[0:15] being conducted electronically due to

[0:17] the ongoing technical upgrades in our

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[0:22] should it be necessary to continue in

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[0:27] communication channels and it will be

[0:28] noted on the agenda cover page PES

[0:30] please note this meeting is being live

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[0:36] keep your cameras on and your

[0:38] microphone's muted I'm speaking if you

[0:41] wish to speak please use the raiseed

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[0:46] turn on your microphone for other

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[0:54] please turn on your microphone and

[0:55] camera for public input period and

[0:57] question period we have asked citizens

[0:59] to have Reg reged with legislative

[1:01] Services by noon yesterday we have a

[1:03] total of two registered for public in

[1:05] Period and nobody for question period at

[1:07] this meeting citizens will be invited to

[1:10] speak when called called upon by the

[1:12] chair as always we will be following

[1:14] parliamentary procedure for this meeting

[1:16] and we appreciate your patience and

[1:18] understanding as we navigate through

[1:19] this meeting

[1:21] event chair we are live streaming and

[1:24] ready to go all right thanks for that so

[1:26] like to start by recognizing that the

[1:28] cbrd is on the the unseated territories

[1:31] the keton Malad subad alal penel Samus

[1:36] Laxon packin didat and patat Nations

[1:40] whose people have walked gently here for

[1:42] thousands of years so the core being

[1:44] present I'd like to call this uh

[1:46] committee the home meeting to order our

[1:49] first

[1:50] item of business is approval of the

[1:52] agenda can I get a motion to approve the

[1:56] agenda moved by uh director Duncan we

[2:00] have a seconder it's live J already

[2:03] checked director nichon assistant

[2:07] that's I think 7 doesn't have mute on

[2:09] right

[2:12] now all right I'll call call the

[2:14] question all in

[2:15] favor and oppos none oppos motion

[2:18] carries we'll now move on to adoption of

[2:20] the minutes so we have before us the

[2:22] committee the whole minutes of December

[2:24] 11th 2024 would someone like to move

[2:27] that these be

[2:28] adopted move by director

[2:30] Abbott seconded by director Justice call

[2:35] the question all in

[2:36] favor and opposed un opposed motion

[2:39] carries we'll now move on to the

[2:41] committee the whole minutes from

[2:42] December 12th 2024 would someone like to

[2:45] move that these be adopted sherff may I

[2:47] intera for a moment please yeah thank

[2:50] you we have noted that the minutes need

[2:53] to be amended per item

[2:56] 16 that function 100 reduce contingency

[2:59] G else to reduce requisition and that

[3:03] the it says 35,000 that is a should say

[3:07] 85,000 for the consultant projects be

[3:09] taken from the operating reserves and

[3:12] that function 100 General government

[3:14] being approved as

[3:15] amended so if the minutes could be

[3:18] approved as amended that'd be greatly

[3:20] appreciated all right can I get a motion

[3:22] to uh adopt the minutes as

[3:25] amended move by director CIO seconded by

[3:28] director McKai any disc discussion all

[3:31] in

[3:31] favor and

[3:33] opposed none opposed motion

[3:37] carries we'll now move on to public

[3:40] input period I'm just going to read the

[3:43] uh Preamble here public input period is

[3:46] to offer the public an opportunity to

[3:48] comment on an agenda item before the

[3:49] board considers the item the public

[3:52] input period procedure policy allows for

[3:54] an allotment of 15 minutes where the

[3:56] speakers welcome to comment on any items

[3:58] on the agenda up to a maximum of three

[4:00] minutes this excludes items that are or

[4:03] have been the subject of a public

[4:05] hearing input from the community is

[4:07] valued and appreciate we request that

[4:09] input is presented in a friendly and

[4:10] respectful manner the cooperation in

[4:13] maintaining a safe respectful and

[4:14] orderly environment is greatly

[4:16] appreciated so I understand we have two

[4:18] members of the public who have signed up

[4:21] to provide input at this time I'll turn

[4:24] to Seth yes um we have John Robertson

[4:27] for agenda item ub1 AV I CC resolutions

[4:31] private managed Forest

[4:33] lands all right Mr Robertson you've got

[4:35] up to three minutes you like to

[4:39] start yeah good morning chair board

[4:41] members uh thank you for the opportunity

[4:43] to speak today my name is John Robertson

[4:46] and I am here on behalf of the shaigan

[4:48] Basin society and wish to speak in

[4:50] support of the resolution for the aicc

[4:53] regarding the private managed Forest

[4:55] lands review of 2019 and the need to act

[4:58] on concerns outlin in the responses to

[5:00] the review particularly those submitted

[5:03] by the

[5:04] cvrd I would like to start by

[5:06] emphasizing the importance of sustaining

[5:08] and restoring ecosystem Services

[5:10] provided by mature forest in the Upland

[5:13] regions of our watersheds these natural

[5:15] systems provide quality water resources

[5:17] at rates and times that benefit the

[5:19] communities that rely on them the short

[5:22] rotation clear-cut civil culture system

[5:24] employed by the owners of private

[5:25] managed Forest lands systematically

[5:27] degrades and removes ecosystem

[5:29] attributes necessary for the healthy

[5:32] hydrologic cycle in our

[5:34] Watershed water quality can be reduced

[5:37] and the timing and delivery of water

[5:39] through the Watershed is

[5:41] disrupted the regulatory controls on

[5:43] private managed Forest lands are

[5:45] delivered by the managed Forest Council

[5:47] an independent provincial agency with no

[5:49] ties or accountability to the

[5:51] communities most affected by the

[5:53] management practices on these lands the

[5:56] regulations that guide their work are

[5:57] diminished and ineffective when when

[5:59] held against the existing regulations

[6:02] governing Forest practices on public

[6:04] lands particularly with respect to

[6:06] harvest

[6:08] rates the problems associated with the

[6:10] private managed Forest Land Act are well

[6:12] documented in the responses to the 2019

[6:15] provincial review as well as in the

[6:16] multitude of resolutions to the Avic and

[6:20] the ubcm that have come before this one

[6:22] you have

[6:23] today the solution lies in the

[6:25] establishment of ecosystem based Water

[6:27] Management plans that apply across the

[6:30] spectrum of land ownership and set

[6:32] standards and goals for private managed

[6:34] Forest lands in alignment with

[6:35] conservation and restoration of a

[6:38] healthy hydrologic

[6:39] cycle the shaigan Basin Society has such

[6:42] a plan for the shaigan Watershed and the

[6:45] work of the kilo Watershed working group

[6:48] is a landmark effort in producing a

[6:50] truly Community generated plan Regional

[6:53] governments must gain access to

[6:55] regulatory oversight of the private

[6:57] managed Forest lands the BC government

[7:00] recognizes the importance of ecosystem

[7:02] based decisions and is pursuing

[7:04] Solutions on public lands but disregard

[7:07] the private managed Forest lands program

[7:09] and its management deficits this places

[7:12] an unfair burden on Vancouver on

[7:14] communities as the private managed

[7:16] Forest land Remains unrestrained by

[7:18] local interests and concerns for

[7:21] Watershed Health uh thank you for this

[7:25] opportunity thank

[7:27] you well now turn to staff when

[7:29] understand there's one more member of

[7:31] the public wanted to provide input yes

[7:34] thank you chair uh Bernard HJ

[7:37] agenda item uv1 aicc

[7:41] resolution private managed Forest

[7:44] lens Mr

[7:52] JY sorry CH I thought I he's on mute so

[7:56] one moment

[8:00] ah good morning chair and

[8:04] directors I'm also a member of the

[8:06] shanigan Bas Society but I'm speaking

[8:08] this morning as a private citizen so I'm

[8:11] in full support of the Avic resolution

[8:13] number two I've always maintain that

[8:16] Force may be private but excuse me the

[8:19] Watershed is public and the public

[8:21] should have a say in how the force are

[8:23] managed I would also urge the cvrd to

[8:27] push for changes in the private managed

[8:29] Force Land Act to better protect the

[8:31] health of the forest and water

[8:34] therein and to have also to have better

[8:37] Forest practices on crownlands I'll I

[8:40] point out again that the Canada's Forest

[8:43] used to be net carbon sinks and

[8:45] according to Natural Resources Canada

[8:47] which is an unbiased agency I would

[8:50] think the last time Canada's managed

[8:53] Force sequestered more carbon than they

[8:55] emitted was in

[8:56] 2002 and this is due mainly to wildfires

[9:00] since naturally regenerate regenerated

[9:03] Force have been replaced with

[9:05] monoculture fire prone resin containing

[9:08] coniferous trees while eliminating

[9:10] deciduous trees and shrubs that are fire

[9:13] resistant such monoc monoculture Force

