Re: “Esquimalt sewage-plant deal stalls as politicians fret over bargaining cost,” Nov. 14.
Capital Regional District directors are beginning to panic, and after spending upward of $40 million on studies and real estate, they are waking up to the fact that they actually have to build this thing.
At Wednesday’s meeting, project manager Albert Sweetnam continually spoke of the difficulty of creating a proposal based on uncertainty. And whose fault is that? The CRD’s, of course.
In July, Esquimalt held two days of public hearings on the rezoning application for McLoughlin Point, submitted by the CRD. The plan was for council to vote on the bylaw on July 15 based on public feedback.
But the CRD released the request for proposal three days before Esquimalt voted on the bylaw, even after Mayor Barb Desjardins asked them to hold off on the release of the RFP until Esquimalt council had voted on the bylaw.
Can you imagine being a proponent on a massive infrastructure project when the rezoning process hasn’t even concluded? The CRD was counting on the province to intervene. The minister of the environment made it clear that she was not willing to overrule Esquimalt’s right to due process and the rule of law with respect to the rezoning process.
This project is spinning out of control, and the CRD has no one to blame but itself.
Beth Burton-Krahn
Esquimalt
