Terms served 2011 - 2022
Initiated what has come to be known as Council Matter, where citizens sign up to receive an overview of each Council meeting. Initiated Public Input Period at both North Cowichan and the CVRD to hear from the public on agenda items BEFORE a vote is taken.
Assisted in getting a quarter of the million dollars towards the Chemainus Parking lot upgrade.
Supported VIRL building their own buildings on municipally donated land in order to save on rental costs.
Council continued to lobby senior levels of government to increase affordable housing. Last term I floated an Affordable Housing Function with support from From then Chair/Mayor Lefebure through the CVRD Board who attended a series of workshops put on by Cowichan Housing Association, (CHA), ultimately culminating in a Referendum in October 2018.
The majority of Citizens supported this Function. These partnerships attracted senior government funds for social needs in our region, millions in grants to the region.
Worked with the CVRD Board members to go to referendum in the fall to as the residents of the Cowichan Valley for Regional Recreation Finding for our nine major facilities - a user pay system. If the referendum passes North Cowichan will see a savings of several hundreds of thousands of dollars by the end of the three year phase in period.
I promised to advocate for childcare in the last election, this term we became a pilot for the provincial $10 a day Childcare and Council recently supported a grant application for $18,000,000,00 to the Community Childcare New Spaces Fund which if received will support creation of new and replacement childcare spaces for Parkside Childcare Society whose current location is no longer viable.
Moved that Council cover DCC’s and related costs from the Climate and Energy Action Fund (that gained support from a statistical survey in term 2011-2014). This helped the non-profit Cowichan Green Community make the required improvements on the Beverly Street municipal land they lease to accommodate the building of an Agricultural Hub with an $800,000.00 they were awarded by the provincial, one of our original CAEP's main goal.
This Hub is one of 8 the province funded and will provide capacity to local growers to produce value added Products.
Encouraging greater food security initiatives like those at Cowichan Green Community (CGC) and local food production help support a more local economy.
Drafted a MNC cell tower location policy, that was reworked by staff and adopted.
Supported the Council passed a motion acknowledging the climate emergency and every decision considers that lens. We must support and regenerate biodiversity through the stewardship of the natural environment we all depend on. This is the only way to have true sustainability.
The draft Official Community Plan is influenced by the work of Kate Raworth's Donut Economics, which outlines finding a way for all to have their basic needs met without overshooting the planet's capacity to carry it all. This is slated for debate August 17th.
An Official Community Plan is the foundational document going forward for the next 20 years, informs the zoning by-law and gives more certainty to business.
I'm proud of staff, the consultant Modus and the OCP Advisory Group of volunteers for bringing forward the initial, high level, draft policy. We were told the public input was very robust.
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. This is the foundation of fiscal responsibility and a regenerative economy where everyone is housed and has enough to eat.
This is a small sample of what Council has accomplished over the last decade.
Initiated what has come to be known as Council Matter, where citizens sign up to receive an overview of each Council meeting. Initiated Public Input Period at both North Cowichan and the CVRD to hear from the public on agenda items BEFORE a vote is taken.
Assisted in getting a quarter of the million dollars towards the Chemainus Parking lot upgrade.
Supported VIRL building their own buildings on municipally donated land in order to save on rental costs.
Council continued to lobby senior levels of government to increase affordable housing. Last term I floated an Affordable Housing Function with support from From then Chair/Mayor Lefebure through the CVRD Board who attended a series of workshops put on by Cowichan Housing Association, (CHA), ultimately culminating in a Referendum in October 2018.
The majority of Citizens supported this Function. These partnerships attracted senior government funds for social needs in our region, millions in grants to the region.
Worked with the CVRD Board members to go to referendum in the fall to as the residents of the Cowichan Valley for Regional Recreation Finding for our nine major facilities - a user pay system. If the referendum passes North Cowichan will see a savings of several hundreds of thousands of dollars by the end of the three year phase in period.
I promised to advocate for childcare in the last election, this term we became a pilot for the provincial $10 a day Childcare and Council recently supported a grant application for $18,000,000,00 to the Community Childcare New Spaces Fund which if received will support creation of new and replacement childcare spaces for Parkside Childcare Society whose current location is no longer viable.
Moved that Council cover DCC’s and related costs from the Climate and Energy Action Fund (that gained support from a statistical survey in term 2011-2014). This helped the non-profit Cowichan Green Community make the required improvements on the Beverly Street municipal land they lease to accommodate the building of an Agricultural Hub with an $800,000.00 they were awarded by the provincial, one of our original CAEP's main goal.
This Hub is one of 8 the province funded and will provide capacity to local growers to produce value added Products.
Encouraging greater food security initiatives like those at Cowichan Green Community (CGC) and local food production help support a more local economy.
Drafted a MNC cell tower location policy, that was reworked by staff and adopted.
Supported the Council passed a motion acknowledging the climate emergency and every decision considers that lens. We must support and regenerate biodiversity through the stewardship of the natural environment we all depend on. This is the only way to have true sustainability.
The draft Official Community Plan is influenced by the work of Kate Raworth's Donut Economics, which outlines finding a way for all to have their basic needs met without overshooting the planet's capacity to carry it all. This is slated for debate August 17th.
An Official Community Plan is the foundational document going forward for the next 20 years, informs the zoning by-law and gives more certainty to business.
I'm proud of staff, the consultant Modus and the OCP Advisory Group of volunteers for bringing forward the initial, high level, draft policy. We were told the public input was very robust.
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. This is the foundation of fiscal responsibility and a regenerative economy where everyone is housed and has enough to eat.
This is a small sample of what Council has accomplished over the last decade.