[9:16] also have a large negative impact on

[9:19] biodiversity in part by removing food

[9:21] sources that deciduous trees and shrubs

[9:23] provide so I would also urge the cvrd to

[9:27] urge The Province to change all Leg

[9:30] legislation that governs Forest Harvest

[9:32] to have better protection of the health

[9:34] of our forest and thus of our water

[9:37] sheds thank you for your

[9:39] attention great thank you so I believe

[9:43] that uh concludes public input we can

[9:47] now move on to the next item of the

[9:49] agenda which is

[9:50] delegations I'd like to invite uh Julia

[9:53] Fischer and Jesse McGee Chalmers from

[9:56] Vancouver Island University to present

[9:58] on the the one-year performance report

[10:01] on the Agriculture and food program

[10:03] activities for

[10:08] 2024 great thank you chair and directors

[10:11] um I will share a PowerPoint to give a

[10:14] summary of our activities for 2024

[10:55] okay is it coming up just the

[10:57] presentation right yeah we can see it

[11:01] okay great I've ran out of screens to

[11:04] see it um okay um so we're um glad to be

[11:09] here today to speak about what we've

[11:10] been up to over the last year um my name

[11:13] is Julia Fischer I'm the lead program

[11:15] coordinator for agriculture and Food

[11:17] Systems at

[11:19] viu your notes are up there

[11:22] too oh it's okay I don't have any notes

[11:25] but that's not what I

[11:27] want thanks

[11:30] see if I

[11:42] can she's just trying to she may want to

[11:45] go to presenter mode yeah maybe

[11:47] presenter

[11:52] mode

[11:58] yeah

[12:04] Point sorry about

[12:25] this okay how's that do you still have

[12:27] the notes

[12:33] it's fine to just go ahead I think it's

[12:35] fine to go ahead yeah okay great sorry

[12:37] about that um so uh I just wanted to say

[12:41] Jesse's here also He's our campus

[12:44] administrator um and we're grateful for

[12:46] the support from the cvrd for the 2024

[12:49] year um so I'll give you a uh an

[12:51] overview of our activities uh we've been

[12:54] working on the micro credentials um the

[12:56] workshops at Providence farm that we met

[12:59] mentioned last year uh we've done a lot

[13:01] of Engagement work and I'd like to share

[13:04] uh what we'll be doing next uh so one of

[13:09] the uh projects that we were working on

[13:11] was to uh complete the development of

[13:15] some micr credentials and deliver them

[13:18] to the community so the first micr

[13:20] credential um that we delivered uh in

[13:23] 2024 was on soils uh we had 26 students

[13:27] and it ran uh from September to October

[13:31] and there were a total of nine classes

[13:34] um we had two field days and they were

[13:36] at the Sandown Center for regenerative

[13:38] agriculture and tatlo Road farm and the

[13:41] Nimo food share and so we have a lot of

[13:45] local experts so um the students were

[13:48] thrilled with these um Field Days even

[13:52] though it was during an atmospheric

[13:53] River um and uh you can see one of the

[13:57] students wrote To Me uh in an email

[14:00] after the course and said it was

[14:01] fabulous I cannot share all the ways you

[14:03] will change the way I farm but I can say

[14:05] that the farm will be better for having

[14:07] for me having had this opportunity so it

[14:10] was a really positive um pilot of this

[14:13] course uh we've completed the review and

[14:15] the edits of the

[14:19] pilot the next course was on agory

[14:23] Colley um so we had 15 students complete

[14:26] this course and it ran through November

[14:28] to December

[14:29] um we also had the same format we had uh

[14:33] nine classes two of them were Field Days

[14:36] um and we spent time at David Adams Farm

[14:39] in Glenora Lockwood Farms the Estuary in

[14:42] couch of bay Ken Elliot's restoration

[14:44] nursery and the Eco Village in shanigan

[14:47] Lake um so again there was very positive

[14:50] feedback for the field days uh where

[14:52] they could um bring the online learning

[14:55] uh and and see some real life

[14:57] applications um um we also had uh a

[15:00] guest Thomas mson join us um and I

[15:03] forgot to mention the soils course the

[15:05] development was funded by The Innovation

[15:07] Grant from CWC uh and the agroecology

[15:10] course development was funded by the

[15:12] Ministry of postsecondary Education and

[15:14] future

[15:16] skills hey Miss fiser for your

[15:18] presentation did you want to move

[15:19] through the slides we're still on the

[15:21] the first slide right

[15:23] now oh no I am so sorry thank you for

[15:26] letting

[15:27] me that

[15:29] frustrating okay I know I this in as

[15:33] well I'm not sure if someone is able to

[15:35] help with that um I haven't used this

[15:37] WebEx meeting platform um so

[16:00] Julia what so are you wear using um like

[16:03] Google Slides or what's the

[16:06] software um it's it's a PowerPoint

[16:13] presentation I think it's FB try pushing

[16:15] F5 see what

[16:20] happens is that

[16:22] working no I thought it was I could be

[16:25] wrong for presenter mode let me go or

[16:28] View

[16:29] a few slideshow or there slideshow at

[16:31] the top yeah a few at the top and

[16:35] slideshow yeah like I don't think it's

[16:36] to do with your sharing you're sharing

[16:39] correctly just your

[16:42] VI there ah then use the space bar and

[16:46] push your space bar yeah there you go

[16:48] yeah you seeing the other slides yeah we

[16:51] are yeah okay okay thanks for letting me

[16:55] know I'm glad I didn't get through it

[16:57] all um before so here's a photo um of

[17:00] the soils course where everyone's in the

[17:02] atmospheric River um then here um we're

[17:06] with Ken Elliot uh and um Brandy at the

[17:10] Eco Village um and so I'll move on to

[17:15] the the third micro credential that we

[17:17] were working on the development on last

[17:20] year and that was developed in

[17:21] collaboration with Canadian organic

[17:23] Growers and Seed change um and there was

[17:26] also funding that came from CBC for the

[17:28] develop Vel M of this course um this is

[17:31] Mary Brittain she runs an heirloom seed

[17:33] company and she is an our instructor and

[17:36] was the primary writer for this course

[17:38] um and it's delivered online completely

[17:42] um and Canadian organic Growers will

[17:44] also be piloting the course in February

[17:47] um so all of these courses we are able

[17:49] to secure funding from the um uh BC

[17:54] future skills grant for the majority of

[17:57] the students um that really helps um to

[18:01] uh bring awareness to this course and

[18:03] enable students to to take the

[18:07] courses uh last year we ran seven

[18:10] workshops in the spring uh at Providence

[18:13] Farm um here's Christen M Cali of saf

[18:16] flower nurseries um teaching about

[18:18] Meadow making uh we had a large number

[18:20] of other we had a yeah we had seven

[18:23] other courses so we had a um workshop on

[18:26] Native pollinators beekeeping Meadow

[18:28] making

[18:29] backyard chicken Sarah scaping

[18:31] Irrigation Design and basic maintenance

[18:34] and operation of farm equipment um

[18:37] so that's something that we are working

[18:40] on now and I'll speak about in a few

[18:42] minutes um we also engaged with a number

[18:45] of community

[18:47] organizations um to kind of strengthen

[18:50] our um the awareness of our offerings

[18:54] and also to to receive feedback um to

[18:57] have one-on-one conversation

[18:59] and

[19:00] um uh gain some insight into how we can

[19:05] partner whether that's field days or um

[19:08] attend events um so there's a mix of all

[19:11] of those interactions with this list of

[19:14] um Community

[19:17] organizations and then uh what's next um

[19:21] so right now we have submitted an

[19:23] application um for funding to develop a

[19:26] livestock micr credential um and that's

[19:29] been submitted with the small scale meat

[19:31] producers Association so we're waiting

[19:34] um we've sent in an expression of

[19:36] interest at this point and we're hoping

[19:38] to be invited for an um an application

[19:42] and

[19:43] um right now I'm working on the spring

[19:47] workshops at Providence farm and other

[19:49] locations um so the first workpop will

[19:52] be pruning uh and the end of February we

[19:56] have a SM fire smart Workshop in the

[19:58] work

[19:59] basic maintenance and operation of farm

[20:01] equipment again a beekeeping course and

[20:03] a few other

[20:05] workshops um North Island College who

[20:08] we've partnered with on a number of um

[20:11] programs and offerings including the the

[20:12] micr credential Suite um they have

[20:15] developed a program or a course called

[20:18] Community Food Systems and so we're

[20:20] going to look into seeing if that's

[20:21] something that we can incorporate into

[20:23] our suite um we have a partnership with

[20:26] North Island College uh to to deliver

[20:29] the craft brewing program so helping

[20:31] with um practicum placements for that um

[20:35] program we um plan to continue our

[20:38] involvement with cwc's agriculture

[20:40] special interest group um and we hope to

