SOS has sent the following letter to Mayor and Councilor Candidates in this year’s Municipal Election (on October 20, 2018). This letter reflects serious issues that SOS has identified related to the waterfront and foreshore. Starting October 8, 2018, the replies to the letter, from DNV Candidates will be posted on this SOS Website. We hope that this information will help you decide who you will give your vote and support to in the upcoming election.
Replies are below:
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Mike Little
On Oct 4, 2018, at 6:16 PM, Mike Little <mike@mikelittle.ca> wrote:
As you know I have been a long-time supporter of Save Our Shores and have been a regular participant in your annual walks. Yes, I agree that opening up more street ends and pocket parks can help ease the pressure on Deep Cove and Cates and I will look for strategic opportunities to do that. Increasing Marine Pump Out stations may be a solution, but without enforcement in place we already have people dumping waste within a short trip to a pump out. I think we should have a few hi res cameras covering the harbor area, give out tickets, and shame the owners in their respective clubs and marinas. I recently spoke with a representative from Pacific Streamkeepers and they have forwarded a large amount of information about the Tertiary treatment option and it looks compelling, but I have more research to do, and need to talk to the Metro representatives to hear their concerns.
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Zo Ann Morten
On Oct 2, 2018, at 2:02 PM, Zo Ann Morten <zoannmorten2018@gmail.com> wrote:
To ease the pressure on our over-used waterfront parks and beaches?
We need to have a better understanding of where / what wildlife needs are. Recently the North Shore Streamkeepers but in off channel habitat for rearing juvenile salmon and for holding pools for adult salmon. This area will have a viewing area for us humans to see what is happening but will be set up as a conservation area. Our waterways are being "loved to death" putting areas aside for conservation will help to serve as educational platforms as to why we don't touch and tromp, on habitat, we have areas such as the Maplewood mudflats which is marvellous, we can add to this, portions of each of our parks and wild spaces to be set aside for nature. Pathways on one side of creeks with the other side strictly for wildlife would help. One person for one time seems like nothing but as we count the individuals we soon find there is much more activity then we first imagined. We could look at adding water type features to our local parks, add logs, rocks, water... all the ingredients of the ocean right at your neighbourhood park without the concern of stepping on wildlife.
To increase the number of Marine Pump Out Stations on our waterfront? This will take cooperation of many. Work with others to determine policy that speaks to how many pump stations are needed for X number of boats to have a healthy eco system, how far will people travel to pump out? then count the boats and work to ensure appropriate pump stations as determined in this new policy. I looked at your website to see who you are working with on this concern but couldnt see articles on pump stations.
To have the domestic sewage discharged in to the waters near the Lions Gate Bridge treated to the tertiary level as other major Canadian cities do? I support the Lions Gate Bridge treatment plant being built to tertiary level. Build for the future. (which is near)
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Robin Hicks
On Sep 30, 2018, at 5:24 PM, Robin Hicks <robinhicks@shaw.ca> wrote:
Overuse of Waterfront parks: I completely support the opening up of street ends and in particular the encroachments on public land. I am aware of significant structures both of building additions on District Land and onto the waterfront. To the extent possible we are charging a lease rent to property owners who own these buildings, but I do not think we have been forceful enough on street ends. The number of encroachments outside of waterfront areas is substantial and we need to be moving more aggressively on these situations also.
Pump out stations: I am aware of the increased number of boats of all kinds, including illegal live a boards in Deep Cove , that are not using pump out facilities for their sewage. As I am not knowledgeable of the number and location of pump -out stations, I would commit to researching our current practises and identifying where deficiencies exist.
