Next week, May 11 to 17, is Local Government Awareness Week in British Columbia. In honour of this week, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is launching an updated version of the Good Neighbour Guide.

This guide emphasizes the importance of being considerate of neighbors by doing things such as maintaining clean properties, reducing noise pollution, following backyard burning regulations and water conservation regulations, and ensuring pets are well-behaved.

“The first version of the publication was developed nearly a decade ago in 2016,” says Aidan Buckley, SCRD Manager of Communications and Engagement. “Since then, new bylaws and regulations have been adopted, so it was time to give this great resource a much-needed update and provide our community with a revised version of the booklet.”

A copy of the Good Neighbour Guide can be found here or by going to www.scrd.ca and scrolling to the link at the bottom of the page.

The goal of Local Government Awareness Week is to generate awareness and educate communities about the roles and responsibilities of local government and encourage the public to participate in local government processes.

We thank you for doing your part to be a good neighbour!

Home composter rebates are back for another year. The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is giving out rebates of up to $100 to start or expand composting at home. Rebates are available to homeowners from Egmont to West Howe Sound, the islands within the SCRD, and in the municipalities of District of Sechelt, shíshálh Nation Government District and Town of Gibsons.

New application process! Buy – install – apply!

Keep your receipt, pre-approval is not required. Only composters purchased and installed in 2025 will be eligible. Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found at www.scrd.ca/composting or by contacting the SCRD at 604-885-6806 or by email at infrastructure@scrd.ca.

Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2025 or until funding for this year runs out.

Find more information at www.scrd.ca/composting including:

• Eligibility criteria,
• New Application process (including form),
• Resources for choosing a composter that fits the needs of your home, and
• How to mitigate potential wildlife interactions by composting responsibly.

Follows us on Facebook this week for daily tips and to learn more about composting at https://www.facebook.com/sunshinecoastrd.

Questions and completed applications should be sent to infrastructure@scrd.ca.

Each year, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) brings in Stage 1 water conservation regulations on May 1. After successive years of extreme drought, water regulations are more important that ever to secure water supply into late summer and early fall.

The regulations outlined below apply to all SCRD water customers on the Sunshine Coast. If you live in the Town of Gibsons, please visit www.gibsons.ca for water conservation regulations in that water service area.

Regulations define the types of watering and separate plants into three categories: lawns; trees, shrubs, and flowers; and food producing plants. Watering schedules can vary in different water systems across the region.

Stage 1 Watering Schedule

Watering Lawns

Sprinklers, soaker hoses or micro spray can be used to water lawns according to the Stage 1 schedule which is:

• For even numbered addresses, lawn sprinkling is allowed Thursday and Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
• For odd numbered addresses, lawn sprinkling is allowed on Wednesday and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Watering trees, shrubs, flowers and food producing plants

Sprinklers, soaker hoses or micro spray can be used to water trees, shrubs, flowers and food producing plants and trees according to the Stage 1 schedule:

• For even numbered addresses, sprinkling is allowed Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from
• 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• For odd numbered addresses, sprinkling is allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

During Stage 1 water conservation regulations, hand held hoses with nozzles, hand held containers, or drip-irrigation can be used anytime for watering lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers or food producing plants and trees.

Rain sensors are required on all irrigation systems to prevent watering in the rain.

Other uses of water

Pressure washing sidewalks and driveways, windows or exterior building surfaces is permitted only during Stage 1.

Visit www.scrd.ca/water-regulations for further details.

A reminder that staff do not take bylaw complaints by phone. Please submit bylaw complaints using the online form at www.scrd.ca/bylaw-complaint-form. Please note that anonymous or third-party complaints will not be accepted.

Water Supply Update

A water supply update, including the latest information on snowpack levels will be provided at the SCRD’s May 8 Committee of the Whole meeting. You can join that meeting and watch the update at www.scrd.ca/agendas.  

The most recent snow survey conducted in late March showed that snowpack is about average. You can find this info here on the provincial water supply page. 

On behalf of the Sunshine Coast Regional District Board, I want to express our profound sorrow and deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those lost at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver. Our hearts also go out to the broader Filipino community and to everyone shaken by this terrible tragedy.

Community festivals should always be places of joy, safety, and connection. These are moments where we gather to lift each other up and share in what unites us, and to have such a day end in heartbreak is deeply painful for all of us.

As a community, we mourn alongside you. We send our thoughts, our sympathy, and our support to all those grieving this unimaginable loss.

Alton Toth,
SCRD Board Chair

Utility bills for 2025 are being mailed out to Sunshine Coast property owners who receive water, wastewater and curbside collection service from the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD). 

Here is some further information about this year’s bill, including how you can pay and where you can ask questions about your bill. 

Rates
This year’s rates can be found at www.scrd.ca/utility-bill and at letstalk.scrd.ca/utility-bill 

How to pay
You can pay your utility bill online by visiting www.scrd.ca/pay and selecting ‘Utility Bills’ on the menu that is provided. All you need to pay is your address and a credit card.  

There are several other ways to pay which are all outlined at www.scrd.ca/utility-bill. 

Questions about your utility bill
Last year, hundreds of calls and emails were received by the SCRD from the community in relation to utility bills.  

Our staff aim to respond to enquiries within 72-hours. Members of the public attending the front counter at the main Field Road office may experience a delay while staff deal with other enquiries. 

The SCRD has a respectful workplace policy, and the safety and wellbeing of our staff is our primary concern.  The SCRD asks that members of the community be respectful when speaking with staff. Any foul or disparaging language will not be tolerated and will result in a call being terminated immediately. Residents attending front counter in person should be aware that our staff will immediately cease any conversations that become adversarial in nature.  

