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CRD the real culprit in wasting time, money

Re: “Esquimalt presents list of sewage questions to CRD,” March 5.

Re: “Esquimalt presents list of sewage questions to CRD,” March 5.

Although Esquimalt is portrayed as foot-dragging on the rezoning of McLoughlin Point for sewage treatment, it is simply carrying out the due diligence that should have been undertaken by the Capital Regional District in its application for rezoning.

Examining the actual timelines paints a different story. Amendment 8 to the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan, which picked the current architecture and location, was submitted in June 2010. Yet the CRD waited almost three years before asking Esquimalt to rezone McLoughlin Point in January 2013. The CRD then issued the request for proposals for construction of the plant mere days before Esquimalt’s public hearing for the rezoning in July 2013. Why would the CRD not consider the implications of a rezoning process? Why would the proponents bidding not be told they would have to conform to Esquimalt’s bylaw?

The current rezoning and public-consultation process is required only because the CRD again does not plan to meet Esquimalt’s rezoning bylaw. This has added a mere few months to the timelines. Compare that to the implications of the CRD-induced three-year planning pause.

The cost of the current sewage plan was set in 2010 at $783 million. The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation recently estimated that inflation alone will add $48 million to the cost. That means the CRD planning pause equates to about $1.5 million per month of cost overruns.

It’s clear the CRD is the real culprit in wasted time and money.

Filippo Ferri

Esquimalt