access,

[8:40] especially because of how the valley

[8:41] runs. Um a lot of the valley could be

[8:45] either currently is or could easily

[8:47] become farmland. Um, we know a lot of it

[8:50] is in the ALR and by restricting where

[8:53] the trails can be built, it restricts

[8:55] really like everything goes beside land

[8:58] that could be farmland or that is

[9:00] farmland currently. Um, and I think we

[9:02] want to be really careful about

[9:04] restricting general public access to the

[9:06] land. I think um, this may speak more

[9:08] towards um, sort of a private property

[9:12] ownership uh, like way of viewing the

[9:16] our land use in the valley. Um, and

[9:19] obviously interrupting agricultural land

[9:21] use would be a problem, but I don't see

[9:23] how recreational trails um are currently

[9:26] doing that. I don't really see a

[9:27] justification for that in uh in what

[9:29] we've seen. Um, and I I would like to

[9:32] see I know some of this goes beyond the

[9:34] purview of the CCRD, but I would prefer

[9:36] as a society that we be moving more

[9:38] towards a freedom like a right to Rome

[9:41] um way of looking at the land rather

[9:43] than a like parceling off. And I think

[9:46] um especially the way that the valley

[9:48] has been parcled and the way that it's

[9:49] set up um this could potentially really

[9:52] restrict where we have access to um in

[9:56] the in the public lands that go beyond

[9:59] the private lands. Um so that that line

[10:01] concerned me. Sorry I didn't end up

[10:03] asking my question, but that's fine. Um

[10:06] and I would like that to be considered.

[10:08] Thank you.

[10:09] » Thank you very much. Can you give me

[10:11] that line one more time so I can just

[10:13] make a note of it? Yeah. 4.2.3.8.

[10:20] » Thank you very much. And thank you.

[10:22] Yeah. Thank you for um addressing the

[10:23] board today and uh for your comments.

[10:26] » Thank you.

[10:29] » Um so I believe

[10:32] » There we go. Mr. Nestagard, welcome.

[10:34] Good to see you. Thank you.

[10:37] » Hey, good morning everybody. Um

[10:41] I see a few problems looking through

[10:43] this plan.

[10:46] The one just mentioned is it was one of

[10:49] them. Uh one of the other big problems I

[10:52] think is the and I don't have the number

[10:55] so if you want to look it up you're

[10:57] going to have to look it up yourself. Uh

[11:00] there's a line in there about unrip and

[11:03] drip.

[11:07] So basically I think it says that the

[11:11] CCRD is going to move to implement unrip

[11:14] and drip.

[11:18] I don't know if you guys are aware of

[11:21] what's going on with our provincial

[11:22] government right now, but

[11:26] you know, a bunch of UNRIP when when the

[11:29] provincial government passed UNRIP, a

[11:31] lot of people said, "Oh no, this is

[11:33] terrible. Um, we shouldn't be doing this

[11:36] and here's why." And and then, you know,

[11:40] the government said, "Oh, no. This is

[11:42] this is good. This is great. This is

[11:44] progress." And then a few things started

[11:47] to happen and the provincial government

[11:50] said, "Well, I think um we're going to

[11:53] have to uh repeal DRIPA."

[11:58] And then they said, "Oh, well, maybe

[12:01] we'll just amend it a little." Um

[12:04] [clears throat]

[12:04] and then they said, "Oh, we're not

[12:07] changing it at all. We're we're sticking

[12:09] with it." Um that that was about a month

[12:12] ago. I don't know where they are on it

[12:14] now and I don't think the board knows.

[12:19] So, I think it would be a huge mistake

[12:22] to um put it into our policy into our

[12:25] official plan that we're going to follow

[12:28] a legislation that

[12:31] you know who knows who knows what's

[12:34] going to happen with [clears throat] it.

[12:35] The provincial government doesn't know

[12:37] right now.

[12:39] So, for that reason, and

[12:43] um

[12:46] I don't know. I think you're going to

[12:47] hear a few other people today.

[12:49] Hopefully. I don't know where they are.

[12:51] I thought they would be here in person.

[12:53] Maybe they'll be online, but uh

[12:57] I've heard a lot of people um I've heard

[13:02] from the chief counselor. I've heard

[13:06] from other counselors of the New Hawk

[13:08] Nation that they're not very happy about

[13:10] this plan.

[13:13] Um,

[13:16] it mentions reconciliation I don't know

[13:19] how many times.

[13:21] Um,

[13:26] it doesn't really mention truth and

[13:28] recon. It mentions, I think, the truth

[13:30] and reconciliation

[13:32] uh commission,

[13:35] but it doesn't mention the word truth.

