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Letter From Dorothy Baert

Open letter from Dorothy Baert to Tofino News Blogspot readers.

Every once in a while I go to this blog site. I do this because even though it is often a cauldron of misinformation and innuendo, none of which could actually be verified in the light of open scrutiny, it is a place where issues and irritants are shouted out, and is therefore as good a place as any to find out what’s on peoples minds. 

I am motivated to respond to the question raised about my not attending the Open House for the Liquid Waste Treatment Plan. I could not attend but this doesn’t mean that I am not paying full attention. We have a very serious situation here which is the excessively expensive cost which is untenable for a community of 2000 or even 3000 people. That it is being built for the use of 15000 people indicates a gap that raises such inequity and extreme burden that in my view it is essential that as an entire community we say, yes we want the plant but we will not, we cannot, pay full freight to put it in. 

It is my view and my intention whether on Council or not, to lobby in every possible way to have the two higher levels of government pay 100% of the capital cost. I am cautioned that this can’t be done but I have been told that time and again since I got on Council and I say, you don’t know if that is true until you have tried, until there is absolutely no further possibility. 

Some of the work that has been done, despite your platform of contempt for the work that Councillors have been doing, has been to lobby for the better deal for Tofino. This town punches well above its weight and we are seeing real movement. Recently at UBCM, that conference that some on this blog hate that we go to, meetings were had with Ministers but this time, there was a difference. They were listening when we said we need a tax tool on visitors to pay for infrastructure, even if it is only 1%. 

They had listened to feedback we have given as a small community when we said repeatedly we can’t undertake capital costs AND operations costs on our own. Again, they heard and announced that communities up to 5000 residents can apply for 100% capital funding, a one time ask for up to 9 million, something that hasn’t been heard of for decades. Even though that money is there, getting it for the LWTP has another obstacle but those details are for a different forum.

The Tourism Minister responded to the great lobbying work of our Mayor and others in the Resort Municipality collaborative to ensure that the RMI monies continue to flow and come back to us as matching funds to the Additional hotel tax. This means there are now new opportunities to create amenities that residents, businesses and visitors can enjoy without it being a burden to the resident tax payer. 

The bigger news is with the MRDT funding (and the new online tax fund) and the opening up of options that can be directed to housing and infrastructure. This will take community collaboration but the offer is on the table. We worked for that. 

And finally, yes, I live here. Tofino is my home and has been for 30 years. I have also been affected by the chronic housing shortage and have had to respond to the needs of my business for housing. This has meant a temporary but happy exile that has allowed me to spend summers with my grand children. There, you have it. 

I campaigned in the previous two runs that I would engage and support open dialogue and would reach out to the community where I needed feedback on issues and I have done that in a number of ways. My preference is to talk with people directly or to solicit their opinions by occasionally reaching out through  Facebook or email, as I did when the RCMP building was being proposed. I go to the Tofino Vent and Praise forum where people do vent frustration and where there is dialog, information and engagement, none under the dark cloud of toxic trolling anonymity. 


Anything else you would like to know, feel free to call or email. Like all the other hard working Councillors, past and to come, we want to serve our community and hear what is affecting peoples lives. As hard as it can be to do, we want to be part of the solutions that make a better community. How about you?

Dorothy Baert
250 726 5565

Friday, September 14, 2018

Election News

Please find below a list of declared candidates in the 2018, General Local Election.

General Voting Day will take place on October 20th in the Council Chamber, Municipal Office, at 380 Campbell Street from 8AM to 8PM (Advance Voting Day is on October 10th).

For more information about the election please visit www.tofino.ca/elections.

Candidates for the Office of Mayor:
·         Josie Osborne
·         Omar Soliman
·         Jarmo Venalainen

Candidates for the Offices of Councillor:
·         Al Anderson
·         Stephen Ashton
·         Dorothy Baert
·         Jason Brown
·         Britt Chalmers
·         Craig Heber
·         Chris Heisterman
·         Stephanie Hughes
·         Eric Kingsley
·         Duncan McMaster
·         Andrea McQuade
·         Tom Stere

Candidates for the Office of School Trustee:
·         Gurmail Aujla         
·         Sandra Leslie
·         Sally Mole

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Proactive Enforcement Story

https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/b-c-cities-want-mandated-business-licences-for-short-term-rentals/






"Tofino Mayor Josie spoke out about her community’s struggles in enforcing their short-term rental rules."  
 “It takes proactive enforcement all of the time,” Osborne said.


  Perhaps this blog post from 2016 will help with the struggle !!


 https://tofinonews.blogspot.com/2016/10/p1a-zoning-update.html


Sunday, September 9, 2018

War on Parking Continues


Tofino continues its war on parking. The result of the ongoing assault was seen clearly this summer as tourists and local residents alike circled blocks looking for parking. At one time this summer I witnessed traffic backed up to Olsen Rd. There has been no reduction in offshore parking. If you are squatting somewhere in Clayoquot Sound the District of Tofino will give you a free parking pass and provide you with ample parking in choice downtown spots. If you are a resident of Tofino or working here you are treated like a climate changing pariah.
  The solution ? Work with all user groups and build a parkade. We can't all ride the bus or use a bicycle. Tofino has spent millions encouraging people to come here but has failed to plan for the results of success. Even Teslas need somewhere to park.