News Release
New Fitness Equipment At Recreation Facilities
February 11, 2025
Sunshine Coast recreation facilities are getting a fresh update, we’re upgrading treadmills, rowers and bikes so they won’t stop before you do!
From February 19 to 21, new fitness equipment will be installed at three SCRD weight rooms, offering community members modern, user-friendly options to support their fitness goals. Fitness equipment replacement is an ongoing process – staff monitor and evaluate existing equipment, review public feedback to select and purchase new equipment, and create a cycle of replacement for equipment that has reached its end of life.
So what’s new at each location?
- Gibsons and Area Community Centre: Hydraulic circuit training equipment, treadmills, and rowing machines.
- Sechelt Aquatic Centre: New treadmills, rowing machines, and spin bikes.
- Pender Harbour Aquatic and Fitness Centre: A new treadmill, elliptical machine, and upright bicycles.
Although the new equipment is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, for $15, users can sign up for on-site orientation sessions with attendants who will provide information on the safe use of the equipment.
Ready to give some of the equipment a spin (literally)?
For drop-in weight room hours, visit www.scrd.ca/exercise-fitness.
February 4 Public Hearing Postponed
February 4, 2025
The public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday February 4 has been postponed due to weather and hazardous road conditions.
The public hearing was scheduled to consider Official Community Plan Amendment No. 641.15 and Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 722.8. The purpose of the amendments is to change the OCP land use designation on a portion of the property at 2820 Lower Road.
New dates for the public hearing will be provided when available and advertised on the SCRD website at www.scrd.ca/public-hearings and in the Coast Reporter newspaper.
Stay up to date on weather related service alerts at www.scrd.ca/service-alerts.
SCRD Appoints Chief Administrative Officer
February 4, 2025
After an extensive search which attracted candidates both nationally and internationally, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Tina Perreault as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

Tina Perreault
Tina has been with the SCRD’s finance division since 2008, working up through many roles to becoming the SCRD’s Chief Financial Officer in 2011 and General Manager of Corporate Services in 2016.
Tina has been in the CAO position on an interim basis since May 2024.
“We had over 40 candidates for this highly sought after position, and after two rounds of interviews with candidates, Tina was the unanimous choice for the SCRD Board,” says SCRD Board Chair Alton Toth. “As a long-time member of our community, Tina knows the challenges and opportunities that exist within our Region and we are confident that under Tina’s leadership, the SCRD can continue to grow and thrive.”
“Having raised my family on the Coast and called this community home for nearly 20 years, I hold a deep connection to this place and the vital work being done every day to deliver essential services,” says SCRD CAO Tina Perreault. “While we face significant challenges ahead, I am confident in the dedication and talent of the SCRD team. I am honored to lead such a committed group and look forward to the work we will accomplish together.”
Tina has taken up the permanent CAO role with immediate effect.
Check Out Concepts for Coopers Green Park
January 30, 2025
Concepts for Coopers Green Park are available online for your input and comments.
The three concepts were presented in-person to the community on Wednesday evening during an open house at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt. At the event, 60 community members provided their input to SCRD staff, Directors and the landscape architect for the project.
Three distinct concept strategies have been developed which can be achieved within the allocated budget for this project. Each offers a unique approach to park enhancements and present a different vision for Coopers Green Park, with varying levels of development and amenities.
You can provide your input until February 20 by clicking here.
Out of Scope
A reminder that two features of the park are not in scope of this project. These include the boat ramp and the hall. A separate planning project is set to get underway for the boat ramp and the SCRD is currently in discussions with a third party to take on the operations of the hall.
You can stay up to date on this project at letstalk.scrd.ca/coopers-green.
Delay for Hopkins Landing Dock Renovation Project
January 29, 2025
The Hopkins Landing Dock Renovation project, originally set to begin this week, has been postponed until late summer due to permitting delays.
Following an updated biophysical assessment of the marine habitat completed last week, it was determined that further planning is required to protect eelgrass and fish habitat during construction. Site-specific measures must be developed to avoid harming these important ecological areas.