[13:37] Maybe I think that's the only time the

[13:40] word truth is in there. So,

[13:43] um yeah, I I think this board has done

[13:46] enough over the last bunch of years

[13:51] and this board is on its way out in like

[13:56] eight weeks or something.

[13:58] So, I think this board should just back

[14:01] off of this official community plan and

[14:04] leave it to the next board.

[14:07] Thank you.

[14:10] » Thank you, Mr. Nestagard for your

[14:11] comments.

[14:13] Um, I see a hand up in the um

[14:20] in the teams

[14:22] uh here and I believe it's Mr. Weber, I

[14:27] think. And uh I'm not sure yeah how we

[14:30] are doing the the list of of speakers

[14:32] but perhaps

[14:35] miss Oh I see. Okay we've got the

[14:38] council perhaps.

[14:48] » Uh thank you chair Kennedy. Um

[14:53] I I just want to mention a few things.

[14:57] You know all the although we're here and

[14:59] participating

[15:00] this is not being sent to move forward

[15:03] [clears throat]

[15:05] and there has been letters

[15:08] there has been letters sent to

[15:10] yourselves

[15:12] including yourself chair Kennedy

[15:15] including federal representation

[15:18] including provincial representation

[15:21] regarding this process.

[15:24] There has been opposition from Stalin.

[15:28] There has been opposition from elected

[15:30] leadership.

[15:34] And

[15:35] for this work to start in 2022,

[15:40] New was not present at that time.

[15:44] There was no collaboration on this

[15:46] process.

[15:49] This process really is

[15:52] challenging our title and right.

[15:56] This process is not inclusive of our our

[16:00] way.

[16:04] So there has been opposition to this

[16:06] process

[16:09] despite us hearing out what this process

[16:12] is.

[16:14] We we we are not aware of this process.

[16:17] We're learning about this process. This

[16:19] is not our way.

[16:22] That's a fair misrepresentation of us

[16:25] new people.

[16:29] We are OCP is not our way.

[16:34] So it's it's a misrepresentation to say

[16:37] we've been involved.

[16:40] We've been involved to hear about it,

[16:42] but you've also heard our official

[16:45] opposition against it.

[16:48] So although we're here participating, we

[16:50] are here saying we oppose this process.

[16:56] You know, we we rely on

[17:00] the medicines of this land.

[17:02] We have no access

[17:05] to many many places in this valley.

[17:09] No access.

[17:13] That's harvesting

[17:15] medicines, hunting, mushroom picking.

[17:20] Our way of life has been challenged.

[17:24] So it's a misrepresentation to say we've

[17:26] been engaged

[17:31] and there's a lot of words around

[17:34] reconciliation

[17:36] and working with new nation

[17:40] but that work has been unfair.

[17:45] We're brought to the table at the 11th

[17:46] hour

[17:49] and we don't know a darn thing about

[17:51] this process.

[17:56] So I just want to open up with those

[17:58] comments because I have my staff here. I

[18:00] have elected leadership here.

[18:04] So I'm stalled here.

[18:07] This is a misrepresentation of new

[18:09] nation

[18:11] inclusive of new leadership and new cult

[18:14] people has to start from the beginning.

[18:17] We don't know about this process. This

[18:19] is foreign to us.

[18:22] This is not our traditional way.

[18:32] Uh thank you Mr. Weber uh for your

[18:35] comments. Um, is

[18:39] there anyone

[18:42] else there that would like to speak or

[18:45] should I go through speakers

[18:48] um on the teams?

[19:00] Okay, I'm going to maybe

[19:04] Yeah, I'll watch for hands and then I

[19:07] will Oh, I see a hand, but I see the

[19:11] microphone is muted. I don't know if um

[19:14] I can't hear anything.

[19:19] » Archer Kennedy, I'm not seeing who has

[19:21] their hand up.

[19:22] » Oh, uh it was uh Mr. Weber put his h

[19:25] like his hand up. Um, but I

[19:28] » But then the microphone was muted so I

[19:30] wasn't sure. Um, but Mr. Weber, is there

[19:34] someone else there that would like to

[19:36] speak as well?

[19:37] » Yes, Chief Spooner.

[19:40] » Okay. Yeah,

[19:42] I'm a little uh I'm a little curious to,

[19:46] [clears throat]

[19:47] you know, uh

[19:49] to figure out what what um

[19:54] what would be considered consultation

[19:56] from the CCRD

[20:00] uh board of directors. Um I think a

[20:04] meeting, a quick meeting is is really

[20:06] not that. And once uh you know the

[20:08] statement that uh Huda had made

[20:12] um about uh

[20:16] you know proper consultation you know

[20:19] proper um you know working with the

[20:21] nation you know and and

[20:24] you know and that that that starts right

[20:27] from the beginning you know I think at

[20:30] uh

[20:31] um having a like picking members off the

[20:35] street or whatever for Abby. There's got

[20:38] to be a, you know, a

[20:43] and I don't really care for the word

[20:45] consultation, you know. I don't I don't

[20:48] honestly think it really works for, you

[20:50] know, what we have. Like, it's got to be

[20:53] there's got to be a word in our in our

[20:55] language that that says that we are

[20:58] actually working together, that we see

[20:59] eye to eye on this, and that this is

[21:01] moving forward in a good way.