[20:45] um attend or we plan to attend a number

[20:47] of Agriculture events and focus groups

[20:50] um in this year and continue to seek

[20:53] funding um to support students to take

[20:56] these courses um

[20:59] and we'll look again to see if we can

[21:00] secure funding for the BC future skills

[21:04] Grant uh when that becomes available um

[21:09] so that's a summary of the of the

[21:12] activities from last year um and I

[21:15] welcome any questions and I thank you

[21:17] for being patient and helping

[21:20] me thanks M for the presentation um yeah

[21:23] I'm going I'm going to open up to the uh

[21:25] rest of the committee for questions but

[21:27] I what I will say is it's it's great to

[21:28] see viu taken a much uh more active role

[21:31] in supporting local farmers or or people

[21:34] interested in getting involved in the

[21:36] the agricultural sector to improve our

[21:38] to ensure they have the skills to

[21:39] improve our local food production and

[21:40] and food security so it's a great work

[21:42] and glad that we're we've partnered with

[21:45] uh you and viu to advance these

[21:47] important initiatives I'm going to turn

[21:49] to the committee I've got director

[21:51] Wilson director martman and then

[21:53] director

[21:57] Abbot thank you and and thank you for

[21:59] that presentation um I support the

[22:02] farming Community 100% because of the

[22:05] work that you do here um one of the

[22:07] things I'm most interested in is the the

[22:09] work that you do as therapy um at

[22:13] Providence Farm uh that's mentioned on

[22:15] on the website with the writing society

[22:18] and those with some I I don't know what

[22:21] the correct term is disability um that

[22:24] kind of thing can you elaborate more on

[22:26] the on the work that you do with the

[22:28] with with that kind of thing

[22:30] please sure um so we actually aren't

[22:33] involved in their therapeutic activities

[22:36] our programs are run um after hours and

[22:39] on the weekends um so we're um yeah it's

[22:44] it's separate our activities um

[22:47] and

[22:50] um there has been in the past a

[22:52] relationship with horiculture therapy

[22:54] and I believe there's some conversations

[22:56] around getting that program revitalized

[22:59] um but that's um currently not being

[23:04] offered right Mr Cher If I could have a

[23:06] followup please and so the the

[23:08] therapeutic work and the disabilities is

[23:10] uh is is ongoing you have a a a good

[23:13] number

[23:15] there um um I'm not sure of their

[23:18] numbers that's Providence Farms um

[23:20] day-to-day activities so that's um

[23:22] separate so they um have um they're

[23:26] happy to have us bring in the public in

[23:28] the after hours and on the weekends good

[23:31] thank you very

[23:32] much yeah you're

[23:34] welcome d marman uh thank you chair and

[23:38] hi Julia thank you for your presentation

[23:40] love to hear what you've accomplished

[23:42] and and look forward to more in

[23:44] 20125 uh my question is more around um

[23:48] how are you finding the funding is is to

[23:51] be sustainable uh maybe you can speak a

[23:54] little bit about that and my second

[23:55] question will be about more about

[23:57] Communications

[24:03] okay good question nice to see you um so

[24:07] we're working to make sure this is a fun

[24:09] a sustainable program um we want to be

[24:11] able to offer this in the long run and

[24:13] continue to develop um programs that are

[24:16] affordable and

[24:19] um but that also uh keep the program

[24:22] going so um there's a balance of of um

[24:26] looking for grant opportunities

[24:28] the future skills Grant is an amazing uh

[24:31] program the the majority of the students

[24:33] had their tuition completely covered um

[24:36] and so that um helps students to take

[24:40] the course but then they can also learn

[24:41] about the other offerings uh while

[24:44] they're taking that course which kind of

[24:46] um brings some more support to the the

[24:47] short workshops and longer programs so

[24:51] we'll continue to look for um grant

[24:54] opportunities and we have our

[24:55] partnership with cwbc and North Island

[24:57] College in particular

[24:59] which is also a member um and so um we

[25:02] work together on sharing those

[25:04] opportunities um Jessica I'm not sure if

[25:06] you have anything you wanted to add

[25:07] about the

[25:10] sustainability yeah maybe I can just

[25:12] speak to uh from an Institutional

[25:15] perspective um as most people are aware

[25:19] most postsecondary institutions are

[25:21] experiencing Financial challenges these

[25:23] days uh and viu is is no different we're

[25:26] part of that group and when it's done is

[25:28] it's forced us to look at our program

[25:30] mix and what we're offering and and I

[25:32] know in my conversations with senior

[25:34] leadership and what the long-term vision

[25:36] of eiu Agriculture and and food security

[25:39] food sustainability um is part of what

[25:42] we want to include in our uh in our

[25:44] program mix moving forward um and

[25:47] there's lots of different forms that

[25:49] that can can look like uh whether that

[25:52] is US building out further um

[25:55] agriculture programming opportunities

[25:58] but also um kind of embedding it as as

[26:01] cross cutting themes in a lot of our

[26:02] other programs um so that it's not

[26:05] necessarily Standalone but it's

[26:06] connecting to with uh a lot of our diff

[26:09] students at different programs at viu so

[26:12] um like I say it's uh currently you know

[26:15] most of the programming that we're

[26:16] offering is operates in a cost recovery

[26:19] activity uh but we are looking at

[26:21] expanding the program mix to

[26:24] uh hopefully get uh some more syst

[26:28] stainable um provincially funded

[26:31] programs running in the

[26:34] future great followup director Marvin

[26:37] thank you chair and and I think that

[26:39] thank you for that answer I I guess you

[26:42] know the importance of this um to me

[26:44] can't be understated and the concept of

[26:47] micr credential I think fits well with

[26:49] Farmers time and abilities to you know

[26:52] to um focus on something um for a short

[26:56] term but get long-term gain out of the

[26:58] knowledge the I guess the other part of

[27:01] my question is around communication and

[27:03] the and can you speak a little bit about

[27:06] uh maybe your growing Rolodex if that's

[27:08] not a archaic term about H how much

[27:12] you're able to reach out and um in terms

[27:14] of groups and individual people or do

[27:18] you have a way that people can get

[27:21] informed or reach out to you I'm just

[27:24] looking to share that information

[27:29] great question um so we have a uh

[27:32] newsletter that's on our website and

[27:34] that we have been directing people to

[27:36] sign up for um we have around um 200

[27:40] people on that newsletter and we um have

[27:43] a couple other organizations that have

[27:45] been um sharing information about the

[27:48] micro credentials and other offerings um

[27:50] such as the couch and Agricultural

[27:52] Society and um I know the young agrarian

[27:55] systems some sharing as well um and we

[27:57] do a back and forth with those groups to

[28:00] kind of promote them um

[28:04] so yeah we continue to do that with our

[28:08] newsletter um the events we I'll be at a

[28:12] um Booth a booth at the islands

[28:14] agriculture show um and a couple of CD

[28:17] Saturdays so that's another way to um

[28:20] continue to reach out and grow that um

[28:23] interest list um I think there's um I

[28:28] I have the Good Fortune of being a

[28:30] lifelong resident at the couch and

[28:32] Valley so I and growing up in the

[28:34] farming community so I do have a lot of

[28:36] uh Connections in my personal life um

[28:39] that has helped me in this role to to

[28:42] share the information so I think um yeah

[28:46] we're just very lucky that there's a lot

[28:47] of people who are seeing the need for

[28:49] these um courses and programs so um

[28:52] people are also coming to us as

[28:54] well thanks Jaren if I may um I I I

[28:58] think what I guess I'm getting to is

[28:59] that you can leverage this group

[29:01] probably um because there's a great

[29:04] source of contacts through each

[29:05] individual director um that may be able

[29:08] to also Point people to your

[29:14] direction thank you chair and thank you

[29:17] Miss fiser Julia if I may um a wonderful

[29:20] summary of what you've done and exciting

[29:22] news about what's in store coming

[29:23] forward especially the craft brewing

[29:25] which I'm sure is near and dear to the

[29:28] Fisher family um my question pertains to

[29:33] the program that was offered in the

[29:35] Estuary couch and Bay Estuary are you

[29:37] able to expand a little bit more on what

[29:40] uh what happened and what plans are

[29:42] going to happen in the couch and Bay

[29:43] Estuary re regarding

[29:48] agriculture um so your question is uh

[29:51] what occurred on the field day at uh in

[29:54] the Estuary yes please jul

[29:58] um so we we essentially we needed more

[30:02] time um there but we had um some

