Why would you go to this, simply to be informed what they intend to do. More arrogance and disconnect from council.
They can spout sustainability and community till the cows come, home but they are skirting around the elephant in the room. None of this matters because in a decade the resident population may actually decline. Resident population growth rate has already leveled off. No one will be able to afford to live here who works here. What is their strategy for that.
I take it back. They are not skirting around anything. They simply don't see it coming.
I have to agree with 10:36. It's only a sham, an "open house" that pretends that The District of Tofino actually cares what the people of Tofino think about the issues before them. The decisions have already been made, the tax dollars are already being funneled into the pockets of the chosen few, the "reasons" and excuses are already written, the unionized public employees are firmly entrenched into their salaried positions and expense accounts, and the overspending, waste, and mismanagement in the overpopulated District Office is on course for 5 more years at the public trough.
I agree completely with 11:45. The whole thing is a sham, overpaid Distract staff have no understanding, or do not care about the plight of the taxpayers. Increasing taxes by 60%, over the next 5 years is completely unconscionable and beyond the means of taxpayers. This increase is completely out of step with any other District in the province, times higher than anywhere else.
Can someone tell me if this is a true rumor or not. Parks Canada is ready to hook all of their sewage lines into the Esowista discharge line once tofino has a sewage treatment plant. Allegedly this was a private agreement between the park and esowista. If this is true shouldn't there be some cost-sharing? Good question for the open house.
The line is in the ground. There was lots of complaint at the fall sewage open house that Tofino had yet to finalize a deal with the Esowista Reserve for any contributions to the treatment plant. And then there is the park. Not to worry Tofino residents can cover their share.
Here's the rumor that I'd like to know the truth about. "The sewage plant MUST be finished by 2020" Is that a true deadline? Says who? How can I see this in writing? Is it real, or is it just some person's idea of how they'd like things to be? I've heard others say that we actually have until 2030. True? False?
Environment Canada requires a minimum treatment standard for wastewater before it is released into waterways. That minimum standard is called “secondary treatment”, a process that screens and filters water both with machines and biological processes, removing 95 percent of pollutants. In addition, there are requirements for monitoring, record-keeping, reporting and toxicity testing.
Currently, there are approximately 850 – 1000 Canadian wastewater treatment plants in need of upgrades to meet the federal wastewater regulations. These upgrades will cost an estimated $6 billion. Plants that fall short of the national standards and are unable to upgrade systems immediately, may apply for an extension of time so they can reach compliance. Systems posing a high risk are required to meet the standards by December 31, 2020, those posing medium risk must comply by December 31, 2030, and those posing low risk must comply by December 31, 2040.
Thanks for that information, Ralph. Now, Tofino? Are we "high risk"? How is "high risk" determined? Who makes that determination? I would think that since we are presently, and have for decades, been pumping directly into the Pacific, with only primary treatment, and only limited negative effects, that we would hardly class as "high risk". How are those other 850 - 1000 plants making out? Are they all "on schedule"? "Plants that fall short", I assume that's Tofino, may apply for an extension of time. During that "extension", couldn't Tofino lobby the senior levels of government for more money? Couldn't Tofino start saving toward the facility, thereby reducing loans amounts and costs? Is $60,000,000 the absolute best price out there? Have other methods and contractors been fully investigated? Why am I getting the feeling that the current administration wants this facility completed and opened during the current tenure, creating a glorious environmental headline and photo-op, that the taxpayers of Tofino are going to be on the hook for, for the next 25 years?
Tofino submitted a Stage 3 plan in 2009 but this plan was returned to the district without approval from the ministry.
The district then hired Motherwell Engineering to scope out issues facing the Stage 3 plan but there are no records of Motherwell’s work being submitted to the ministry,
I'm told that there was nothing there for the public to see or hear...... apparently staff didn't get any of the presentations ready in time. Is this what we can expect as the "strategic plan" for the next 5 years? Talk, plans, announcements, non-performance, and excuses.
We'll probably get better representation of the people's interests from the new Ratepayers Association...... and at a hell of a lot lower cost!
Why would you go to this, simply to be informed what they intend to do. More arrogance and disconnect from council.
ReplyDeleteThey can spout sustainability and community till the cows come, home but they are skirting around the elephant in the room. None of this matters because in a decade the resident population may actually decline. Resident population growth rate has already leveled off. No one will be able to afford to live here who works here. What is their strategy for that.