Sewer Treatment Plant …..Tertiary Treatment: I have been involved with the initial analysis , specifically financial , and the iterative design of the new Lions Gate Sewage Treatment Plant ( in fact I am at a North American Conference currently on sewage treatment) for the past 8 years sitting on Metro Vancouver's Utility Committee. I did press for discharge into the harbour adjacent to the location of the new plant, but the financial analysis and impact on user rates were significant. Capital costs were estimated in several hundreds of millions of dollars. The most cost-efficient approach was to continue using the existing outfall and discharging into the outer harbour where the current would dissipate the outflow. My vote was for tertiary treatment but the overall vote from the Committee and the Metro Board was for the now current proposal. The whole of Metro votes, even for a North Shore Facility, and when the staff recommendation that secondary treatment complies with Federal Legislation and the costs differential is so great, the outcome was inevitable. We have two more plants coming on stream, one on Iona Island and the other in North Langley. I believe the quality of effluent in the Langley Plant will be much higher, I am not sure of the technology, because of discharge into the Fraser.
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Barry Forward
On Oct 2, 2018, at 8:02 AM, Barry Forward <electbarry@voteforward.ca> wrote:
1. We must create opportunities for the public to visit the waterfront other than the current high traffic public access points. As west coasters we a drawn to the water and creating better beach access points throughout the District would help ease the pressure.
2. Make sure there is at least one pump out station at every marina and at least two at the fuel docks.
3. Ensure that Council works together to push for tertiary treatment of our sewage at UBCM and with our municipal neighbours (City of NV, West Van, and the Squamish Nation), and senior levels of government. We must be unified on this.
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Betty Forbes
On Oct 1, 2018, at 11:41 PM, Betty Forbes <bkaf@shaw.ca> wrote:
Question 1: Waterfront street ends belong to the public and no residence should impinge on the land that belongs to the public. I have walked a lot of these street ends and many have become part of private yards, private parking, over grown etc. The signs that designate a lot of these street ends are missing. I would make sure that the DNV puts up proper signage on all street ends, and clears all the debris and overgrowth to make them welcoming pathways to the waterfront for all. This would allow the public to have access to the waterfront in many locations and ease the overuse at a few locations. Continuous scheduled maintenance by the DNV should be done. I would enforce the bylaws governing this access at street ends and issue fines for encroaching on these public street ends.
Question 2: With climate warming we have seen our beaches shut down because of e-coli and other contamination. This is caused by flushing raw sewage into our waters. Public docks should have Marine Pump Out Stations in much the same way that recreational trailers and motorhomes have dump stations. This should be mandated by law and hefty fines should be imposed on anyone not complying. This is for the health of not only people, but also marine life, and the eco system.
Question 3: I have as part of my platform to lobby for our new water waste plant to be built at the tertiary level. As a member of the OCP Implementation Monitoring Committee I have also signed a letter sent to the Provincial government that this is not acceptable, and we want a tertiary level plant in North Vancouver District. The difference in cost between secondary and tertiary is around $65 million dollars in today’s dollars and we would have the top technology. This extra cost for a capital project can be amortized over a long period, possibly 60+ years or more, so as not to add an aggreges dollar value to property taxes. Today’s building costs will be cheaper than building costs in the future. As I understand it the current plans allow for an upgrade to tertiary level so let’s just do it from the beginning. The following is an article I wrote on this subject (I also included maps showing that there are no Tertiary Reuse Waste Water plants in Metro Vancouver:
Betty Forbes 4 DNV Council Vote 2018
Published by Betty Forbes ·
September 17 at 1:00 AM ·
NEW WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT DOWN IN PEMBERTON AREA ·
We have the technology to prevent E-coli and other diseases from shutting down our beaches, contaminating the seafood, and sea life, and ultimately this contaminated food source ends up in our grocery stores and served at our restaurants. Although this build will be a step up from our old Primary Effluent wastewater treatment to Secondary Effluent wastewater treatment, it is still not the best & latest technology that is being built elsewhere. Please see the map below that shows that all of Metro Vancouver wastewater treatment plants are either the bottom level of Primary Effluent or one up to Secondary. Both of these plants allow sewage to be slightly "cleaned" and then the sewage is pushed out into our harbour. This is why many beaches around Metro Vancouver were closed to swimming for different periods of time. There are no top of the line technology, currently, such as Tertiary Reuse wastewater plants in Metro Vancouver. Please see attached info explaining the difference between these 3 standards of build. The District of North Vancouver just broke ground today by politicians and stakeholders on a new wastewater plant off of Pemberton Ave. This plant is scheduled to be completed by 2020 at a present-day cost of $700 million dollars. Victoria, B.C. is building a Tertiary Reuse wastewater plant that is also scheduled to be finished by 2020. This is the best system that can be built currently. The present- day cost of this plant, a step above the District of North Vancouver’s plant, comes in at $765 million. The municipal level of government (DNV) has a limited amount of control as to what is built, therefore the argument for not building the best standard might be money. DNV will have a new wastewater plant in 2020, the same time that Victoria will have a new plant, but at a lessor standard. However, a step up from our 1961 wastewater plant. Where were the visionaries when this plant was planned? It will have to last at least 60 years so why aren't we using our latest technology for the sustainability of our water, oceans, recreation beaches, and inevitably the ocean food sources we produce and eat. The extra cost to get the best capital asset could have been amortized over a long period so has to have a nominal increase in taxes.