[30:06] connection to it through um connecting

[30:08] with h Ken Elliot and he spoke to us at

[30:11] his plant nursery but we made a a stop

[30:15] um at the EST beforehand and we could

[30:18] see the beginnings of the um Nursery

[30:21] that's been established there um and so

[30:24] Thomas mson who is um um a restoration

[30:30] uh expert and he teaches at UIC um he

[30:33] gave some information there um and we

[30:35] hope to have some more the next time we

[30:38] offer this course one of um some of the

[30:41] feedback from the students is that they

[30:42] would love to spend more time there and

[30:44] um so our hope is that we'll be able to

[30:46] have um maybe a full day or a half day

[30:49] especially to learn about the the

[30:51] project going on there thank

[30:55] you thanks

[30:58] all right seeing no other hands raised

[31:00] from the committee members I want to

[31:01] thank uh Miss Fischer and Mr MC Almer

[31:04] for your presentation and if you want to

[31:05] hang tight for a few minutes our next

[31:07] item on the agenda is going to be a

[31:09] staff report on uh releasing the uh the

[31:13] $10,000 uh in support for this project

[31:16] so thanks

[31:22] again all right so we can now move on

[31:25] straight to reports we have before us

[31:27] item R1 report from The Economic

[31:29] Development Division regarding the

[31:30] Vancouver Island University agricultural

[31:32] development program update I will turn

[31:34] to Mr Oren to uh speak to this

[31:38] item good morning chair and directors

[31:40] thank you um as you saw from the

[31:43] presentation uh the purpose of this

[31:45] report is to provide an update on the

[31:48] 2023 to 2025 Vancouver Island University

[31:52] a development program that's being

[31:53] supported by EDC um in 2024 this VD

[31:58] board approved Financial

[32:00] contribution uh for the program over two

[32:03] years subject to certain

[32:04] deliverables these deliverables have now

[32:07] been met as per the report so staff are

[32:10] recommending the release of the 2024

[32:12] contribution of

[32:14] $10,000 I'm here to answer any questions

[32:16] and biu is also present as you see thank

[32:20] you great thank you Mr aen so I'll turn

[32:22] to the committee any questions for staff

[32:24] would we like to jump straight to the uh

[32:25] the recommendation

[32:30] yeah uh director marman I would move the

[32:33] recommendation it's been moved is there

[32:35] second seconded by director Abbott any

[32:37] discussion director

[32:43] mcgonagal just second

[32:45] in all right I'll call the question then

[32:48] all in

[32:49] favor and

[32:51] opposed and oppose motion carries thanks

[32:54] again uh Miss Fischer and Mr uh McGee

[32:57] almers uh GL glad to be working with

[32:58] theu on this important

[33:01] initiative wonderful thanks for having

[33:03] us all right thank you chair thank you

[33:06] board thank you we'll now move on to the

[33:09] next report we have a report from the

[33:11] deputy chief administrative officer

[33:13] regarding the CD strategic plan 2023 to

[33:17] 2026 quarter 4 2024 status report this

[33:21] is provided for

[33:24] information any questions from the uh

[33:27] the committee for

[33:32] staff all right we'll move on then to

[33:34] the next item on our

[33:36] agenda R3 report from the deputy chief

[33:39] administrative officer regarding the

[33:40] seity capital projects quarter 4 2024

[33:44] status report again gain for information

[33:46] any questions for the from the committee

[33:48] for staff director

[33:51] Morrison uh thank you chair I'm I'm just

[33:54] wondering uh I'm sorry I didn't get my

[33:56] hand up for the first one if our Deputy

[33:59] CAO had any uh remarks or thoughts on on

[34:04] the process and and where we're at on on

[34:06] the previous item uh I know it's an

[34:09] information item and I've I've read it

[34:12] and uh I I found it very interesting but

[34:15] uh was just uh thoughts if we wanted to

[34:18] hear any general remarks on on that

[34:20] process and and how it's

[34:23] working Mr

[34:26] postings uh yes thank you uh Mr chair uh

[34:30] so in relation to the quarterly

[34:33] strategic report so this is now our

[34:35] third round of quarterly reports uh I

[34:38] think you know that what I would be able

[34:40] to share and what I was uh always able

[34:42] to uh share with the the board is I

[34:45] think this process is is becoming

[34:47] smoother and smoother from from the

[34:48] staff and organizational perspective we

[34:50] we have a uh system now where staff are

[34:54] providing regular updates into our uh

[34:57] the software that we're using and it

[34:59] allows us to you know have accurate you

[35:02] know information in a timely manner of

[35:04] you know where projects or where

[35:05] initiatives are so uh it as I think I

[35:09] mentioned way back uh you know back in

[35:10] the summer last year this is evolving

[35:12] and and uh but I think at the end of the

[35:14] day one of the benefits of this is we're

[35:16] able to as a staff uh look you know

[35:19] internally and have some celebrations on

[35:20] some of the successes that we've had uh

[35:22] you know and this year when we look at

[35:24] the end of Q uh four there the end of

[35:26] the year uh there certainly has been a

[35:28] lot of accomplishments that uh we want

[35:30] to be able to celebrate uh the the next

[35:33] step is we are scheduling a a meeting

[35:36] with the board or a workshop with the

[35:38] board uh it's scheduled right now in

[35:41] February at time I don't know the exact

[35:42] date in front of me here which would be

[35:44] a check-in that annual check-in for the

[35:46] board to be able to check in on the

[35:48] Strategic plan and make sure that if

[35:50] there are any adjustments or

[35:52] conversations so that Workshop will

[35:54] happen and and and and the fact that we

[35:57] have this quarterly report uh updated

[35:59] with all the information will be very

[36:01] helpful for not only the board but staff

[36:03] to be able to present you know if there

[36:05] is other initiatives that want to be

[36:06] considered or you know some of the

[36:08] current initiatives uh adjusted so yeah

[36:11] to date things have worked really well

[36:13] and I think internally uh the other the

[36:15] other one other point I would mention is

[36:17] uh this will as of today this will be

[36:19] posted online so it's available right

[36:21] away for the for the public to be able

[36:23] to access and see where the various

[36:25] strategic priorities are so uh I I think

[36:28] uh any any sort of process like this

[36:30] does take time but I think it's getting

[36:32] smoother and smoother each uh session

[36:34] taking less less staff time and and

[36:36] becoming more efficient so uh yeah so

[36:38] far so good Dr Morrison a

[36:42] followup uh thank you chair and and I

[36:45] appreciate uh the the opportunities for

[36:48] staff to celebrate uh the the wins and

[36:51] the on tracks and the completed I I

[36:53] think that's great uh I'm I'm thinking

[36:56] the uh the ones that are the behinds and

[37:01] and uh not completed yet is these

[37:05] quarterly reports I think are great

[37:07] opportunities for those adjustments to

[37:10] be made midyear and is there anything

[37:14] that that comes to mind from this report

[37:17] that is I wouldn't say keeping you awake

[37:20] at night but uh that is is a priority

[37:23] that uh you would like to see uh

[37:26] Advanced further than it is now and uh

[37:29] is behind uh behind its scheduled uh uh

[37:32] timeline is anything in particular come

[37:35] to mind

[37:36] yeah um through the chair to the

[37:38] director the so I guess two parts to

[37:41] that one is that uh the the intent of

[37:44] these reports such as be information

[37:46] reports will be allow the board to

[37:48] receive this and and if there certain if

[37:50] there's question was happy to answer if

[37:53] the what we have as staff uh made sure

[37:55] if there are things that are behind or

[37:58] say budgets are not uh sufficient it's

[38:01] it's absolutely critical that comes

[38:03] forward as a staff report so we'll bring

[38:05] that forward so the decisions and

[38:06] directions so uh we will I would suggest

[38:09] we avoid too much changes in these

[38:12] presentations this is the information

[38:14] but I will say that there's a couple

[38:15] that are behind that you will see some

[38:17] staff reports coming fairly soon in the

[38:20] sense of maybe there's some adjusts

[38:21] maybe there's been a uh something uh

[38:24] come up that needs to be needs to be

[38:25] changed so we will continue to do that

[38:28] through the staff report process and

[38:30] this is flagging basically what you're

[38:32] likely going to see in the near future

[38:33] if there is if if there is any um in

[38:36] relation to one that I would say is

[38:37] highlighted you will uh the probably the

[38:40] first section there the reconciliation

[38:43] uh you will be receiving a report in

[38:45] February uh in regarding a number of

[38:48] things related to reconciliation

[38:49] activities as as has been noted we have

[38:51] hired uh our uh First Nations advisor

