Several Key Projects Moving Forward in the Region in the Second Quarter

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has released its 2025 second quarter reports covering work done from April through to June, highlighting progress on several key projects for the region by department.  

Community Services 

Halfmoon Bay Community Hall Construction: Site preparation and foundational work are underway. Utility upgrades are complete, and a landscape consultant has been hired. This project, due for completion later in 2026, will provide a brand-new space for events, meetings and social gatherings available for the entire community on the Sunshine Coast. 

Seaview Cemetery Site Work: Work has begun on adding new ground burial plots and columbaria within the existing operating area at Seaview Cemetery. The purpose of this project is to meet the community’s near-term burial needs. This project is expected to be completed by end of 2025.

Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility Planning: In partnership with BC Transit, planning continues for a new operations facility and temporary offsite satellite parking. This infrastructure investment aims to boost regional transit capacity and operational efficiency in response to future service demands.

Dock Renovations: Renovations for Hopkins Landing dock are on track, with construction set for fall 2025. Planning for float replacement will begin later this year. Renovations to the Keats Landing dock are set for fall 2025 to reinstate vehicular traffic loads on the dock. 

2025 Transit Service Expansion: Extra trips connecting Langdale and Sechelt (Route 90) on weekends commenced in June 2025.  Route 90 and handyDART will see service increases in early 2026, pending new bus arrivals. Weekday Route 90 frequency will shift to every 30 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Corporate and Administrative Services 

Hybrid Meeting and Boardroom Upgrades: A new audio-visual system went live on June 12, 2025, enhancing hybrid public meetings in the Administration Building Boardroom.

2025–2029 Financial Plan Adoption: The SCRD adopted Budget Bylaw and Financial Plan 772 in mid-February. The plan outlines corporate priorities and financial direction for five years.

Maintaining COR Certification: HR prepared for the July 2025 Certificate of Recognition audit to retain certification, with the Health & Safety Coordinator completing internal auditor training. 

Emergency and Protective Services 

911 Communications Infrastructure Upgrade: The 911 Emergency Telephone System is undergoing vital upgrades. Five new radio frequencies have been successfully acquired to improve redundancy and support future radio enhancements.

FireSmart Fuel Treatment and Community Resiliency: The FireSmart Program is actively conducting extensive fuel treatments across the region, removing significant amounts of debris. A major milestone was achieved for the FireSmart program with the region’s first Certified FireSmart Home.

Paid-on-Call Firefighter Transition: A significant transition is underway for the SCRD Fire Departments with the Paid-on-Call (POC) project, aiming to improve personnel recruitment and retention. Payroll and Human Resources support went live on August 1, 2025, marking a key shift in firefighter compensation. 

Regional Fire Department Training: Regional fire departments are collaborating on joint training programs to enhance skills and interoperability. These include a regional recruit bootcamp, live fire training, and participation in large-scale wildfire exercises like Operation Peak Preparedness, strengthening regional emergency response capabilities. 

Infrastructure Services 

Water Meter Installation – Phase 3 (District of Sechelt)
83% of the 4,500 water meters are now installed in the District of Sechelt. This project will enable future volumetric billing and long-term water sustainability through leak detection and conservation. 

Sechelt | shíshálh Hospital Wellfield Development – Phase 1B
This regional project aims to confirm and develop a viable groundwater source through larger test wells. Engagement with the shíshálh Nation and provincial regulators is ongoing. 

Chapman Creek Water Treatment Plant UV Upgrade – Phase 2
This $1.9 million project adds redundancy to the existing UV disinfection system to meet provincial health regulations. Construction is on schedule, with site work expected in Q3 and full commissioning in 2026. 

Chapman, Edwards, and McNeill Lake Dam Safety Upgrades
This multi-year safety upgrade project is nearing completion, with final valve replacement at Chapman Lake scheduled for summer 2025. 

Solid Waste Management Plan Review and Update
This comprehensive update to the 2011 Solid Waste Management Plan incorporates public feedback and new waste reduction strategies. Draft plan completion is expected in Q4 2025, guiding long-term sustainability across the region. 

Planning and Development 

Official Community Plan (OCP) Renewal
Public engagement launched in June 2025, with summer outreach underway. The project team is integrating technical data, youth input, and growth criteria to guide long-term land use planning. 

Land Use Inventory for Housing
A comprehensive inventory of underutilized lands began in May 2025, identifying potential sites for housing and amenities. The project being done in collaboration with the District of Sechelt includes outreach to public, nonprofit, and faith-based landowners and concludes October 2025. 

Building and Plumbing Bylaw Renewal
A review is underway to identify improvements / updates to both SCRD Building Bylaw No. 687 and SCRD Plumbing Bylaw No. 400. A draft of the bylaw is currently being finalized.  

Coastal Flood Risk Mapping
In partnership with District of Sechelt and the Town of Gibsons s, the SCRD is developing maps showing current and future flood hazards to inform land use planning.  In April, the sustainable development team were at Earth Day in Roberts Creek to chat with the community about this important project.  

The next major update on projects and initiatives will be provided in October.