The Provincial Coastal Fire Centre has advised that as of noon on Wednesday, August 28, the campfire ban is being lifted for the Sunshine Coast.

Even though the ban is being lifted, Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Fire Chiefs are asking for continued diligence, particularly with dry weather in the forecast should you be considering having a campfire. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that burning is done in a safe and responsible manner and in accordance with regulations.

Reminders about campfires:

1. A campfire is defined as any fire smaller than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide.
2. Never light a campfire or keep it burning in windy conditions. Weather can change quickly, and the wind may carry embers to other combustible material.
3. Maintain a fireguard around your campfire. This is a fuel-free area where all flammable materials (grass, leaves, kindling, etc.) have been removed right down to the mineral soil.
4. Never leave a fire unattended.
5. Make sure that any fire is completely extinguished, and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.
6. It is the responsibility of everyone to check local regulations and conditions prior to lighting any fire.

While campfires will be allowed on the Sunshine Coast, Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited, including the use of fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels and burn cages. Open burning is restricted at all times within the Town of Gibsons.

Please contact your local fire department for more information at www.scrd.ca/fire-departments

Late last year, Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and BC Transit staff checked in with the community as part of a review of the handyDART service. Focus groups took place in the community and feedback on the handyDART service was received through a survey.

A recap on all of this engagement can be in the summary linked here.  The intent of the engagement was to help guide recommendations for handyDART service improvements as well as future service expansion priorities.

Great news! All of the feedback received by the SCRD and BC Transit has helped to shape an expansion of the service here on the Sunshine Coast!

Starting September 3, 2024, weekday service will be extended by half an hour, with the service running from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Saturday service will now be increased and available from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday handyDART service is being introduced, also from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The SCRD is very grateful to everyone who took part and had their say on handyDART.

Further information, including a link to an updated riders guide for BC Transit users on the Sunshine Coast can be found here.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), along with other local governments on the Sunshine Coast are working on several projects to increase water supply.

This is the August update on projects and initiatives underway in the Region.  Last month’s update can be found here.

Many of these initiatives are being moved forward through a Water Supply Technical Working Group. This group meets regularly and includes representatives from the SCRD, the District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons, shíshálh Nation and the Provincial Government.

Projects

Water Meter Program

The residential portion of the water meter installation program has been underway for almost five months in the District of Sechelt. This project will see over 4,000 meters installed by next year. Once in place, these meters will greatly assist with leak detection in the system and will also provide the community with valuable information about their own water use.

To date, over 2000 meters have been installed. Just last week, a major leak of just under 60,000 litres per day, identified as part of the water meter program was fixed, saving millions of litres of community drinking water each month.

Lower Crown Raw Water Reservoir

There is no substantial update on this project at this time. The following is what has been provided in prior updates.

The feasibility of this project is still being confirmed in collaboration with the shíshálh Nation.  With over one million dollars in grant funding from the Provincial Government, shíshálh Nation and the SCRD are confirming the technical feasibility of this project and the costs for the SCRD service participants associated with the operation of the reservoir.

A decision is pending on grant applications for funding of the construction costs for this project. If funding confirmation is received, the SCRD Board and the service participants will be engaged to determine if this project will proceed.

Environmental Flow Needs (EFN)

The SCRD releases 200 litres of water per second from Chapman Lake, into Chapman Creek to maintain the health of the ecosystem. This is provided in addition to the water for community use.

Earlier in the summer, the SCRD sought approval from the shíshálh Nation on a proposal to amend the current EFN. The SCRD was informed that the shíshálh Nation is not supportive of the proposal, so EFN will stay at 200 litres of water per second during the summer of 2024.

shíshálh Nation has committed to working with the SCRD and the Provincial Government to confirm if the EFN can be reduced without impacting the salmon populations in 2025 and 2026.

Siphons

The SCRD has received approval from the shíshálh Nation to use the siphons at Chapman and Edwards Lakes until late summer 2025. The associated applications are being submitted to the Provincial Government for continued use of the siphons.

These siphons are vital to maintaining the Environmental Flow Needs of Chapman Creek as well as summer water supply. They are used to access water from Chapman Lake and Edwards Lake during Stage 4 water conservation regulations.

Groundwater wells – Sechelt

The SCRD has initiated another phase of groundwater investigations to explore the feasibility of supplementing the Chapman Water System with a new groundwater source. This investigation focuses on the Sechelt area, with five identified sites where test wells will be drilled and two additional sites where established wells are located.