[38:56] and that uh position started in Jan on

[38:58] January 6 I guess it was and they've

[39:01] already initiated a internal uh advisory

[39:05] uh uh committee uh presented a work plan

[39:08] to the we'll be presenting a work plan

[39:10] to smt this week and then the the next

[39:13] step is once that work plan is has been

[39:15] uh reviewed we'll be bringing that to

[39:16] the board and so that's probably the big

[39:19] priority right now that that we want to

[39:21] get that underway and and we have a lot

[39:23] of uh uh energy and excitement behind

[39:25] that one there so there's there that one

[39:27] will be in February so that's the one

[39:28] that jumps out right now as as that

[39:30] whole section of reconciliation is is uh

[39:33] is our priority uh in the you know

[39:35] immediate future

[39:38] here director

[39:41] estash thanks chair um looks like we ho

[39:45] back to strategic plan and I thought we

[39:46] were on Capital plan is it fine to speak

[39:49] on Capital Plan setatus update right now

[39:52] um let's I'll just turn to the committee

[39:54] ask any other questions on strategic

[39:56] planner can move on to Capital plan

[39:59] now all right seeing seeing No Hands Up

[40:03] director sash will move straight to the

[40:05] capital plan like the Strategic plan no

[40:08] real questions or comments it's great to

[40:10] now to see the updating reports and

[40:12] hearing the other directors on their

[40:14] comments on those type of things apply

[40:16] across to the capital plan um but real

[40:19] quick was uh relevance to our most

[40:21] recent press release on page nine with

[40:24] our regional Parkland acquisition uh

[40:27] great job by staff and all involved of

[40:29] course to get the Paul uh Bald Mountain

[40:31] Park expansion uh I shared that press

[40:34] release all around but the big question

[40:36] I kept getting back was uh can we

[40:38] provide a map so not really a question

[40:40] just a request to staff if they can

[40:42] update the press release somewhere or

[40:44] put it somewhere of an actual map

[40:45] because everybody was asking me they

[40:47] didn't understand where the expansion

[40:49] was so great work by staff and just a

[40:51] quick comment on that and otherwise uh

[40:54] looking at all the capital projects yeah

[40:56] definitely Lots on the go and great to

[40:58] see okay yeah D Mr postings yeah thank

[41:03] you uh um and just to respond to the uh

[41:06] director's uh comment absolutely we we

[41:08] can work on that and get that map uh

[41:10] available so uh yeah that's a great uh a

[41:12] great comment um one thing with the

[41:14] capital if I could just share there's

[41:16] just really only one item is that uh

[41:18] when we last presented the capital the

[41:20] one thing that we talked about is that

[41:22] uh you've got there's two sections

[41:24] within this one section is the completed

[41:26] items because we had not been reporting

[41:27] on Capital uh consistently in the past

[41:30] up until now we'll be providing an

[41:32] accordly update is we have broken out

[41:34] the ones that are completed so those

[41:36] completed items some of those go back to

[41:38] 20189 when they were funded uh some were

[41:41] multi-year projects so that completed

[41:44] just just for the the director's

[41:46] awareness uh uh the or the committee's

[41:48] awareness is that uh we'll show that

[41:51] that'll be posted as completed but in

[41:53] the future uh for 2025 we'll just be

[41:55] posting the ongoing ones uh and the ones

[41:59] that have been completed for 2024 and

[42:01] prior will be uh archived or will be

[42:05] actually just available online so we're

[42:06] just not post we're not going to be

[42:08] showing year quarterly after quarter

[42:10] ones that are two three years old um so

[42:13] just want to share that that's why

[42:14] they're separated out so each year we'll

[42:16] do that where we combine all the

[42:18] completed ones uh and the remaining ones

[42:21] will continue along and as what was

[42:24] approved in 2000 what uh will or is

[42:27] approved in 2025 will then be inserted

[42:30] into that Q2 report there so or q1 sorry

[42:34] thank

[42:36] you Dr

[42:38] Morrison uh thank you chair uh Mr

[42:41] postings I'm just wondering if you uh

[42:44] this is more of a 30,000 foot level

[42:47] question but in relation to the uh

[42:50] difficulties in the sort of Municipal uh

[42:54] cost of living inflation rates that

[42:57] we've been seeing uh extraordinary

[42:59] numbers coming in for rfps and the likes

[43:03] and and I'm just wondering if you're

[43:05] seeing any uh Trend towards a a

[43:08] normalization of of costs and and you

[43:12] know our supply chain issues being uh

[43:15] are being resolved and and is there much

[43:19] in what you've reported on here that you

[43:22] would say might be exposed to uh some of

[43:25] those uh cost overruns that uh you know

[43:27] are experiencing all across the province

[43:30] and the

[43:31] country Mr

[43:34] posings uh yes through the chair to the

[43:37] director uh yeah great question and and

[43:40] I would say the one of the benefits of

[43:41] these now that we have these corly

[43:43] reports we are actually able to have

[43:45] these conversations and start looking

[43:47] ahead at let's just say a project is

[43:49] defined and we are seeing some cost

[43:52] impacts that we're possibly going to be

[43:54] expecting uh so we are having those

[43:57] conversation staff are having this

[43:58] conversation internally about you know

[44:00] possible adjustments to the uh work

[44:03] plans which of course will come back to

[44:05] the to the uh uh board and get direction

[44:09] uh due to the fact that there are some

[44:11] costs that are are certainly uh we're

[44:13] seeing are not within budget uh may not

[44:17] be the best interest for the for for us

[44:19] to proceed forward at this time maybe we

[44:21] need a a break uh in the sense of uh the

[44:24] timing of that but uh so we are having

[44:27] those

[44:28] conversations as of now just because of

[44:30] some of the some of the impacts but I

[44:32] don't think there's any in there right

[44:34] now that that jump out that I I can flag

[44:36] right now but I would say it is a

[44:37] conversation that staff are having and

[44:39] we will uh certainly bring any of those

[44:42] uh impacts of potential calls back to

[44:44] the board for for direction um but not

[44:47] none highlighted right now yeah thank

[44:49] you director Nicholson

[44:58] um thank you Mr postings that's a great

[45:01] report I appreciate them um you

[45:03] mentioned that we're going to have a

[45:04] conversation about strategic priorities

[45:06] in the near future and and I we've

[45:09] talked about in in the past about the

[45:11] absence of or the perhaps the the the

[45:15] need to strengthen our uh focus on

[45:18] agriculture and I know that it needs to

[45:21] be uh done in terms of the budget as

[45:24] well so I'm wondering what the timeline

[45:26] is for that those

[45:31] discussions through the chair to the

[45:33] director uh So the plan is either what

[45:35] we're looking at right now this is just

[45:36] tentative but it's either uh February

[45:38] 5th or 12th we're just looking at the

[45:40] calendar there and we'll work with the

[45:42] chair to determine what that uh what

[45:44] that timeline looks like we have a draft

[45:46] agenda um the CAO uh and myself have

[45:49] created a draft agenda with the with the

[45:51] GMS and we will we will uh bring this

[45:54] Workshop back to or develop this

[45:56] Workshop we have the workshop developed

[45:58] we'll bring to the uh board for

[46:00] consideration of new items so if you

[46:02] recall there's been things such as

[46:03] placed in what we've termed the parking

[46:05] lot so these are items that are not part

[46:06] of the actual strategic plan currently

[46:08] but there's some interest in considering

[46:10] those those items for uh uh the

[46:12] Strategic plan so we will bring that

[46:15] forward we we already have that list of

[46:16] the parking lot items that have been put

[46:18] there which includes agriculture that's

[46:19] that's one that is uh there's a number

[46:21] of aspects of the Agricultural side and

[46:24] then the board will have to make some

[46:25] decisions is is as is there an

[46:27] adjustment to the actual existing

[46:29] strategic plan uh to be able to fit

[46:31] these in or maybe some of the things on

[46:33] the Strategic plan are not that were

[46:35] developed AFCO not a priority at this

[46:37] point in time for the next couple of

[46:39] years and need to be adjusted out so

[46:41] that Workshop will be happening in the

[46:42] next month and we'll check in with the

[46:44] board make sure that the current

[46:46] strategic plan is clear for for staff to

[46:49] then go and uh uh continue that

[46:51] developing that but uh there are parking

[46:53] lot items that have been brought forward

[46:55] uh and those will be discussed and

[47:00] presented followup director

[47:03] Nicholson yeah and so can I be um

[47:06] assured that if we need to to alter the

[47:09] budget we'll have time to do

[47:14] that uh I'm not sure I can answer that