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Erez Barzilay
On Oct 3, 2018, at 1:29 AM, Erez 4 DNV <erez4dnv@gmail.com> wrote:
To ease the pressure on our over-used waterfront parks and beaches?
I am absolutely open to the idea of better access and careful beach use by all, including pets where appropriate. I would love to learn more about potential opportunities to utilize better waterfront street ends, while increasing the enforcement of restrictions aimed at protecting the environment and wildlife.
To increase the number of Marine Pump Out Stations on our waterfront?
You have my full support for the initiative to increase the use of Marine Pump Out Stations for recreational boating on public or shared docks. Stiff reinforcement should be key. We also strongly believe that increasing tanker traffic into the Indian Arm Fjord mouth is irresponsible. We would like to see all Refineries and Chemical plants phased out from along our shores. Therefore we strongly oppose the proposed pipeline expansion.
To have the domestic sewage discharged in to the waters near the Lions Gate Bridge treated to the tertiary level as other major Canadian cities do?
You have got my support for this as well. Every effort should be taken to use the latest technologies and precautions to secure the environment in general and our marine ways in particular. The first point in our platform reads: ENVIRONMENT AND PERSONAL SAFETY FIRST
● Preserving a healthy environment and protecting the natural beauty of the North Shore is the basis of our future growth process.
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Greg Robins
On Oct 13, 2018, at 9:11 PM, Greg Robins <greg@gregrobins.ca> wrote:
To ease the pressure on our over-used waterfront parks and beaches?
To take a European model, provide more opportunities to use waterfront areas which are a difficult to reach. In Spain and Italy, small pathways and 5 - 10 car parking lots are common along coastal areas to allow people to use the beaches lightly. There are always garbage cans at these locations to avoid trash on the beach and often simple fences to keep people from trampling grasslands. We must also educate people who use the beach. I see many children flipping over rocks to catch crabs, starfish and other sea creatures. This merely upsets the habitat and sets a poor example for future behaviour. Simple signage and reminders about leaving beach life alone would be helpful, easy to implement and inexpensive.
To increase the number of Marine Pump Out Stations on our waterfront?
Pump out stations are useful for those boaters willing to comply. Having been a boater and sailor all my life, I can attest many boat owners may not take the extra leg in a journey to pump out. The stations must be supported by enforcement and education.
To have the domestic sewage discharged in to the waters near the Lions Gate Bridge treated to the tertiary level as other major Canadian cities do?
By pumping raw sewage out into the ocean, we are merely putting the problem somewhere else. With climate change in place, stressing the ocean and our beaches to any extent - when we don’t have to - is simply wrong. I support the plant being built to a tertiary level.
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Megan Curren
On Oct 12, 2018, at 12:39 PM, megan curren <meganpcurren@gmail.com> wrote:
To ease the pressure on our over-used waterfront parks and beaches?