As a result, the necessary permits to proceed with construction within the permitted in-water works timeframe required by the Fisheries Act and Species at Risk Act cannot be secured. With the in-water works window closing at the end of January, construction cannot move forward until it reopens in mid-August at the earliest.
“We have heard directly from the community about how important the dock and this project is to them,” said SCRD General Manager of Community Services, Shelley Gagnon. “While this delay is disappointing, we are committed to adhering to the permitting process set by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. We will work towards having all required permits in place by late summer, allowing work to proceed at that point.”
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will continue to provide updates on the project through its Let’s Talk page at letstalk.scrd.ca/hopkins and on the SCRD website at www.scrd.ca.
For further information, community members are encouraged to stay connected through these channels.
SCRD Budget Wrap Up
January 22, 2025
After two days of discussions, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Board wrapped up the 2025 Budget process with adoption of the budget set to take place in February.
The three main focuses for this year’s budget are:
- Capacity – Previous year’s budgets have seen excess uncompleted projects carried forward. This is being addressed to ensure that there is enough staff capacity to complete projects in a timely manner.
- Underfunding – The SCRD continues to deal with decades of underfunding of major services including water,solid waste and parks which needs to be addressed.
- Service Levels – This budget is focused on maintaining reliable service levels in key areas such as water with an eye to future community needs.
This year, projects being considered through the budget process have been broken down into three categories;
- Mandatory Projects (Must do) – Projects that must proceed in the budget year due to imminent asset failure (with a defined consequence), regulatory compliance or safety requirements.
- Strategic (Should do) – Directly relates to Board Strategic Focus Areas of water stewardship or solid waste solutions, a Board Directive, and/or is required because of policy.
- Discretionary (Could do) – Projects that do not meet any of the criteria for Mandatory or Strategic classification.
The Board’s focus has been on moving forward mandatory projects and those strategic projects which will maintain service levels with the potential to increase service levels in the future.
A sample of these projects is below.
Mandatory Projects
- Upgrades to the Chapman Water Treatment Plant
- Soames Creek Monitoring Compliance
- Several projects focused on health and safety
- Noxious weed removal at John Daley Park
- Increased information technology data storage
Several projects are part of the SCRD Board’s Strategic Plan and focus on two main service areas, Water Stewardship and Solid Waste Solutions. These include;
- Design and permitting for a treatment plant for the Gray Creek water source
- Construction of the Langdale Well Field
- Permitting associated with Siphons at Chapman and Edwards Lakes.
- Control System upgrades at water treatment plants, pump stations and reservoirs across all water systems
- Reservoir maintenance in the Regional and South Pender water systems
- Continued work and engagement on the Solid Waste Management Plan to explore future waste disposal options on the Sunshine Coast
- Resources to support the reservoir projects with the shishalh Nation
Several projects are required to maintain service levels and plan for future demand. These include;
- Most SCRD services require a base budget lift to adjust to inflation and increased cost of goods and services
- Budget for Transit Expansion priorities through 2025
- Major project is required to repair trails and bridges at Cliff Gilker Park
- Upgrades to Mason Road works yard to prepare for electric buses in the Region
- Pressure release valves to optimize water flow for the Church Road Well Field
- Implementation of the Firefighter Compensation Action Plan
- Several vehicle replacements
- Ongoing operations and maintenance at wastewater treatment facilities
In addition to the projects above, the SCRD Board is also moving forward with over $1.8 million in funding to local community partners including the Sechelt and Gibsons Libraries, Sunshine Coast Community Services, Pender Harbour Health Centre and Sunshine Coast Tourism.
Preliminary Property Tax Rates
After Round Two Budget, the following are the preliminary average SCRD tax rates per $100,000 of assessed value of homes.
The figures below are not final and only cover the SCRD portion of your tax bill. If you do not know which area or municipality your home is in, you can search your address via the map linked here.

Taxation Information per $100k of assessed home value
Calculating the preliminary SCRD portion of your tax bill
You can calculate the preliminary 2025 SCRD portion of your tax bill in three steps:
Step 1 – Take the assessed value of your home which can be found here at BC Assessment.
Step 2 – Divide the assessed value of your home by $100,000.