I take it back. They are not skirting around anything. They simply don't see it coming.
I have to agree with 10:36. It's only a sham, an "open house" that pretends that The District of Tofino actually cares what the people of Tofino think about the issues before them. The decisions have already been made, the tax dollars are already being funneled into the pockets of the chosen few, the "reasons" and excuses are already written, the unionized public employees are firmly entrenched into their salaried positions and expense accounts, and the overspending, waste, and mismanagement in the overpopulated District Office is on course for 5 more years at the public trough.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with 11:45. The whole thing is a sham, overpaid Distract staff have no understanding, or do not care about the plight of the taxpayers. Increasing taxes by 60%, over the next 5 years is completely unconscionable and beyond the means of taxpayers. This increase is completely out of step with any other District in the province, times higher than anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me if this is a true rumor or not. Parks Canada is ready to hook all of their sewage lines into the Esowista discharge line once tofino has a sewage treatment plant.
ReplyDeleteAllegedly this was a private agreement between the park and esowista.
If this is true shouldn't there be some cost-sharing? Good question for the open house.
The line is in the ground. There was lots of complaint at the fall sewage open house that Tofino had yet to finalize a deal with the Esowista Reserve for any contributions to the treatment plant. And then there is the park. Not to worry Tofino residents can cover their share.
ReplyDeletehttp://tofinonews.blogspot.com/2011/11/sewer-agreement-with-pacific-rim.html?m=1
ReplyDeleteHere's the rumor that I'd like to know the truth about. "The sewage plant MUST be finished by 2020" Is that a true deadline? Says who? How can I see this in writing? Is it real, or is it just some person's idea of how they'd like things to be? I've heard others say that we actually have until 2030. True? False?
ReplyDeleteEnvironment Canada requires a minimum treatment standard for wastewater before it is released into waterways. That minimum standard is called “secondary treatment”, a process that screens and filters water both with machines and biological processes, removing 95 percent of pollutants. In addition, there are requirements for monitoring, record-keeping, reporting and toxicity testing.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, there are approximately 850 – 1000 Canadian wastewater treatment plants in need of upgrades to meet the federal wastewater regulations. These upgrades will cost an estimated $6 billion. Plants that fall short of the national standards and are unable to upgrade systems immediately, may apply for an extension of time so they can reach compliance. Systems posing a high risk are required to meet the standards by December 31, 2020, those posing medium risk must comply by December 31, 2030, and those posing low risk must comply by December 31, 2040.
Thanks for that information, Ralph. Now, Tofino? Are we "high risk"? How is "high risk" determined? Who makes that determination? I would think that since we are presently, and have for decades, been pumping directly into the Pacific, with only primary treatment, and only limited negative effects, that we would hardly class as "high risk". How are those other 850 - 1000 plants making out? Are they all "on schedule"?
ReplyDelete"Plants that fall short", I assume that's Tofino, may apply for an extension of time.
During that "extension", couldn't Tofino lobby the senior levels of government for more money? Couldn't Tofino start saving toward the facility, thereby reducing loans amounts and costs? Is $60,000,000 the absolute best price out there? Have other methods and contractors been fully investigated?
Why am I getting the feeling that the current administration wants this facility completed and opened during the current tenure, creating a glorious environmental headline and photo-op, that the taxpayers of Tofino are going to be on the hook for, for the next 25 years?
Tofino submitted a Stage 3 plan in 2009 but this plan was returned to the district without approval from the ministry.
ReplyDeleteThe district then hired Motherwell Engineering to scope out issues facing the Stage 3 plan but there are no records of Motherwell’s work being submitted to the ministry,
https://tofinonews.blogspot.com/2012/01/sewer-grant-update_30.html?m=1
ReplyDeletehttps://tofinonews.blogspot.com/search?q=stage+3+sewer&m=1
ReplyDeleteI'm told that there was nothing there for the public to see or hear...... apparently staff didn't get any of the presentations ready in time.
ReplyDeleteIs this what we can expect as the "strategic plan" for the next 5 years? Talk, plans, announcements, non-performance, and excuses.
We'll probably get better representation of the people's interests from the new Ratepayers Association...... and at a hell of a lot lower cost!