[21:05] you know that's that that's the work

[21:08] that has to be the work you know so I'm

[21:12] I guess the question would be is like

[21:18] you know my expectation is is that you

[21:21] know that that we are and should be

[21:24] working together

[21:27] and I and I think [clears throat] that

[21:28] got lost along the way. I know that um

[21:31] the intention is good relationships,

[21:34] you know, and I think that that's

[21:36] something that we can work on, but I

[21:38] would also ask that that you know, maybe

[21:40] this work has to continue when the new

[21:42] board of uh directors is elected

[21:46] because it's I I don't believe and I'd

[21:49] be curious as to what uh director Hall

[21:52] has, you know, some some comments that

[21:55] he might have that he might add. I'm not

[21:58] sure where Heltech is on this. I'm not

[22:00] sure where we can is on this because

[22:03] we're we're all in the same area.

[22:09] But that's all I have to say for now.

[22:12] [clears throat]

[22:12] » Okay. Thank you. Um thank you um Chief

[22:16] Skooner. Um so at this this time like it

[22:20] isn't we're not exactly directing

[22:22] questions at the board. We're here just

[22:24] to to listen right now. Um, I I don't

[22:28] know if there's anything that director

[22:30] Hall does want to say, but um, but yeah,

[22:33] right now our role is as uh open-minded

[22:37] listeners in this forum, but I do see

[22:40] Director Hall's hand up.

[22:42] » Yeah, I just wanted to brief

[22:43] acknowledgement of uh um Chief Scooters

[22:47] and u their admin staff as well as their

[22:50] um elected leadership um with regards to

[22:53] this this concern. Um I know I worked

[22:57] with Chief Scooner in the past regarding

[23:00] uh relationship development. We worked

[23:02] on emergency planning and management and

[23:05] stuff like this where um things had gone

[23:08] very well for a while. Uh things drop

[23:10] off the board and we've stated it uh

[23:13] verbally in the past when

[23:16] your agreements and your discussions are

[23:18] only as good as this the people that are

[23:20] are are representing you and and

[23:22] ensuring these things move forward. Um I

[23:26] do understand the concerns being placed

[23:28] forward and I do recommend you know us

[23:30] working together um going forward. Um

[23:33] the nation has issues of course with

[23:36] regional district decisions and whatnot

[23:39] considering of course one of the major

[23:42] issues is the uh my area for area B is

[23:46] just my reserve proper. So it doesn't

[23:48] really um make for a wholesome

[23:52] relationship as well with the regional

[23:54] district. Although my my stance and I

[23:56] know that um uh Chief Skooner and I had

[23:59] worked on many um documents that were um

[24:06] uh documents to try and state a better

[24:09] relationship and work toward a better

[24:11] relationship. Um comments were made

[24:14] about um Andrip and DRIPA and uh local

[24:18] government, the provincial government

[24:20] signed an agreement certainly and it it

[24:22] it made the regional districts and and

[24:25] municipalities have um

[24:29] it it asked them to push forward with no

[24:31] key elements in place or no guidance uh

[24:35] to put those elements into place. So uh

[24:38] in in conversation with Chief Scooner I

[24:41] think yeah we need to have a more

[24:42] wholesome understanding and discussion

[24:45] regarding this. I know that we also

[24:47] wanted to implement and and put um some

[24:51] weight behind um legislative reform and

[24:55] that's another huge discussion that

[24:57] needs to happen as well. I appreciate

[24:59] your comments and concerns New Hawk

[25:01] Nation uh staff as well as elected

[25:03] leadership. Um I do want to work toward

[25:06] continuing um improving relationships

[25:08] with nations and that's key and and

[25:11] partial um to some very significant

[25:14] events that have happened in the

[25:16] regional district. Um

[25:19] and again it it we need to make sure

[25:21] that the um the staff that we hand these

[25:24] tasks to are are you know fully

[25:27] acknowledged um and educated to move

[25:30] things forward. Um I hope this um

[25:33] discussion will continue um Chief um

[25:37] Skooner and also the regional district

[25:38] current regional district board. Thank

[25:40] you guys.

[25:42] » Thank you Director Hall. Um I'm looking

[25:45] for the next um person who would like to

[25:48] speak.