I support unfettered public access to our public beaches and feel that anytime we have opportunities to connect people with nature, we have an opportunity to promote environmental stewardship. I live in Deep Cove and am grateful for the signs marking public access. Bylaw enforcement is important to make sure the public has clear access points.
To increase the number of Marine Pump Out Stations on our waterfront?
As the volume and frequency of boats increases, the number of pump out stations must too. I would like to encourage more public pump out stations (similar to what you find when camping on a road trip). These should be mapped and perhaps an app or something similar could make it easy for boaters to find nearby stations. This should be "boating 101" information with outreach to explain the importance. We also need enforcement and I'd like to see the municipality work closely with the Port. In the Cove there has been a growing concern over dumping and it seems there's a bit of a run-around over jurisdiction/enforcement. Unenforceable or vague policies aren't good enough, we all need to do more to keep our water safe.
To have the domestic sewage discharged in to the waters near the Lions Gate Bridge treated to the tertiary level as other major Canadian cities do?
Our oceans are under attack as never before. From plastics to toxins to overflowing untreated sewage from overwhelmed stormwater, I absolutely support industry best practices and support working with all stakeholders to make Tertiary treatment happen. I'm also concerned with our stormwater being able to handle the increased development and simultaneous climate crisis. The overflows resulting in raw sewage flow are already unacceptable.
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LETTER TO ALL CANDIDATES
As a candidate in this year’s Municipal Election for the District of North Vancouver, we are writing to you to solicit your comments regarding concerns and questions we raise on behalf of supporters and volunteers of Save Our Shores. Our members for the past twenty years, have spent many volunteer hours in trying to raise public awareness to the necessity of the conservation and responsible stewardship of our waterfront and foreshore. More information about SOS, is available on our website nv-saveourshores.ca
As development and population increases on the North Shore, urban pressure has grown considerably, especially in our parks and on our waterfront. Increasingly our waterfront parks such as Panorama Park and Cates Park are being overused. This pressure could be eased considerably, if our waterfront street ends were utilized to provide beach access and other waterfront experiences that could be enjoyed year round. The street ends are usually 66 feet wide though many encroachments restrict public access. If properly opened, some street ends could even accommodate limited parking.
On a broader scale, we the community should be concerned about environmental issues related to the use of the ocean water. The issues related to increased tanker traffic and the very real fear of human error causing an oil spill, that would pollute and degrade the waterfront for years to come should be at the forefront of any decisions made. It is naïve to think Government clean up efforts will restore the environment to its natural state within days should an oil spill or other polluting events occur.
The other environmental issue relates to the lack of Marine Pump Out Stations for recreational boating. Every opportunity to install Pump Out Stations on public or shared docks should be taken and mandated. Stiff fines should be implemented to encourage compliance.
Lastly, we also have very deep concerns over the new Lions Gate Waste Water Treatment Plant. The plant will still flush secondarily treated effluent into our waters twice daily, this is legal but below modern sewage treatment standards. The third and final level of modern sewage treatment technology, tertiary technology, should be implemented now to protect the water and beach environment in the future.
On behalf of our supporters and concerned citizens, we are asking all candidates in this year’s Municipal Election, by email and/or at Candidate’s Meetings, the following questions:
If elected, what would you do:
To ease the pressure on our over-used waterfront parks and beaches?
To increase the number of Marine Pump Out Stations on our waterfront?
To have the domestic sewage discharged in to the waters near the Lions Gate Bridge treated to the tertiary level as other major Canadian cities do?
Your responses can be emailed to nvsoss@gmail.com. We will communicate your answers to our members and/or post on our website, nv-saveourshores.ca
We continue to ask that our Mayor and Council take these concerns seriously and make a genuine effort to help preserve the foreshore and waterfront for the enjoyment and use of this beautiful gift of nature, for this and future generations.
Thank you for your consideration of these important issues for our North Vancouver community.