[47:17] right now that's uh a good question I'm

[47:20] not sure that uh we'd have to look at

[47:22] that exactly what that looks like I

[47:24] think how I would I would

[47:27] mentioned that looks like the Daniel may

[47:29] have a comment on

[47:31] that M Miles Wilson hi oh I'm looking at

[47:35] the wrong video uh I just I just wanted

[47:37] to note that um uh because of the

[47:40] timeline in the calendar um you know

[47:43] reminding reminding the directors that

[47:45] you have the Strategic Investments fund

[47:47] which is set aside um and can be used to

[47:50] fund strategic priorities that do come

[47:52] up throughout the year as you already

[47:53] know um but because of the cycle that

[47:55] we're creating with these these updates

[47:57] and reviewing of the Strategic plan the

[47:59] intent is that the Strategic Plan update

[48:03] is informing um the next budget cycle

[48:06] moving forwards so although you have

[48:08] some flexibility in the Strategic

[48:10] Investments fund to activate a project

[48:12] or an initiative that we don't currently

[48:14] have uh funded we're looking at kind of

[48:16] the next cycle and kind of um how we

[48:19] would uh advise you on um revising your

[48:22] your work priorities and the Strategic

[48:24] plan priorities in the in the next cycle

[48:26] but I'll just highlight that there's

[48:28] there's definitely an opportunity there

[48:30] but um anything of significance would

[48:32] have to be looked at in the in the more

[48:38] comprehensively Victor Nicholson

[48:42] follow no just so so when you say the

[48:44] next cycle you mean 20 the budget for

[48:48] 2026 yes uh so just just kind of

[48:51] highlighting that you do have some

[48:52] ability to fund oneoff projects um in

[48:55] different areas that we don't currently

[48:57] have budgeted right but but that if

[48:59] there's anything of significance if you

[49:00] want to explore any significant

[49:02] investment or or a new service type of

[49:04] thing we'll be looking at the next

[49:05] budget and then in the following

[49:12] year all right I'll turn to the

[49:14] committee any further questions with

[49:16] regards to the capital plan projects

[49:20] update we will now move on to the next

[49:22] item on the agenda are four rep reports

[49:25] from Emergency Management division

[49:27] regarding the Regional Emergency

[49:29] Management local Authority agreement CD

[49:32] and member municipalities we do have a

[49:35] three-part recommendation before us but

[49:37] I will turn to the committee to see if

[49:39] you have any questions for

[49:43] staff and if not I'll ask if someone

[49:46] would like to move the recommendation

[49:48] moved by uh director Morrison seconded

[49:51] by director Seagal any discussion call

[49:53] the question all in favor and oppose

[49:57] none opposed the motion carries we'll

[49:59] now move on to Unfinished Business ub1

[50:04] Report from the office of the CEO

[50:06] regarding the 2025 Association of

[50:08] Vancouver Island and Coastal communities

[50:11] resolutions we have a recommendation

[50:13] that that it be recommended to the board

[50:15] that on January 22nd 2024 that the three

[50:18] resolutions provided be submitted to

[50:20] Avic for consideration at the 2025

[50:24] convention so we have three resolutions

[50:26] before us I can certainly read them all

[50:29] out if you like or not any any

[50:33] discussion or would someone like to get

[50:34] these on the

[50:35] floor moved by director mcgonagal

[50:38] seconded by director Nicholson any

[50:42] discussion director

[50:51] Nicholson thank you sorry about that um

[50:54] I am wondering if it's possible to

[50:56] strengthen the one about the private

[50:58] managed Forest land um I am

[51:04] um I think I think having the review is

[51:07] important and I know that the review has

[51:09] heard a lot about the issues that were

[51:13] identified by the um public input folks

[51:16] today and I think they're really

[51:18] important and I'm wondering if that

[51:20] should be emphasized a bit more right

[51:23] now it's just the review and more more a

[51:27] um local government

[51:29] input but I want to be very explicit

[51:32] that we've got um the need to manage our

[51:35] watersheds more ecologically so that we

[51:38] protect our water

[51:40] supply I can respond Mr chair yeah Miss

[51:44] Miles Wilson yeah and so I just just to

[51:47] remind the directors too that um we did

[51:50] uh request a ministers meeting last year

[51:52] at ubcm uh on this topic and we met with

[51:55] um met with the deputy uh and uh we met

[52:00] with actually with staff as well and um

[52:03] there was lukew war kind of commitment

[52:05] and interest but then again that was um

[52:07] at a time where they weren't they

[52:09] weren't in a position to make

[52:10] commitments as um uh um the government

[52:14] was not willing to make any of those

[52:15] commitments but um uh H we're happy to

[52:19] revise and strengthen the resolution

[52:22] itself but I'll just also remind that uh

[52:24] these are to be submitted with back back

[52:26] grounders um and so staff with your

[52:29] direction if there's other additional

[52:31] details you'd like to be submitted in a

[52:32] backgrounder we can actually strengthen

[52:34] the resolution but also just put a

[52:36] little bit more information in in that

[52:37] additional document um and the other

[52:40] thing is um we'll need to identify or

[52:42] the chair will need to kind of appoint

[52:44] someone to speak to each resolution at

[52:46] the convention if it gets accepted so

[52:48] just as a bit of context um on on the

[52:52] process thanks m m I'm going to turn to

[52:55] director mcon a moment but um could sta

[52:57] provide us with a bit of guidance on how

[52:59] best to incorporate that um stronger

[53:02] emphasis that director Nicholson

[53:04] reference would we do this kind of on

[53:06] the fly right now with adding some

[53:08] additional wording or provide staff with

[53:10] some direction maybe make some tweaks

[53:12] before this comes back to the the board

[53:14] this afternoon so that that would be my

[53:17] preference Mr chair is to give a bit of

[53:19] direction and then we can recraft the

[53:20] wording and then put it back on the

[53:22] board this afternoon these have to get

[53:24] submitted by February 6th so we do

[53:26] really need to wrap it up today if

[53:29] possible all right well let's hold that

[53:32] thought for a second I'm going to turn

[53:33] to um director mcgonagal and director

[53:36] Morrison and um and perhaps we can

[53:38] discuss whether we want to provide staff

[53:41] with direction to to strengthen some of

[53:43] the wording so director mcal thank you

[53:45] chair through you I think the

[53:46] opportunity with the backgrounder that

[53:48] Miss Miles Wilson spoke of and by

[53:51] appointing uh a director to speak to

[53:54] that once it hits the floor could be the

[53:56] Avenue for the strengthened language

[53:58] where we had a captive audience of uh

[54:00] fellow elected officials throughout the

[54:03] room that might support us who also have

[54:06] uh considerable concerns within private

[54:09] Forest manage lands within some of their

[54:11] communities so that would be an Avenue

[54:13] that I would I would think might be

[54:15] appropriate instead of trying to uh

[54:18] write on the Fly and bring it back this

[54:20] afternoon just a

[54:23] thought thanks director mcgonagal uh

[54:25] director

[54:29] uh yeah thank you chair and and just you

[54:31] know thinking about the process here and

[54:33] the fact that this will be uh reviewed

[54:36] by ubcm staff and Avic CC staff and and

[54:40] this will be a long uh added to a long

[54:44] list of resolutions that have been

[54:46] submitted and you know hearing and and

[54:49] agreeing with a lot of what director

[54:50] Nicholson is saying is is that we're

[54:53] we're going at the private manag Force

[54:56] lands act with a principal focus of of

[55:01] watershed protection and management and

[55:04] I'm just looking at this and considering

[55:07] is uh should we perhaps be uh splitting

[55:12] this and saying we have a grave concern

[55:16] about our watersheds our aquifers and

[55:19] the general management lack of of uh

[55:22] local uh participation and oversight in

[55:26] that

[55:27] process and also we have uh as a as a

[55:32] separate resolution a uh uh an issue

[55:35] with the private managed Forest lands

[55:36] act and its lack of responsibility

[55:38] around practices and and the like so I I

[55:41] put that out there it I'm reading the

[55:44] resolution like so many others we're

[55:46] going at water through forests and uh

[55:51] this hasn't ever been very well received

[55:54] by the provincial government so uh for

[55:59] information thanks director Morrison

[56:01] I've got director mclinton director

[56:03] stash I'm g go back to director

[56:05] Nicholson thanks chair I just want to

[56:08] support uh director

[56:11] McGonagle's IDE and I would nominate him

[56:14] to be our speaker and if he needs help

[56:16] standing I'll be there right with

[56:21] him thanks director mcgonagal um