[25:51] I see a hand up there. The initials JN

[26:00] Hello. Thank you for giving time for

[26:02] responses. I understand that this is uh

[26:04] not something that you can comment on

[26:06] right now, but it's just a hearing. Um

[26:08] so, uh yeah, just like you to listen to

[26:10] this. So, I believe there's been some

[26:11] communication failures to the community.

[26:14] I have um about seven issues here. I'm

[26:16] going to quickly go through um survey

[26:19] participation 112 responses from the

[26:22] community between February March 2023

[26:25] had a very low response rate from the

[26:28] population. So I'm unclear how this

[26:29] represents uh the valley. Curtis

[26:32] mentioned to the start of this that this

[26:34] OCP represents the vision of the

[26:36] community. That can't be true if that's

[26:38] the facts. Business engagement 35

[26:40] businesses were contacted. 12 responded.

[26:43] This is a 34% response rate uh which

[26:46] were mostly um which is unrepresent

[26:50] under representation of the community.

[26:52] Um the OCP visibility there was an

[26:55] engagement week held on uh in May

[26:57] between the 1st and the 4th in 2023. One

[27:00] single week of engagement window does

[27:02] not reach all residents and there's no

[27:04] indication of any follow-up. The

[27:06] document access the OCP is 90 pages and

[27:08] is a dense technical document and

[27:11] there's no evidence of a plan um or to

[27:13] to put plain language or summaries for

[27:15] accessible formats for public friendly

[27:17] versions. Um ongoing updates section six

[27:20] implementation strategy outlines actions

[27:22] but there's no public timeline or

[27:24] progress tracking mechanism described

[27:26] for these residents to monitor OCP

[27:28] implementation. The meeting

[27:30] accessibility multiple drop-in sessions

[27:32] were mentioned at co-op at the Legion

[27:33] Hall. These were incredibly minable and

[27:36] um they have geographic constraints

[27:37] noted in engagement. There's youth

[27:39] throughout the valley that struggled to

[27:40] get access to transportation. Um, and

[27:43] having uh someone posted at the co-op

[27:45] for a few weeks um does not count as um

[27:48] accessibility. You need to do better

[27:50] than that. Um feedback transparency. The

[27:53] key engagement themes lifted in section

[27:55] 1.5. There's no indication how specific

[27:57] resident comments shaped final policies.

[28:00] Um so the feedback loop is not visible.

[28:02] Yeah. Thank you.

[28:06] » Thank you Mr. Nash for your comments.

[28:11] I am looking for our next speaker.

[28:28] If there's yeah any member of the

[28:30] gallery online that would like to speak

[28:33] um please uh raise your hand and I will

[28:36] be sure to call on you.

[28:54] Um, oh, I see uh Oh, I see um Mr. uh or

[29:00] I see the hand up for uh Mr. Weber again

[29:04] um in the New Hope Chambers.

[29:17] » There we go. Go ahead. Go ahead.

[29:19] » Thanks again, Chair Kennedy. Um,

[29:22] you know, this this

[29:25] I I'm all for working together,

[29:29] but that that collaboration needs to be

[29:32] often and very very early.

[29:35] Curtis and I meet quarterly

[29:39] and there's

[29:41] there's support from from leadership to

[29:44] to meet with yourselves.

[29:47] But we we need to do better

[29:50] strongly.

[29:53] We need to pick up

[29:55] our our

[29:57] motivation. We we need to do better.

[30:01] This is not working for us.

[30:05] If we're working together, we're working

[30:07] together early.

[30:10] We were not aware of this process even

[30:12] beginning

[30:14] and it came to our table I want to say a

[30:16] year and a little bit ago

[30:19] presentation was made as I shared we we

[30:23] that we're not aware of this process.

[30:26] There's no orientation on this process.

[30:31] We we don't know

[30:36] And we there's a lot of this I'm looking

[30:40] through the schedules.

[30:43] There's there's a lot of,

[30:46] you know, pen houses, burial grounds,

[30:49] CMTs

[30:52] ancestral villages

[30:54] that you're talking about here

[30:57] within the this the maps here, the

[30:59] schedules.

[31:01] That's what we're talking about.

[31:06] Medicines, harvesting.

[31:11] We need to do better

[31:14] obviously.

[31:18] So I I I fully support you know this

[31:21] process being paused.

[31:23] This is not proper [clears throat]

[31:26] engagement with new leadership.

[31:31] In order for this process to move

[31:33] forward, you need consent.

[31:36] That's reconciliation.

[31:39] You can't take our opposition and move

[31:41] forward with it. That's not working

[31:44] together. That's not reconciliation.

[31:48] If we move this forward, this is not

[31:51] working together.

