Greater Victoria municipalities wanting to go it on their own for sewage treatment should not assume provincial funding as part of their plans, says B.C. Environment Minister Mary Polak.
And the province will not extend its 2018 funding deadline for the Capital Regional District to have sewage treatment in place, Polak said in a letter to CRD chairman Alastair Bryson.
The current project agreement makes the CRD solely responsible for all aspects of the project and lays out clear timelines that must be met, Polak said.
The agreement “defines the provincial funding contribution as being for the sole purpose [of] defraying the costs incurred by the CRD in building a WWTP (waste water treatment plant), an energy centre for sludge treatment and conveyance system upgrades as described in the CALWMP (core area liquid waste management plan),” Polak’s letter said.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said it appears the province is “playing hardball” with municipalities wanting to go it alone. “Those who have this dream that 20 plants are cheaper than one and [that] using Space Age technology to make it disappear into the ether will work, can keep trotting these theories out, but the province’s position is firm: ‘You’ve got a deadline and you’ve got a limited amount of funding,’ ” Leonard said.
“At some point, reality is going to have to hit some people smack across the forehead.”
The federal and provincial agreements provide $501 million of the estimated $783-million cost, with the provincial share being $248 million.
But the CRD’s plan to build a regional plant at McLoughlin Point has been frustrated by Esquimalt’s refusal to rezone the site. Polak has refused to intervene and override Esquimalt council’s unanimous decision.
Several municipalities — including Victoria, Esquimalt, Colwood and View Royal — are exploring the possibility of building their own plants to meet provincial and federal regulations requiring treatment.
Polak said it’s up to the CRD to decide whether to continue pursuing the McLoughlin site but warned that changes to the approved plan could affect the existing funding agreement.
“Obviously, there will be public concern should a revised proposal include significant changes to the project agreement [such as an increase in the number of treatment plants] that increase its already formidable costs,” she said. “I want to underline that potential changes to the CALWMP should assume neither an increase to the province’s contribution nor an extension to the time frames that have already been established.”
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins agreed the letter appears to be saying provincial funding may not be available for individual municipal plants. But she said that doesn’t preclude municipalities working together under the CRD umbrella to undertake a “sub-regional” proposal.
Desjardins said discussions are underway for a “west-side group” that could include Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood, Langford, Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations and possibly Vic West.
“Certainly we want to, from the west side, work with CRD to do what’s best for our residents within CRD to go forward and get this done,” Desjardins said.
Polak also spelled out that any changes to the CRD’s approved plan would require essentially the same process the CRD had to follow for McLoughlin Point, including: reconvening the CALWMP advisory committee for advice, undertaking studies including but not limited to an environmental impact study and consultation with First Nations and the public. bcleverley@timescolonist.com