Pump tests started in early August on two of the established wells at Cliff Gilker Park and at the Sunshine Coast Arena. These tests will establish whether there is enough yield from these wells for community consumption.

Another five wells will be drilled in the coming months. If results of test wells are favourable, and if the required funding is secured, the next phase would be applications for license(s), design & engineering and permitting of production wells in the chosen location(s).

North and South Pender Harbour Areas

There are several projects underway in North and South Pender areas.

Vital safety upgrades have begun at McNeil lake dam and the project is anticipated to be completed by October 2024.

Construction underway at McNeil Lake dam

In addition to the above, the SCRD has issued a request for proposal for the design and construction of an upgraded treatment process for the water treatment plant for the Cove Cay water system.

There are also two projects approved by the Board to support water supply for the South Pender Water System. A study to confirm the necessity and feasibility of several options to improve water supply for the system and a study to confirm the potential to connect the North Pender and South Pender Water Systems. This project will begin later in the year.

Water Map Resource

The SCRD has developed a map to show where water projects are taking place on the Sunshine Coast. The map can be found here. Users can click on any of the locations / icons on the map and learn about each project. This information will be updated as more information becomes available on these projects and as they progress further.

You can learn more and ask questions at any time about water projects under way in the region at letstalk.scrd.ca/water.

Due to operational reasons at the Sechelt Landfill, the SCRD is temporarily suspending drywall disposal at the site.

Drywall will not be accepted from Friday August 16 to Tuesday August 27.

The SCRD understands that this causes an inconvenience to both business and residential customers of the site and appreciates their understanding at this time.

Drywall is still being accepted at the Pender Harbour Transfer Station. Directions and further information on this site are available at www.scrd.ca/transfer-station/.

As we get set for warmer temperatures in the region this weekend, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is reminding the community to please keep water conservation top of mind.

This week’s rain has made a difference to the water supply situation. Chapman Lake rose five centimetres and the entire watershed got a good soaking too. The water use on the Chapman Water System has been lower compared to previous weeks.

Water use has also remained lower than last year on the South Pender Harbour Water system which has ensured the SCRD has stayed within the licensed limit for McNeil Lake.

These are all really positive actions and the SCRD is grateful to the entire community for conserving water through this summer.

However, our water systems are mostly rain dependent and with no rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future, every action taken by the community can make a difference. Whether it’s small actions such as taking a shorter shower or bigger actions like only using the water you really need in your garden, all actions add up.

For our part, the SCRD has been focused this summer on having large leaks on private properties fixed, including those that have been detected as part of the ongoing water meter installation project in Sechelt. In the past two weeks, four large leaks have been resolved, saving 86,000 litres of water per day. If you have been watching the Olympics, the amount of water saved just by fixing those four leaks is the equivalent of a full Olympic sized swimming pool per month!

There are lots of places to stay up to date not only on the summer water supply situation, but also on projects underway in the region to increase water supply.

Stay up to date

• Stay informed on conservation and water supply at scrd.ca/water-updates.
• See where projects are underway in the region to increase water supply by clicking on this map.

Current water conservation regulations

• North Pender Harbour and South Pender Harbour remain at Stage 1
• The Chapman Water System is at Stage 2
• As of today, users on the Eastbourne system on Keats Island are at Stage 3.

Unsure of what water system you are in? Search your address on this map.

If you live in the Town of Gibsons, please visit www.gibsons.ca for water conservation regulations in that water service area.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has changed how yard and waste loads are being handled at green waste depots. Changes have been made to clarify which yard and garden waste loads are free and which will be charged a tipping fee of $86 per tonne.

The changes

There is no longer a distinction between commercial and residential, only the volume of the material or weight will be used to determine what is accepted at certain sites. This means small scale green waste businesses can use the South Coast Green Waste site on Henry Road on behalf of residents. Larger scale operations will still need to go to Salish Soils in Sechelt.

The changes can be summarized as:

At the South Coast Green Waste site, the maximum load accepted is four cubic meters in volume. This is approximately what fits in the back of a standard eight foot pickup truck bed. For larger loads the closest facility would be Salish Soils in Sechelt.

At the Pender Harbour Transfer Station, loads that weigh more than 0.5 tonnes will be charged $86 per tonne and subject to the $5 minimum. If less than 0.5 tonnes in weight, there is no charge.

If you are a resident that contracts out yard waste services, your contractor may use the south coast site to drop off the materials, if they are under the 4 cubic meter limit for all materials in their load. It is up to the resident to verify the appropriate charges with their contractor.