[31:55] We're we're we're here to help you

[31:57] define what that looks like.

[32:00] » [clears throat]

[32:02] » We are available and committed to that.

[32:07] But this is not proper process.

[32:12] We can't move forward without engaging

[32:15] with new leadership, new people and

[32:18] ultimately having consent.

[32:23] Then we move forward.

[32:26] We're willing to reshare those letters,

[32:30] but that's official opposition that

[32:32] there shouldn't be a restriction on

[32:35] sending it on based on dates, deadlines.

[32:42] Those responses should be heard often

[32:45] and available through any platform.

[32:50] That's that's fair process.

[33:01] Thank you again, Mr. Weber. Um, other

[33:04] speakers.

[33:15] Yeah, I'm going to um

[33:18] to call for other speakers. Um,

[33:23] I'm not seeing any other hands up at

[33:26] this time. Oh,

[33:28] » Mr. Weber got to speak. Could I bring up

[33:31] another point, Chair Kennedy?

[33:33] » Uh, yes. So, yeah, now that we've called

[33:35] for other speakers, I haven't heard any.

[33:37] Yes, you may speak a second time, Mr.

[33:39] Nestagard. Go ahead.

[33:46] » I don't know who uh who was the speaker

[33:48] online. Is it Mr. Nash.

[33:53] » Mr. Nash brought up uh a point that the

[33:56] the page is 90 pa the the plan is 90

[33:59] pages long.

[34:03] Well, it's actually

[34:06] 140 pages long, 150 pages long. Maybe

[34:10] Mr. Prime could tell us

[34:13] uh the link

[34:16] on for this meeting for the agenda

[34:19] package where you can go and look at the

[34:22] plan so that you can provide meaningful

[34:25] input.

[34:27] It's 90 pages.

[34:30] There's no schedule B, C, D, E, or F.

[34:35] Um the the the full plan, the full 140

[34:39] something page plan is available.

[34:43] You just have to

[34:45] go through the gears with Mr. Prime to

[34:48] get it.

[34:52] So I I I wonder how many people have

[34:54] seen the full plan

[34:57] and how many people think that the

[34:58] 90page plan is the plan.

[35:03] So h how do we provide meaningful input

[35:06] without the plant? How do we do that?

[35:11] » Well, we don't.

[35:17] » Thank you.

[35:18] » Thank you, Mr. Nesterard. Um

[35:22] okay, so I am

[35:25] calling for

[35:27] additional speakers. If there's anyone

[35:29] in the room or participating through

[35:32] teams who wishes to speak regarding um

[35:36] Bella Kula Valley official community

[35:38] plan bylaw number 565 2026

[35:46] for a second time. Is there anyone who

[35:49] wishes to speak regarding the proposed

[35:52] bylaw

[35:54] for a third and final time? Is there

[35:57] anyone who wishes to speak regarding the

[35:59] proposed bylaw?

[36:03] I see a hand up. Mr. Weber there. If we

[36:07] can enable his microphone

[36:10] and camera.

[36:14] » Are we on?

[36:16] » Go ahead.

[36:17] » Yeah, it's um Chief Stew again. Um

[36:21] [clears throat]

[36:22] I just uh you know I think there's there

[36:24] was a lot of gaps that are that um you

[36:28] know it goes back to even when I was on

[36:30] the board um you know and the and the

[36:34] lack of communications the lack of

[36:36] resources um you know uh financial

[36:40] um

[36:43] even even going back as far as uh

[36:45] financing reconciliation that we brought

[36:48] to

[36:50] uh UBIC.

[36:51] Um

[36:53] but I you know it it really identifies a

[36:56] lot of gaps and that includes the nation

[37:00] as well you know where where

[37:02] communications and lack of resources is

[37:05] is uh you know for CCRD as well is that

[37:10] that

[37:12] we don't

[37:14] necessarily have the expertise or the

[37:16] resources uh meaning uh that finances to

[37:21] have um communications,

[37:24] you know, or maybe that that that

[37:28] is is a real gap between us right now,

[37:32] you know, and I and I I think that

[37:34] identifying that that, you know,

[37:36] something that, you know, potentially

[37:38] that we can work together on

[37:41] or maybe it's something that you guys

[37:43] can work on on your end and we can work

[37:47] on on our end. But I I do believe that

[37:50] that you know the intention is there

[37:54] [clears throat]

[37:55] but right now that we we just don't have

[37:59] the resources. Maybe that's what it is.

[38:02] But I I do know that the process has

[38:05] hasn't

[38:11] you know for us that that we can't agree

[38:14] to this OCP.

