If the provincial government lets Esquimalt have the final say on the siting of a sewage-processing plant, it will become nearly impossible to find locations for regional facilities.
Carole James, platform chairwoman for the B.C. New Democrats, has said an NDP government would not override Esquimalt if it rejected rezoning of the Viewfield Road site being considered by the Capital Regional District for the plant that would process sewage sludge from the new wastewater-treatment plant.
Chris Ricketts, B.C. Liberal candidate for Esquimalt-Royal Roads, said he also opposes the province overriding the wishes of Esquimalt.
In March, the CRD announced it had bought the Wilson Foods warehouse site for $17 million as a potential site for the biosolids plant. It was an unpleasant surprise to Esquimalt’s residents and municipal council, given that the new McLoughlin Point sewage treatment plant will be also be built in the township.
The candidates’ sympathy is not misplaced. Esquimalt’s complaint that it is being asked to carry an unfair share of the burden for the $783-billion sewage project is legitimate. The new facilities would remove land from the tax rolls, and the CRD has already said it will not provide compensation for the municipality’s lost revenues from the McLoughlin Point plant.
Building the sludge plant on Viewfield Road would establish an unattractive industrial complex close to residences, schools and businesses. Regardless of how clean, efficient and odour-free the facility is promised to be, it would degrade quality of life and real-estate values.
Esquimalt residents are protective of their community’s heritage and colourful character — who can blame them for not wanting their town to be the place where the region’s wastes go?
But regional considerations sometimes must override local concerns, and it’s necessary for the province to maintain jurisdiction over such matters. Otherwise, some necessary developments would never happen.
That is not to say the CRD and the province should ride roughshod over Esquimalt, ignoring local concerns. Far from it — those concerns should be heard and considered carefully. The province should have the authority to decide on issues like this one, but it’s authority that should be exercised as lightly and as carefully as possible.
The Esquimalt site is under consideration not because it would save any money, but because it would be less disruptive than building a pipeline to the Hartland landfill in Saanich, the site first proposed for the biosolids plant. However inconvenient that disruption would be, it would be temporary. A sludge plant in Esquimalt would be forever.
Esquimalt has valid concerns, and the CRD should keep working on finding a suitable site for the facility. The issue should be resolved on a regional level, if possible. For politicians to promise not to override one municipality’s decision on a regional issue is hazardous. The province can’t give the veto to one municipality without giving it to all.
It’s a door better left unopened, for if it is opened, it will be difficult to close.