You can also ask questions about your bill at letstalk.scrd.ca/utility-bill.  

Other questions
Information on options to pay monthly and deadlines for payments will be available on the bill. You can also check out the frequently asked questions that are listed at www.scrd.ca/utility-bill. 

Volumetric Billing
In your utility bill, you will find an insert with information on volumetric billing. This is a new way of billing for water that will be introduced for North and South Pender residents in 2026 and for residents on the Regional Water service in 2027. You can learn more about this project at letstalk.scrd.ca/water-billing.  

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is preparing for the start of the annual Islands Clean Up program, a residential garbage and recycling collection service for island residences on Anvil, Gambier, Keats, and surrounding islands, Thormanby, Trail, Hardy and Nelson Islands.

Visit https://letstalk.scrd.ca/islands-cleanup. to learn more about the:

Schedule

Events are planned for July and August. We are currently planning for three weekends of events (instead of the usual four) July 12, July 26-27 and August 16-17. This will include events scheduled on Sundays.

Materials Collected

Every year we will collect garbage and household recyclables and scrap metal for recycling.

This year’s special items for collection are paint, propane tanks, tires and large batteries.

We are not collecting mattresses, boxsprings, fridges and freezers.

Pro tip: if your appliance is NOT a fridge/freezer, we will take it as scrap metal every year.

Registration

Flag stop events require registration – registration will open next week.

Special items will be accepted on a first come first served basis and will depend on the available room.

Register, review the schedule and find information on accepted items at https://letstalk.scrd.ca/islands-cleanup.

Annual maintenance pool closures will take place as usual this Summer as the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) works to extend the life of the facilities and minimize unexpected closures throughout the year.

During these closures, water is drained from the wet areas (pool, hot tub etc.) of some of the facilities so that the maintenance work can be completed.

The pool closures are scheduled to ensure that at least two pools are open to the public at any one time.

Closure Dates

Sechelt Aquatic Centre – The pool, wet areas and change rooms will be closed from Sunday, June 1 to Tuesday, July 1, re-opening on Wednesday, July 2. The weight room and fitness studio will be open except on three Sundays: June 15, 22 and 29, when the whole facility (pool, wet areas, weight room and fitness studio) will be closed. www.scrd.ca/sechelt-pool/

Gibsons and District Aquatic Facility – The entire facility will be closed from Wednesday, July 2 to Tuesday, July 22, re-opening on Wednesday, July 23. www.scrd.ca/gibsons-pool/

Pender Harbour Aquatic and Fitness Centre – The entire facility will be closed from Saturday, August 2 to Monday, September 1 re-opening on Tuesday, September 2. www.scrd.ca/pender-pool/

What work is being done?

Lots of work is planned during the closures. Ongoing maintenance of boilers and pumps will be carried out at all three pools. As will painting and tile and grout work.

At Pender pool, the sauna will be getting some attention. Maintenance will be completed on lights throughout the building at the Gibsons pool, and repairs to the big red slide at the Sechelt pool are planned to take place while the facility is closed.

The SCRD understands that not having the pools available can cause an inconvenience, especially to families and to those who are daily visitors to our facilities. We appreciate our community’s understanding while vital work takes place to ensure our facilitates can remain in great shape year-round.

Stay updated on these closures at www.scrd.ca/recreation.

Due to ongoing staffing challenges, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is adjusting Sunday hours at the Sechelt and Gibsons pools, effective April 20, 2025. These changes are expected to last until the end of May.

Changes are as follows:

• Sechelt Aquatic Centre: Pool area will be closed on Sundays. Weight room will remain available Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Stay up to date on these changes at scrd.ca/sechelt-pool/
  
• Gibsons and District Aquatic Facility: Will be open Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Stay up to date on these changes at scrd.ca/gibsons-pool/

We appreciate the community’s understanding as we work to address staffing constraints and continue to deliver safe and enjoyable recreation services.

The SCRD has recently hired new aquatic staff who are currently in training. Additionally, SCRD recently hosted lifeguard training which should hopefully increase the number of people available to apply for lifeguard positions with the SCRD.

The SCRD is also planning aquatic leadership course to become a Lifeguard or Instructor this summer. Registration opens June 4.

Updates will be shared on our website and social media channels as they become available.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is announcing the temporary suspension of the Food Waste Drop-off Pilot Program at the Pender Harbour Transfer Station, effective May 1, 2025. 

Despite requesting proposals to continue the service, none were received. As such, the SCRD was unable to secure a new service provider after the current contract expires on April 30, 2025.  

“The main reason the program was discontinued is that not enough people took part in it, making it too expensive to keep running,” says Marc Sole, Manager, Solid Waste Services. “The fees collected were only covering 25% of the costs which is not enough to sustain the service.” 

Food waste is recyclable and throwing it in the garbage not only increases the release of green house gases but also reduces the usable space in the Sechelt Landfill.  There are regulations in place that require food waste and other recyclables to be separated from garbage and Pender Harbour Transfer Station site users are able to make use of the following options:  

• Self-haul food waste to Salish Soils in Sechelt. 

• Compost food waste at home. 

• Pay for private collection services, if available. 

The SCRD will continue exploring alternatives for food waste diversion at Pender Harbour and will present any new options to the Board for consideration. Home composter rebates will be available in May. Visit www.scrd.ca/composting to learn more. 

Residents will be informed about the change before April 30, 2025, through notices at the Transfer Station, in the local newspaper and online channels. 

You can also visit www.scrd.ca/transfer-station/ for more information.