[38:16] We we can't right now. I think it it's

[38:19] it's it's needs more work. it needs more

[38:21] work from us, especially if it's a uh

[38:26] designated a Bella Valley OCP,

[38:30] you know, and and um and just one of the

[38:34] words that that I see in here um

[38:40] and of course it says draft, but uh

[38:43] before

[38:46] figure one, Bella Valley OCP planning,

[38:49] it should be noted that since The CCB

[38:51] has no jurisdiction on New Coke reser

[38:54] reserve lands,

[38:57] you know, which is uh, you know, for me,

[39:03] you know, that that that is a very uh

[39:07] colonial term,

[39:10] you know, that word

[39:13] we only have say on reserve lands,

[39:20] you You know that that brings us back to

[39:22] uh

[39:25] the Indian

[39:29] brings brings us back to a time where uh

[39:35] you know our our our hunting grounds

[39:37] were taken, our fishing grounds were

[39:39] taken. You know that we weren't allowed

[39:42] off reserve.

[39:47] You know that that we are no better than

[39:49] caged animals.

[39:59] You know that that's what it was like

[40:00] for my people,

[40:03] our people.

[40:06] You know that we weren't allowed

[40:07] anywhere else on the land that we used

[40:10] to be free on. that we used to go

[40:13] everywhere and harvest our medicines,

[40:16] hunt, fish,

[40:20] that we weren't allowed to

[40:23] walk off four square kilometers when we

[40:26] used to run three in the whole entire

[40:28] area,

[40:31] you know. So, I I really have a lot of

[40:33] issues, you know, with some of the

[40:35] language in here, you I think it's very

[40:38] uh it it really needs a lot of work. You

[40:41] know, they talk about partnerships,

[40:46] you know, and I I

[40:49] I would love to see it get to be a

[40:51] partnership at some point, but right now

[40:54] it's not there. It's just not like in

[40:57] the language in this uh document is uh

[41:01] you know, it needs to be changed.

[41:04] It needs to be changed.

[41:07] What?

[41:18] Um, [clears throat]

[41:20] thank you, M. Uh, thank you, Chair,

[41:22] pardon me, thank you, Chief Skooner, um,

[41:24] for your for your comments. Um

[41:28] it's so it is very hard to to you know

[41:32] not um yeah

[41:35] to to

[41:37] not that I want to argue with anyone but

[41:40] we are just here to listen and um I yeah

[41:44] it is hard to not um engage that way and

[41:48] so um there was a a comment of like what

[41:51] what will happen next and so um after

[41:54] all of the speakers have uh have been

[41:56] heard. Um then we will close the the

[42:00] public hearing. Um most likely there

[42:03] will be a special meeting called um when

[42:06] when the board decides what to do next

[42:09] after this hearing. Uh we are no longer

[42:12] able to receive comments. And so, you

[42:15] know, it is um yeah, the board has to

[42:19] have have heard everything that they

[42:22] um that they can at this hearing and

[42:26] then um decide at the special meeting

[42:29] what happens uh next with this process.

[42:32] Um so yes once again we are just here to

[42:35] listen and I know that it's hard and it

[42:38] doesn't mean that we aren't listening

[42:41] and engaged um with this with the

[42:43] speakers but um unfortunately we can't

[42:46] yeah answer questions at this time. Um I

[42:49] see uh oh I see uh director Hall I see

[42:53] your hand up. Um is there something that

[42:55] you wanted to site? Yeah, just to um um

[42:59] bring up some other issues too with

[43:01] regards to communications and whatnot.

[43:03] Um there were there had been issues even

[43:05] with the previous board and in

[43:08] communications with all of the nations

[43:09] within the regional district. Um it's

[43:12] it's not um something we had a lot of

[43:15] control over like like um Chief Skooner

[43:17] had stated there was there are issues

[43:20] with funding financial rec financing

[43:22] reconciliation document was one that was

[43:25] trying to address that especially for a

[43:27] regional district that's not coupled

[43:28] with a municipality. It doesn't have

[43:30] that additional um tax requisition info

[43:33] or I'm sorry input.

[43:36] um the engagement dollars that are set

[43:38] up by the federal government for local

[43:40] governments to um engage with nations is

[43:43] is minuscule. It works for a lot of

[43:47] municipalities or regional districts

[43:48] again that are coupled with regional

[43:50] districts or sorry municipalities next

[43:53] to them. Um they have more funds like uh

[43:56] Sno was doing very success successful

[43:58] for a long time and they actually had

[43:59] employed an individual to have that

[44:02] engagement uh piece. um other other um

[44:06] regional districts and and whatnot like

[44:09] um Alurnie Clayquat I believe that's

[44:12] what it's called. Sorry if I'm if I'm

[44:13] incorrect on that but um they have a

[44:17] very engaged good engagement piece where

[44:19] even their their chief is also on the

[44:22] board for the regional district. So um

[44:24] stuff like that. Um the limitations of

[44:27] the local government act and the Indian

[44:29] act really really in the past had um

[44:32] made a clear separation between the two.

