The Capital Regional District’s secretive selection of Esquimalt as the location of the proposed Biosolids Energy Centre, while upsetting to local residents, is not the real problem. Many local and provincial government decisions are made for political reasons, especially when it comes to obtaining infrastructure grants for their regions.
Look at the millions spent on the ridiculous Pat Bay Highway/McTavish Road series of roundabouts that could have been so much more wisely and usefully spent on addressing the totally clogged McKenzie Avenue intersection.
Where was the CRD when those decisions were made? Although the CRD itself is not an elected body, it consists of elected representatives from the local municipalities.
Considering the many scientific arguments pro and con for the expenditure of almost a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money, the real problem is a lack of willpower on the part of most local and provincial politicians to stand up to the federal government’s ill-advised decree. Federal funds always have an expiry date, so the rush is on to grab it while it’s there, regardless of whether it makes sense.
Our elected representatives should stop genuflecting at the altar of grants and tell the feds that we do not want or need sewage treatment as prescribed by them.
Natexa Verbrugge
Victoria