Please check the website before you plan to drop off at www.scrd.ca/green-waste.

Update: August 23, 2024

Due to technical issues, the online water quality advisory information session, mentioned in the news release below did not post to YouTube. In order to ensure that the information provided in the session in early August is available to the community, staff from the SCRD and VCH have re-recorded the session and it is available to view by clicking here.

Original News Release

Recent changes from Vancouver Coast Health (VCH) have resulted in the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) issuing water quality advisories for some water users on SCRD water systems.

These water quality advisories are in place in the Cove Cay water service year-round and in Sandy Hook / Tuwanek during Stage 3 and Stage 4 water conservation regulations. The Sandy Hook / Tuwanek area is currently in Stage 2 Water Conservation Regulations.

The water quality advisories have been brought into effect because Cove Cay is serviced by surface water from Ruby Lake, and during Stage 3 and Stage 4, Sandy Hook / Tuwanek will be serviced by surface water from Gray Creek. These water sources do not receive ultraviolet light treatment so VCH has advised the SCRD that advisories must be issued.

Affected residents will be informed directly by mail in the coming days. These mailouts can be found linked below.

Cove Cay
Click to view mailout for Cove Cay
Click to view map of affected area.

Sandy Hook / Tuwanek (only in place during Stage 3 / Stage 4 Water Conservation Regulations)
Click to view mailout for Sandy Hook / Tuwanek
Click to view map of affected area.

Information contained in these mailouts is also listed below.

Why is this being done now, why has it not been in place before?

All across VCH other water systems in this situation (with surface water and only one form of treatment) have been requested to issue Water Quality Advisories for users on these systems.

In recent years, there has been a push from VCH’s Regional Water Safety Committee for consistency of application of Water Quality Advisories.  This undertaking was done in consultation and review by VCH Medical Health Officers.  Issuance of Water Quality Advisories under these circumstances is widely considered a best practice in risk management.

What does a Water Quality Advisory mean?

A Water Quality Advisory means the risk is low, however some water users are advised to take extra precautions when ingesting the water.

Who should take extra precautions?

For individuals with very weak immune systems or pregnant, the increased health risks associated with protozoa parasites can have serious, even life-threatening, implications which makes it imperative for them to adhere to this Water Quality Advisory.

What should these people do?

Water intended for the following uses should be brought to a full boil for one minute and cooled prior to use:

• Drinking
• Washing fruits and vegetables
• Making beverages or ice
• Brushing teeth

Alternatively, water may be obtained from another source which has been fully treated (e.g. commercially bottled water).

What is being done to improve water treatment for at Gray Creek and Cove Cay?

A project is underway to look at potential upgrades to the treatment plant at Gray Creek. In 2022, a three-year study was launched to gather creek flow data, update watershed modelling, and assess the viability of the water source through a climate change lens. The results of this study will be completed in 2025 and presented to the SCRD Board for consideration.

A project is underway to confirm and design the required upgrades to the water treatment at Cove Cay. The design for upgrades to water treatment will go to tender in the coming weeks and construction of these upgrades will be completed in 2025.

Information Session

The SCRD and VCH will host an information session for residents who may have further questions about the water quality advisories. Details on this session are below.

Date: Wednesday August 7, 2024
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Join by clicking here. Watch the session by clicking here.

Further information and advice can be found at HealthLinkBC.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), along with other local governments on the Sunshine Coast are working on several projects to increase water supply.

This is the July update on projects and initiatives underway in the Region.  Last month’s update can be found here.

Many of these initiatives are being moved forward through a Water Supply Technical Working Group. This group meets monthly and includes representatives from the SCRD, the District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons, shíshálh Nation and the Provincial Government.

Projects

Water Meter Program

The residential portion of the water meter installation program has been underway for four months in the District of Sechelt. This project will see over 4,000 meters installed by next year. Once in place, these meters will greatly assist with leak detection in the system and will also provide the community with valuable information about their own water use.

To date, over 1800 meters have been installed and several leaks identified. Two of these recently installed meters have resulted in the detection of major leaks of 3.2 million litres per month. These leaks have since been resolved.

Lower Crown Raw Water Reservoir

There is no substantial update on this project at this time. The following is what has been provided in the last two updates.

The feasibility of this projects project is still being confirmed in collaboration with the shíshálh Nation.  With over one million dollars in grant funding from the Provincial Government, shíshálh Nation and the SCRD are confirming the technical feasibility of this project and the costs for the SCRD service participants associated with the operation of the reservoir.