Step 3 – Multiply that figure by the 2025 preliminary amounts outlined above based off your Electoral Area or Municipality.
For example: If your home is worth $800,000 and the preliminary 2025 SCRD tax rate is $200 then the SCRD portion of your tax bill would be 8 x $200 = $1600.
Staying Informed
SCRD Directors will be providing outreach and presentations in their respective areas to ensure that the community can speak directly to those who are making decisions on this year’s budget. These community conversations will continue throughout the budget process, up until the adoption of the financial plan in mid-February.
If you are a member of a community group or organization that would like a presentation from your elected representative, their contact information can be found at www.scrd.ca/electoral-areas-and-municipalities/.
The best way to stay informed on Budget 2025 and ask questions at any time is at letstalk.scrd.ca/budget.
Hopkins Landing Dock Renovation Set to Begin
January 22, 2025
As scheduled, repairs to the Hopkins Landing Dock are set to begin next week, restoring this much-loved community landmark.
Closed since June 2023 due to safety concerns, the dock is now moving forward with necessary upgrades following the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Board’s approval of funding for the project. Extensive community engagement was conducted to ensure the design aligns with input received from the community.
At an open house and through the SCRD’s Let’s Talk project page, community members expressed a strong desire to preserve the dock’s original appearance. In response, the renovation will follow a “like-for-like” design (pictured below), maintaining the dock’s familiar look while improving safety and resilience.
Materials will begin arriving on-site the week of January 24th, stored on a barge and at the foot of Hopkins Road. No road closures are expected, though some areas around the dock will be fenced off for public safety.
Construction will begin the last week of January and is expected to be completed by the end of February. Timelines are subject to weather and tidal conditions
Stay Up to Date
Project updates will be shared on the Let’s Talk project page and the SCRD’s Facebook page.
Explore the Sunshine Coast from Above!
January 14, 2025
You can now explore the Sunshine Coast from above in higher resolution than ever before!
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), in partnership with the District of Sechelt and the Town of Gibsons, is excited to announce that the latest 2024 orthophoto imagery is now available.
An orthophoto is an aerial image that has been referenced to real-world coordinates, so each pixel in the photo can be accurately located. The imagery is typically collected every three to four years to ensure that maps remain accurate and up to date.
This partnership made it possible to collect higher-resolution imagery in developed areas, to seamlessly blend with standard-resolution imagery across the rest of the region for a smooth and consistent viewing experience.
Captured during the spring and summer of 2024, the updated imagery offers a clear and detailed view of the Sunshine Coast.
Residents can explore the updated map here, to view the Sunshine Coast from a whole new perspective.
Join the Conversation – Coopers Green Park Enhancements
January 10, 2025
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) invites you to an open house for the Coopers Green Park Enhancements project.
The event offers an opportunity for the community to review feedback gathered from a recent community survey and explore exciting design concepts that have been developed for the park.
Survey Responses
The SCRD received 471 responses to the recent community survey, reflecting the community’s priorities for park improvements. The summary of these responses can be found by clicking here.
The response from the community indicated that the most popular areas for enhancement at the park include washroom facilities and areas for social gatherings and events. Parking at Coopers Green Park and the preservation of the natural beauty of the area also ranked high.
Open House
When: Tuesday January 28, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Seaside Centre, 5790 Teredo Street, Sechelt
Join SCRD staff and the project’s landscape architect to view and discuss design options for the park. These designs highlight themes that align with the $600,000 budget for enhancements. Can’t attend in person? No problem! The design options will be available on the Let’s Talk project page just before the open house, where you can also provide your feedback.
Out of Scope
A reminder that two features of the park are not in scope of this project. These include the boat ramp and the hall. A separate planning project is set to get underway for the boat ramp and the SCRD is currently in discussions with a third party to take on the operations of the hall.
You can stay up to date on this project at letstalk.scrd.ca/coopers-green.
Contact Us
Aidan Buckley
Manager, Communications and Engagement
Phone: 604-885-6800 Ext. 6123
Cellular: 604-885-8052
Email: aidan.buckley@scrd.ca