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North Cowichan award winning Climate Action and Energy Plan
Council adopted a Climate Action and Energy Plan February 20, 2013. The Climate Change Advisory Committee, newly named the Environment Committee, helped develop an Implementation Framework and Terms of Reference which Council approved, October 15th. Our CAEP took a top award from the CEA at UBCM. Watch my presentation here. The Mills family have been have been chosen as the 'winners' of the CommunityforClimate Household Challenge. For more info about the challenge Check it out. Thank you to the Citizen and Shawcable for their generous coverage of the challenge. ************************** Committee Appointments 2016 ************************** Environmental Advisory - Chair Audit Committee of the Whole Parks and Recreation- Chair CVRD - Director Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital Board Corporate Services Regional Services Transit Committee -Vice Chair Outside appointments Regional Community Safety Advisory Commission Success by 6 Social Planning Cowichan Board OUR Cowichan Island Savings Centre Alternate VIRL - Trustee |
North Cowichan is a community of communities,
neighbours working together to make our visions real
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My Vision An aware, safe, involved and resilient community, sharing ideas openly and working collaboratively to make our future strong and secure. My Commitment - Continue to initiate better, earlier and more thorough communication and collaboration with residents, community groups, First Nations, the CVRD, City of Duncan, Ladysmith and senior levels of government. - Continue to work to create real economic health and a more local, resilient and sustainable economy so our children and grandchildren can make their lives here. - Stick to smart growth principles that protect our rural character and make our communities more vibrant. |
- Collaborate with local agencies and lobby senior levels of government to increase affordable housing.
- Encourage the province to work closely with UBCM looking at their Strong Fiscal Futures policy paper on additional funding sources for local governments, to take some of the burden off property taxes.
- Encourage food security initiatives and more local food production which will help support a more local economy.
- Consider in every decision stewardship of the natural environment we all depend on. This is the only way to have true sustainability.
Our municipality is again at a crossroad. Two successive Council's have done the heavy lifting to make tax increases stable and predictable going forward while supporting the kinds of services that attract and keep people. The previous council cut tax increases in half compared to the two prior terms (not counting the tax shift away from heavy industry) The trend is going in the right direction. Can we do better? Hopefully. It depends on what is needed and what comes out of left field. I am not willing to support the draining of reserves to lower taxes. (to me that would be like taking money set aside to keep my home in good shape to buy my groceries or pay for the gas in my car) I support the UBCM's invitation to the provincial government to provide alternative sources of income to lighten the burden on property taxes. Out of the 23 municipalities on Vancouver Island, North Cowichan has the 8th lowest taxes. (2014) Out of the four Catalyst communities, even after our tax shift, North Cowichan has the lowest general taxes.
Going forward every decision has to balance growth with keeping taxes affordable. Every decision has to balance the rights of future generations with the needs of today. We must always consider what we are leaving for our grandchildren, what burdens we might be laying on their shoulders and what doors we are opening for their future and set tax rates accordingly.
What do I bring to the table? Read my bio.
Authorized by Delores Wagg, financial agent, 250-748-3973
If you would like to donate to the campaign, please call Delores. Thank you.
- Encourage the province to work closely with UBCM looking at their Strong Fiscal Futures policy paper on additional funding sources for local governments, to take some of the burden off property taxes.
- Encourage food security initiatives and more local food production which will help support a more local economy.
- Consider in every decision stewardship of the natural environment we all depend on. This is the only way to have true sustainability.
Our municipality is again at a crossroad. Two successive Council's have done the heavy lifting to make tax increases stable and predictable going forward while supporting the kinds of services that attract and keep people. The previous council cut tax increases in half compared to the two prior terms (not counting the tax shift away from heavy industry) The trend is going in the right direction. Can we do better? Hopefully. It depends on what is needed and what comes out of left field. I am not willing to support the draining of reserves to lower taxes. (to me that would be like taking money set aside to keep my home in good shape to buy my groceries or pay for the gas in my car) I support the UBCM's invitation to the provincial government to provide alternative sources of income to lighten the burden on property taxes. Out of the 23 municipalities on Vancouver Island, North Cowichan has the 8th lowest taxes. (2014) Out of the four Catalyst communities, even after our tax shift, North Cowichan has the lowest general taxes.
Going forward every decision has to balance growth with keeping taxes affordable. Every decision has to balance the rights of future generations with the needs of today. We must always consider what we are leaving for our grandchildren, what burdens we might be laying on their shoulders and what doors we are opening for their future and set tax rates accordingly.
What do I bring to the table? Read my bio.
Authorized by Delores Wagg, financial agent, 250-748-3973
If you would like to donate to the campaign, please call Delores. Thank you.