[56:24] director estash

[56:27] like director mclinton I was going to

[56:29] support what director mcgonagle said uh

[56:33] um on putting someone on the spot on

[56:36] that and actually I was going to

[56:37] recommend the chair um mostly just for

[56:40] benefit of the cvrd board here um chair

[56:44] Douglas has uh for our Council we've

[56:47] been on six local Mill tours now we've

[56:51] been touring and meeting with the

[56:53] executives at all the P Mills value

[56:56] added Mills Primary Mills new kils the

[57:00] Investments and everything and pmfl does

[57:02] come up in a bit in that discussion I do

[57:05] take um it is important to clarify what

[57:07] our goals are on pmfl like director uh

[57:10] Morrison said are we after water or we

[57:13] after the whole process access Community

[57:16] input and engagement but myself

[57:18] personally from what I've seen and also

[57:21] I've seen um the chair Douglas Corner

[57:24] the previous Minister Ralston and his

[57:26] Deputy Minister several times so has

[57:29] their ear knows the staff so if he was

[57:31] going to speak to it on the floor if

[57:33] he's willing to I'd suggest that maybe

[57:35] uh our chair of committee does that

[57:38] speaking at Avic as he's so well versed

[57:41] on it but I'm open to the whole boards

[57:42] but I just wanted to put him on the spot

[57:45] and explain the work he has been doing

[57:47] and the countless letters on behalf of

[57:48] our municipalities he's wrote about pmfl

[57:51] in the entire forest indes and he's

[57:53] traveled we've actually done tours up in

[57:55] comok in other regions to see Mills and

[57:58] other people dealing with similar pmfl

[58:00] issues not so much related to water more

[58:03] so to

[58:05] economic um issues it creates but I just

[58:07] wanted to speak to that so I think uh

[58:10] I've said my bit and I'll stop talking I

[58:11] just wanted to put there I think it's

[58:13] really important but director Morrison

[58:15] his point was really important is what

[58:17] is our ultimate goal and maybe we be

[58:20] need to be really clear on what we're

[58:22] doing here me It Isn't So Much the water

[58:24] we're doing good work on the water side

[58:26] it's the whole pmfl pmfl in its whole

[58:30] and if we can get any kind of review

[58:32] done and get a community impact and like

[58:34] they're doing on frpa and the community

[58:37] planning workshop and their logging

[58:41] practices where there's Community um I

[58:43] can't even remember the the forest

[58:45] planning part of it all the

[58:48] better great thanks director stashi I

[58:51] appreciate the the vote of confidence I

[58:52] think around our table there's many of

[58:54] us who have different areas expertise

[58:56] around um forestry and the private

[58:59] managed Forest signs program and um I

[59:01] know I know last year ubcm several of us

[59:04] spoke in the the meeting with the

[59:05] minister and all again brought a

[59:06] different perspective I think which made

[59:08] us made us very effective um I'm gonna I

[59:11] know director Nicholson you we're next

[59:13] director martman hasn't spoken yet so

[59:14] I'm going to director martman then then

[59:16] you're next after that director

[59:18] Nicholson thank you chair and I I think

[59:21] there may be a third item that around

[59:22] this that um maybe staff can speak it's

[59:26] around the uh property taxes that are

[59:28] paid by forestry lands and that's sort

[59:31] of been I gather not been addressed you

[59:34] know since the review is not complete is

[59:37] that part of that as well and I have a

[59:40] followup well turn to staff I mean that

[59:43] certainly I think is something we could

[59:45] address in the the background or could

[59:47] be addressed if we do get the province

[59:48] to actually complete the review but I'll

[59:50] turn to Miss Mes Wilson yeah I it has

[59:53] been in background material keep in mind

[59:55] that this issue has been coming up for a

[59:58] decade and I I do feel like we're kind

[1:00:00] of repackaging the same argument over

[1:00:02] and over not to disc the fact that this

[1:00:04] is very important advocacy work and and

[1:00:06] you guys have identified this in in your

[1:00:08] strategic plan as being a major priority

[1:00:10] for advocacy but I would say uh

[1:00:13] absolutely we we would we can work

[1:00:15] something like that into the

[1:00:16] backgrounder um by the nature of

[1:00:18] resolutions they're meant to be very

[1:00:20] short and sweet into the point and so

[1:00:22] not all of our argument or our concerns

[1:00:25] necessarily are make their way just the

[1:00:26] most important uh Focus point is what to

[1:00:29] be in the

[1:00:31] resolution thank yeah yeah thank you and

[1:00:34] I and I think this is where there are so

[1:00:37] many things that fall out of this one

[1:00:40] issue around the review that I I think

[1:00:44] we have to be very strategic and I would

[1:00:45] leave the staff to look at that because

[1:00:48] I I think if you look at all if you put

[1:00:50] all three things down um it it may not

[1:00:54] get tractioned whereas one item May and

[1:00:57] I think the Watershed in aquafer for my

[1:00:59] community is actually absolutely

[1:01:01] Paramount and so I guess I leave it to

[1:01:04] staff to say this is the time to push

[1:01:07] this button right now because it has

[1:01:09] more ability more chance of being

[1:01:11] successful thank

[1:01:13] you okay I'm gonna turn to director

[1:01:16] Nicholson then I'd like to to weigh

[1:01:23] myself uh thank you I sent a suggested

[1:01:27] for

[1:01:28] a modification of wording and I sent it

[1:01:31] to you and Alison

[1:01:33] Boyd and I can read it out if you'd

[1:01:36] like yeah please do s director marman

[1:01:39] can you lower your

[1:01:44] hand so I just suggest that the the last

[1:01:48] uh part be um CH to say therefore be it

[1:01:52] resolved that Avic requests that the

[1:01:54] province of BC and the min Forest reform

[1:01:56] the private managed Forest lines act so

[1:01:58] that it protects the groundwater and

[1:02:00] surface water quantity and quality

[1:02:02] ecologically regulates the Harvest rate

[1:02:05] and ensures that local governments have

[1:02:06] input to Resource harvesting activities

[1:02:08] within the watersheds that support their

[1:02:11] communities and and just to be clear DK

[1:02:13] Nicholson would that be an addition to

[1:02:15] the other therefore be it resolve that

[1:02:17] staff have

[1:02:19] presented no you you if you know in in

[1:02:22] the one that the staff um suggest

[1:02:26] this is a just to replace it it's just

[1:02:28] an edit I've added a couple some words

[1:02:30] around the water quality and

[1:02:34] quantity all right so we have a

[1:02:36] suggestion then to um revise the the

[1:02:40] wording for the the resolution I've

[1:02:42] heard different perspectives around the

[1:02:44] table here um we can ask uh director

[1:02:48] Nicholson to move that get it on the

[1:02:49] floor for debate or I know does anyone

[1:02:51] have any D

[1:02:54] Nicholson uh I can move it if if you'd

[1:02:56] like okay let's get it on the floor so

[1:02:57] it's been moved is there a

[1:03:00] second seconded by director

[1:03:02] deck director

[1:03:05] Morrison uh thank you chair I was just

[1:03:07] wondering if it was appropriate to split

[1:03:09] the uh three resolutions or consider

[1:03:12] this separately yeah that's a that's a

[1:03:14] great idea how about

[1:03:16] um yeah we sever them so

[1:03:20] let's yeah this is the

[1:03:23] um the second

[1:03:26] that we could deal with resolutions one

[1:03:28] and three to get those out of the way

[1:03:29] and then then Circle back to number

[1:03:32] two does that work recognize we've got a

[1:03:35] motion on the floor right now but before

[1:03:36] we move to debating that we'll just kind

[1:03:38] of clean this up so moved okay so we

[1:03:41] moved um resolutions one and three for

[1:03:45] submitting to the a

[1:03:46] aicc moved by director uh Morrison

[1:03:50] seconded by director Abbott any

[1:03:53] discussion I'll call the question on

[1:03:55] resolutions one and three all in

[1:03:57] favor

[1:03:59] opposed uh none opposed we're going to

[1:04:01] go back to resolution two and we have a

[1:04:04] motion on the floor to revise the the

[1:04:06] wording for the therefore be resolved Mr

[1:04:10] chair can I ask a question for clarity

[1:04:13] yeah before so um the STA staff had

[1:04:16] recommended that we um in the res

[1:04:19] resolved section of the resolution that

[1:04:21] we request that the province uh um uh

[1:04:25] complete the currently stalled Phase 2

[1:04:27] pmfl review um at the previous

[1:04:31] convention there was there was not a

[1:04:32] commitment to kind of move forwards with

[1:04:34] that so I just wanted Clarity around the

[1:04:36] revised wording do you want to still um

[1:04:39] note that as a bit of a followup from

[1:04:41] last year or um or remove that

[1:04:45] portion so like I can't speak on behalf

[1:04:48] of the committee my preference would be

[1:04:49] to include that reference to completing

[1:04:51] the review I think it is a nice simple