[44:35] Um things like that needed needed to be

[44:37] engaged. Some of that was also um looked

[44:40] at and addressed through the um local

[44:46] local election reform. I I can't

[44:48] remember the title. Sorry. I apologize.

[44:50] Um I did um want to share another

[44:53] conversation maybe with director or

[44:55] sorry chief scooter. I keep he was

[44:58] worked with him for several years so I

[44:59] keep on thinking he's a director still

[45:02] but um yeah I hope I hope we have some

[45:04] conversation seriously moving forward.

[45:07] Um I'm I'm in support of the nations. Um

[45:09] we've tried to initiate and and

[45:11] incorporate the fact that um any

[45:14] agreements that come around such as um

[45:16] the one with the the um um internet and

[45:22] they needed to engage and have approvals

[45:24] by each of the nations that they're

[45:26] working with too. And we try to make

[45:27] sure that they promote that um within

[45:29] the regional district as well as ours to

[45:32] make sure engagement is uh wholesome and

[45:35] informed and um cooperative. But um

[45:39] yeah, I I'm strongly working and we need

[45:43] to work together. I appreciate

[45:45] everybody's words here and everybody's

[45:47] comments and concerns, their fair

[45:49] concerns and um across the board. Let's

[45:52] work together. There's so many things

[45:53] that can happen if we work together and

[45:57] there's more success when nations work

[45:59] together with local governments and

[46:02] provincial governments, federal

[46:03] governments. Thank you.

[46:05] » Thank you, Director Hall. Um I have a

[46:08] speaker on the uh teams here. Uh

[46:11] initials KG.

[46:14] Um we will enable your microphone and

[46:19] when you're ready you can go ahead.

[46:29] » Can you hear me?

[46:30] » Yes.

[46:31] » Uh good morning. Thank you uh Chair

[46:34] Chair Kennedy. Uh this is Kim. I work

[46:36] for the New Hawk Nation. I just wanted

[46:38] to reiterate and check in regarding the

[46:41] next steps. Thank you for uh clarifying

[46:44] that. Uh thank you for clarifying that

[46:47] um

[46:49] the [clears throat] next steps on behalf

[46:51] of of your board is to have a special um

[46:54] meeting.

[46:56] What steps are going to be ensured to

[46:59] ensure that

[47:01] the official opposition from the New

[47:04] Hawk Nation is brought up at that

[47:07] meeting?

[47:09] Is it up to the chair and the CEO to

[47:12] craft that special meeting agenda and

[47:15] how much notice is given for that

[47:17] special meeting

[47:20] in your process?

[47:22] Um so I think that special meetings

[47:25] require 48 hours public notice. Um I

[47:28] could be wrong.

[47:30] Um uh yeah once again it is this is we

[47:34] are just here to to listen just to be

[47:37] clear but I I feel like um that is yeah

[47:40] a procedural piece. Um so there will be

[47:43] public notice and um and yeah from there

[47:48] the board you know takes into account

[47:50] all the feedback that we have received

[47:52] from you know all the other parties um

[47:55] and uh then decides what to do from

[47:58] there so that it is up to the board.

[48:01] » It is up to the up to the board to craft

[48:03] the special meeting agenda.

[48:07] » No that isn't what I stated. Um,

[48:10] » Okay.

[48:11] » That it is up to the board what we do

[48:13] next. But the agenda of course is

[48:16] is made by staff. That's but the you

[48:21] know that will be the item on the agenda

[48:23] is to decide what to do next. Yeah.

[48:26] » And will the item from the New Hawk

[48:30] Nation

[48:32] be on that agenda considering all of the

[48:34] concerns that were brought forward here?

[48:37] » I I can't speak to the agenda. We are

[48:39] here to listen and we have you know been

[48:42] listening with open minds to the

[48:44] comments that have been made here and

[48:46] all comments will be taken into

[48:48] consideration including written comments

[48:50] that have been submitted um that are in

[48:52] the agenda as well and uh the board will

[48:55] be taking all of those comments um into

[48:58] consideration.

[49:00] » Thank you.

[49:01] » Thank you.

[49:02] » Yes.

[49:04] Um, so I am looking for anyone else who

[49:08] would like to speak.

[49:13] I'm calling a second time for Oh, I

[49:17] maybe see a hand in the boardroom.

[49:19] Perhaps

[49:23] if I Yeah, if there's a hand in the

[49:24] boardroom, I just see it out the side of

[49:26] my screen. Everybody

[49:29] in the board can speak. Katherine, if

[49:32] you would like to speak again, you can

[49:33] step right up to the podium there and we

[49:35] will hear you.