A decision is pending on grant applications for funding of the construction costs for this project. If funding confirmation is received, the SCRD Board and the service participants will be engaged to determine if this project will proceed.

Environmental Flow Needs (EFN)

The SCRD releases 200 litres of water per second from Chapman Lake, into Chapman Creek to maintain the health of the ecosystem. This is provided in addition to the water for community use.

The SCRD sought approval from the shíshálh Nation on a proposal to amend the current EFN for early Summer. The SCRD has been informed that the shíshálh Nation is not supportive of the proposal, so EFN will stay at 200 litres of water per second during the summer of 2024.

shíshálh Nation has committed to working with the SCRD and the Provincial Government to confirm if the EFN can be reduced without impacting the salmon populations in 2025.

Siphons

The SCRD has received approval from the shíshálh Nation to use the siphons at Chapman and Edwards Lakes until late summer 2025. The associated applications are being submitted to the Provincial Government for continued use of the siphons.

These siphons are vital to maintaining the Environmental Flow Needs of Chapman Creek as well as summer water supply. They are used to access water from Chapman Lake and Edwards Lake during Stage 4 water conservation regulations.

Groundwater wells – Sechelt

The SCRD has initiated another phase of groundwater investigations to explore the feasibility of supplementing the Chapman Water System with a new groundwater source. This investigation focuses on the Sechelt area, with five identified sites where test wells will be drilled.

The SCRD recently received support from the shíshálh Nation for the drilling of the test wells on the selected sites and drilling is projected to start in August. If results of test wells are favourable, and if the required funding is secured, the next phase would be applications for license(s), design & engineering and permitting of production wells in the chosen location(s)

North and South Pender Harbour Water Systems

There are several projects underway in North and South Pender water service areas.

Many of these projects are focused on maintenance and replacement of water infrastructure. For example, several water main upgrades, upgrades to McNeil Lake dam and the design of a brand new water treatment plant for Garden Bay. The water main replacements could reduce water main breaks and associated leaks for both systems. Work will begin on the upgrades to McNeil Lake dam in August.

There are also two projects recently approved by the Board to support water supply for the South Pender Water System. A study to confirm the necessity and feasibility of several options to improve water supply for the system and a study to confirm the potential to connect the North Pender and South Pender Water Systems. This project will begin later in the year.

Reminder – Water Map Resource

The SCRD has developed a map to show where water projects are taking place on the Sunshine Coast. The map can be found here. Users can click on any of the locations / icons on the map and learn about each project. The map will be updated as more information becomes available on these projects and as they progress further.

You can learn more and ask questions at any time about water projects under way in the region at letstalk.scrd.ca/water.

Changes are coming to some recreation fees in the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD).

Starting August 1, 2024, a five percent increase on recreation facility rental rates will be introduced. This covers arenas, pools and multi-purpose/community rooms. Community hall rentals and sports fields are unaffected.

This is happening because of the adoption of a new recreation services fees and charges bylaw.

The recommended five per cent increase was decided after a review concluded that there had not been any increases for years and the fees being charged are not keeping pace with the increased operational costs to provide the service. SCRD facility rental rates have been amongst the lowest in the Province.

This is all part of a multi year approach to bring SCRD recreation fees in line with industry standards. In 2025, rates for facility rentals, admissions and passes will increase by 5% and in 2026, facility rentals rates will increase a further 5%.

“Updating fees and charges will allow the SCRD to continue to deliver high quality recreation services to the residents of the Sunshine Coast, better align program and service delivery with operating costs, and meet rising levels of inflation,” says Graeme Donn, Manager of Recreation Services.

But it’s not all about increases! The adoption of the new fees and charges bylaw has also brought some other great changes:

• Getting set to celebrate a birthday? The birthday party package fee for kids six to twelve has decreased by $20 to $30.
• Have children under the age of two? While we know they may not be ready to hit the weights at the gym or slide on skates at the hockey arenas, they can now access recreation services and facilities for free.
• Children and youth can now purchase an annual pass for $39 on their own without needing an adult to also have a valid pass.
• Picked up a10 Visit MYPASS that can be used at any facility? As of August 1, you’ll get a free locker token included with your pass!

The SCRD has also been in direct contact with user groups affected by the increase in rental fees throughout this past year.

Learn more about the range of programming offered by the SCRD at www.scrd.ca/recreation