[1:04:53] message that you spent money you

[1:04:55] apprciated this thing you asked for our

[1:04:57] input the couch and Watershed board

[1:04:59] provided input most of the regional

[1:05:01] districts and municipalities on uh

[1:05:04] Southern Vancouver Island as far as I

[1:05:05] can tell did provide some input and um

[1:05:08] it would be great to see the province

[1:05:09] wrap that up and if they do that wrap

[1:05:11] that up and if they are taking our

[1:05:13] feedback seriously I think that they are

[1:05:15] they would have to address many of the

[1:05:17] the issues raised that doesn't mean we

[1:05:18] can't certain doesn't mean we can't pass

[1:05:20] the um the addition suggested by

[1:05:24] director Nicholson but for perspective I

[1:05:26] I definitely would like to keep the

[1:05:28] reference to completing the program

[1:05:30] review in the the

[1:05:35] resolution so turn to the committee any

[1:05:37] further discussion got a resolution on

[1:05:40] the the floor here director mclinton

[1:05:44] I think I need excuse me just little bit

[1:05:47] of clarity so keeping the review and

[1:05:50] then adding the that's already in the

[1:05:52] existing resolution right

[1:05:55] yeah I think if I could my understanding

[1:05:58] is director Nicholson thought it would

[1:06:00] would replace it but I think we do have

[1:06:02] the option of of adding it instead so

[1:06:04] that we are continuing that reference

[1:06:06] the program

[1:06:10] review I I'll just say this I I just

[1:06:13] share our cao's concerns and I think we

[1:06:16] should be chipping away at small wins

[1:06:19] with the province I mean they're dug in

[1:06:21] on this this is a massive Money Maker

[1:06:23] for them for tax revenue

[1:06:26] I just think this is going to fall flat

[1:06:28] so I just for that reason I I don't

[1:06:32] think I can support it I support it in

[1:06:35] principle I wish if we have the

[1:06:37] decision-making process I would support

[1:06:39] it but I I won't support the resolution

[1:06:41] for just those

[1:06:43] reasons thanks director mclinton

[1:06:45] director Morrison and then director

[1:06:47] martman yeah I'm I'm challenged as well

[1:06:50] because uh I just in in listening I

[1:06:53] don't have it in writing but in

[1:06:54] listening to the resolution put forward

[1:06:56] by director Nicholson again it's we're

[1:06:58] talking completion of the review we're

[1:07:00] talking practices and then there's that

[1:07:04] chunk that's water

[1:07:07] sustainability you know water balance

[1:07:10] which is you know the pro provincial

[1:07:14] Ministry responsible for Forest is going

[1:07:16] to look at that chunk and and

[1:07:17] essentially ignore it if there is a a

[1:07:21] resolution that refers to the ministry

[1:07:24] responsible for watersheds and aquifers

[1:07:27] to work with the the ministry of forests

[1:07:31] to protect watersheds and and and

[1:07:34] aquifers I think that it's more targeted

[1:07:37] it's more specific and uh it it's not

[1:07:40] going to get lost because there's too

[1:07:42] much of an ask in in a in a broad-based

[1:07:48] resolution great thanks director

[1:07:49] Morrison I'll go to director martman

[1:07:51] then director deck sorry I noticed

[1:07:53] director Sorry Miss Miles Wilson your

[1:07:55] hand

[1:07:56] did you have anything to add before I

[1:07:57] move to director

[1:07:58] marman no that uh that is a mistake I

[1:08:02] put it down all right director marman

[1:08:04] then director deck so easy to do um I I

[1:08:08] guess I think there's value in what

[1:08:11] director Nicholson is saying and I and

[1:08:13] but I'm uncomfortable sort of flipping

[1:08:16] um resolutions so so quickly without

[1:08:20] maybe having staff take a look at both

[1:08:22] of them and saying maybe there's a

[1:08:24] better one to come forward was that we

[1:08:26] could vote you know look at this

[1:08:27] afternoon so I'm wondering if staff you

[1:08:29] know I think that's where staff sort of

[1:08:31] started as well saying you know give us

[1:08:33] Direction we'll come back let's let's

[1:08:35] have something this afternoon because I

[1:08:37] think there's there's pieces of both but

[1:08:39] I think as as other directors are saying

[1:08:42] we also have to be strategic about what

[1:08:44] we can accomplish so uh I don't know if

[1:08:48] this is is a referral motion or we just

[1:08:51] leave it till defer it till the board

[1:08:58] yeah I don't have the answer to that

[1:09:00] director martman I would look to the

[1:09:01] rest of the committee Miss Miles Wilson

[1:09:03] you look like you're about to add

[1:09:04] something yeah just if there is

[1:09:06] direction we can we can um refer this to

[1:09:09] the board this afternoon and then I can

[1:09:10] connect with our Environmental Services

[1:09:12] team who helped put this together and we

[1:09:15] can um take a look at the the the

[1:09:17] wording and um and uh carry on with the

[1:09:20] discussion and hopefully land a revised

[1:09:23] uh resolution that uh sit well with

[1:09:27] everyone okay so how about we have that

[1:09:28] as an option then we we can refer the

[1:09:31] motion uh to staff to refine the the

[1:09:35] resolution and bring it back to uh the

[1:09:38] board for for the discussion this

[1:09:40] afternoon some along those lines M Miles

[1:09:43] Wilson all right Dr

[1:09:49] deck uh thank you can you hear

[1:09:53] me yep okay thanks

[1:09:56] um I

[1:09:58] think I can't uh

[1:10:02] understate overstate I can't I can't say

[1:10:07] how much value there is in thinking of

[1:10:12] Forestry or any activity on the on uh

[1:10:16] private managed Forest land that's more

[1:10:18] important than um whole of watershed

[1:10:22] approach in terms of Forestry and water

[1:10:26] sustainability I mean water is the key

[1:10:30] here you know it's what the release of

[1:10:34] of water from the watersheds

[1:10:37] in you know over logged mountains is

[1:10:42] what causes the the pulses the big

[1:10:46] floods the lack of water in the summer

[1:10:50] that that whole timing thing is because

[1:10:53] of logging so our

[1:10:56] yeah so so in term that's my perspective

[1:10:58] sorry I I can't just speak for everyone

[1:11:01] but from my perspective water is the

[1:11:04] most important reason we need to look at

[1:11:07] changing private managed Forest land so

[1:11:10] I don't want that to be forgotten at

[1:11:13] all thanks director deck I'll turn to

[1:11:16] director

[1:11:18] aach very quick for the reasons director

[1:11:21] mclinton said keep it simple and just

[1:11:23] even getting the ACT continued and

[1:11:26] reviewed that's the goal that's that's

[1:11:28] the win and all these other points will

[1:11:30] be built into there so as they say keep

[1:11:33] it simple so I support director

[1:11:36] mcclinton's

[1:11:38] position director

[1:11:40] Justice yeah just very simply I would be

[1:11:43] in favor of keeping the original motion

[1:11:47] and adding a second one

[1:11:49] expressing

[1:11:50] um director Nicholson's uh motion

[1:11:57] all right so here in the comments around

[1:12:01] the the virtual table here I think we

[1:12:03] can either um we can either vote on the

[1:12:07] the motion on the floor as is we can

[1:12:09] refer it back to staff to come up with

[1:12:12] some refinements to the the original

[1:12:15] resolution or um or we can just leave

[1:12:19] the leave leave the resolution as

[1:12:23] is do we do we want to test see if there

[1:12:25] is an appetite for referring it to staff

[1:12:27] so we can at least consider the I I see

[1:12:29] you director one sec do we want to refer

[1:12:33] this to staff just to see what some

[1:12:34] alternative wording might look like for

[1:12:36] consideration of the the board meeting

[1:12:38] alternative

[1:12:39] director yeah I'd move that to refer it

[1:12:42] to the board this afternoon okay so we

[1:12:45] refer the motion on the floor to staff

[1:12:47] to refine the wording of the abic

[1:12:50] resolution regarding private managed

[1:12:52] Forest lands for the board's

[1:12:54] consideration

[1:12:55] during the uh January 2022

[1:12:58] meeting does that work so moved by

[1:13:02] director seal second by director

[1:13:03] mclinton

[1:13:04] call the question all in

[1:13:07] favor and

[1:13:10] opposed A none opposed so it's been

[1:13:12] referred we can discuss this

[1:13:15] further very soon so we'll now move on

[1:13:18] to question period and I'll turn to

[1:13:22] staff as we are in a virtual meeting and

[1:13:24] ask if um

[1:13:26] if there are any virtual attendees their

[1:13:28] hands

[1:13:29] raised nope we do not have anyone

[1:13:31] registered for question period and

[1:13:33] nobody in the spare room deide

[1:13:36] me all right um we do not have a closed

[1:13:40] session a days so I think we can move

[1:13:42] straight to adjournment I'll look for a

[1:13:44] motion to

[1:13:45] adjourn uh move by director Nicholson's

[1:13:48] second by director Duncan call the

[1:13:50] question all in favor and

[1:13:52] opposed and opposed motion carries so

[1:13:55] I'll declare this meeting a jour

Committee of the Whole Meeting - Wednesday, January 22, 2025

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