[49:38] » Thank you um for hearing me one more

[49:40] time. I neglected in the first time to I

[49:43] shared a concern with the plan and um I

[49:46] understand that this is an ongoing

[49:47] process. It sounds like it's not a done

[49:49] deal. There's a lot more that needs to

[49:50] happen here um from listening to many of

[49:52] the speakers in the room and online. Um

[49:54] but I do want to highlight as we go

[49:56] forward with the plan some of the things

[49:57] that really stood out to me as really

[49:59] good in the plan. um just so that as

[50:01] this process continues those things can

[50:04] be held on to. Um so the um advocacy for

[50:09] more housing availability um really are

[50:11] really important especially focusing on

[50:13] those key areas where development makes

[50:15] sense and is uh accessible. Um a lot of

[50:17] the aspects of the agricultural

[50:20] um aspect of the plan including

[50:22] supporting uh like processing uh in the

[50:26] valley and things like that for people

[50:27] with livestock. I thought that was

[50:28] really important. Um, I recognize the

[50:30] acknowledgement of the many, many

[50:32] organizations that provide volunteer um,

[50:35] services in the valley because I think

[50:37] that's a lot of how this valley runs is

[50:40] with people just volunteering time and a

[50:42] recognition of that from the CCRD uh, I

[50:45] think is really meaningful for those

[50:46] groups. Uh I appreciated the uh aspect

[50:50] of support for existing emergency

[50:53] services including um the possibility of

[50:56] providing like access to CCRD land to

[51:00] support again volunteer services that

[51:01] may be providing some of those emergency

[51:03] services that we all rely on in the

[51:04] valley. Um, and I understand that in

[51:07] putting these things into the plan, it

[51:09] opens us up for access to grants, which

[51:12] is from my understanding a lot of how

[51:14] the CCRD is able to make anything happen

[51:16] in the valley. Um, and so as we go

[51:19] forward and as you work with the nation

[51:21] and um, with all the stakeholders on

[51:22] this plan, I just want to uh, say that

[51:24] those really stood out to me as really

[51:26] important parts of the plan. Um, I heard

[51:28] some of the things that were talked

[51:29] about in the consultation program or uh,

[51:32] process come into the plan there. Um,

[51:34] and I hope that as this goes forward,

[51:36] those things get held on to because

[51:38] that's really, really important to me

[51:40] and I think many people in the

[51:41] community. Thank you.

[51:43] » Thank you very much, Miss Best. Um,

[51:47] thank you for your comments.

[51:51] Um, I speak see Mr. Nash's hand there.

[51:55] We will enable your microphone.

[51:59] » Thank you. Um yeah, just uh just wanted

[52:02] to kind of speak back what I what I

[52:04] think I've heard and just want to make

[52:06] sure I have the right understanding. So

[52:07] the next steps as I understand it is

[52:10] that um you're going to have a special

[52:11] meeting and the uh CCD board will decide

[52:14] what they want to do regarding the OCP.

[52:16] Um you cannot take any more input after

[52:19] this hearing. Um so it does seem like

[52:23] this is happening with or without us and

[52:25] and us being the collective us of the

[52:27] whole valley. um and which is

[52:29] concerning. So that's why I just say

[52:31] that.

[52:36] » Thank you, Mr. Nash, for your comments.

[52:38] Um

[52:41] all right, any other speakers?

[52:49] Um I'm asking for a second time. Any

[52:52] other speakers?

[52:56] For a third and final time, anyone who

[52:59] would like to speak regarding this

[53:00] bylaw?

[53:08] Hearing no further speakers, I declare

[53:10] the public hearing for Bellakulla Valley

[53:13] Official Community Plan bylaw number

[53:15] 565206

[53:18] closed at 9:56 a.m. The public hearing

[53:22] record is now closed. Thank you so much

[53:24] for everyone who participated. Um, and

[53:26] yes, the board is listening to your

[53:28] comments. It's very hard to not um, you

[53:32] know, to to not speak, but we are

[53:35] listening. And that is a really

[53:36] important part is that this is yeah your

[53:39] this was uh yeah your turn to um to

[53:42] speak to us. So I I really thank you for

[53:44] everyone who participated

[53:47] um in this hearing and um the p the

[53:50] notice for the special meeting will be

[53:52] posted and um and yeah and then the

[53:56] board will um will consider everything

[53:59] that has been discussed today. So, thank

[54:02] you for joining us whether it's online

[54:04] or in person. Um, all comments will be

[54:07] considered. Thank you.

Public Hearing - Bylaw 565 Bella Coola Valley Official Community Plan

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