Capital Regional District water commissioners hope they have found a compromise solution to allowing limited special access to the vast Leech River watershed lands while safeguarding the property.
The regional water supply commission has been trying to close access to the area to campers, hunters, fishers and others, while its parent body, the CRD board, has been split on the issue. Some directors favour closing the area off entirely and others want access granted through a permit system.
Under a proposal endorsed by water commissioners this week, there would still be an general prohibition over access but individuals or groups could apply for special-use permits. Staff would evaluate requests based on the information provided by the applicant, but would leave the final decision for granting access to the commission.
If access was approved by the commission, a special-use permit would be granted outlining conditions, requirements of the permit and the holder’s responsibilities.
“I’ve advocated that we have some form of limited access by permit at the board level and at this table. So I think this is a compromise,” Sooke Coun. Rick Kasper said.
“I think that I’m going to put some faith out there to staff and the rest of the commission that any person or group that makes application for access for special use is given true, fair consideration.”
Saanich Coun. Vic Derman said he would “somewhat reluctantly support” the measure because the water district needs to get the protection bylaw in place as quickly as possible.
He questioned any idea of issuing ongoing special-use permits, saying they would create enforcement problems.
Langford Coun. Lillian Szpak, while acknowledging the recommendation is a compromise, said she still has serious concerns over fire risk.
Szpak said it’s “ironic” the water commission is discussing public access to the Leech “while Fort McMurray is burning.”
The Sooke watershed — home to the Sooke reservoir, Greater Victoria’s main source of drinking water — is already closed to the public. Blocking access to the area surrounding the Leech River would put about 20,000 hectares behind closed gates.
Since 2012, access to the 9,600 hectares of Leech land — long used by people camping, offroading, fishing and hunting — has been increasingly restricted. CRD staff note the only way to enter the area now is by trespassing through privately owned forestry land.
The CRD announced in March that directors had unanimously endorsed an agreement with the T’Souke First Nation granting access for traditional uses such as hunting and fishing.
