With the Capital Regional District’s plans for sewage treatment in disarray, other municipalities in the province that may have a political advantage are jealously eyeing the project’s $500 million in senior-
government funding, Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said Thursday.
“In my mind, it [federal and provincial funding] is at jeopardy,” Fortin told councillors Thursday, saying he doesn’t understand the why some at the CRD board aren’t more concerned about looming funding deadlines.
“The provincial government has said that we will be doing sewage treatment by 2018. We have an order by the federal government to move forward on that. We’re also very well aware that the North Shore of Vancouver also has been ordered to do sewage treatment and their cost is about $500 million,” Fortin said.
“Let’s just say this right now. They have a Conservative member of Parliament and they have a Liberal provincial member of parliament. So as we flounder around in this region, unable to come up with any direction and move forward, there is the concern and the risk that that money goes over to those that have their act together and the need.”
Plans for regional secondary treatment have stalled since Esquimalt refused to rezone McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant and the province has refused to overturn the decision.
Fortin’s comments came as councillors discussed the next steps the city could take on sewage treatment in the wake of the regional stalemate. Fortin said there is no time to delay.
“My concern is this: I don’t think we can get anything done at the CRD,” Fortin said. “It’s almost like at the region it’s every man for himself.”
Councillors directed staff to develop a both a public-engagement strategy and a plan that will identify legally available options for local sewage treatment.
The plan will also identify technically feasible sites for Victoria-only systems with one, two or more plants. It will also consider a system co-operating with Saanich and/or Oak Bay.
The plan also calls for discussions with Esquimalt about the possibility of treating Vic West sewage in its proposed town centre plant.
Councillors agreed to have city staff participate in a sub-regional planning and cost study being proposed by CRD staff.
CRD staff have prepared a draft request for proposals to hire an independent manager to investigate whether sub-regional options can be developed for sewage treatment within the existing funding envelope, as well as timelines given Esquimalt’s rejection of a treatment plant at McLoughlin Point.
The independent manager would have no past affiliation with the current Seaterra program, the peer- review team or any other wastewater treatment study undertaken by the CRD. He would have a $400,000 budget to conduct an options study, according to a draft terms of reference to be considered by CRD directors next month. Staff are recommending the process be overseen by fairness and transparency adviser.
According to CRD documents, the study “will be used to determine if a preferred sub-regional option can be identified that: meets all the regulatory requirements, can be established within the approved funding envelope of $788 million and can be completed within the timelines outlines in the approved core area liquid waste management plan.”
