New Valley-Village Fire Service

I expect everyone has already seen the improvements to our Valley Fire Hall that have been made since the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has taken over control of our fire department. We have approved the purchase of a new Search and Rescue truck which was badly needed, and we will continue to supply our amazing volunteer firefighters with all the up-to-date equipment they need.

Regarding the Kelsey Centre

The Village of Sayward’s CAO has been sending out flyers with false and misleading information and statistics concerning the Sayward Valley’s use of the Kelsey Centre pool. It appears that he does not understand the Strathcona Regional District’s Aug.15, 2024 Regional Recreation Feasibility Study Report. This report provides the results of a public survey conducted from October to November 2024, through the SRD’s website. The total population of the SRI) in 2021 was reported to be 44,671 people. A total of 1,033 responses were received, which is only 2% of the population. This report incorrectly states that Electoral Area A (Kyuquot/ Nootka-Sayward) had 9% of the total SRD population. That would equal 4,029 residents, which is ridiculous because in 2021 we only had 864 residents (2% of the SRD total). The report further says that 7% Of the 1,033 people who responded to the survey were from Area A. This number also seems highly suspect because if only 2% of the entire population, including Campbell River, responded to the survey, why would 7% of them be from Area A? Unfortunately, there is no way to correct the errors that the consultant wrote in this report. Anyway, hypothetically, even if it was 7%, that would only equal 72 people from Area A who responded to the survey. Of these same 72 respondents: 7 of them (10%) said they use the Kelsey Centre pool daily, 27 respondents (38%) said they use it once or twice a week.

23 respondents (32%) said they used it once or twice a month, and 15 respondents (21%) said they either never use it or else maybe once or twice a year. So, according to this report, 53% of the people who responded to the survey never use the pool, or else never use it more than twice a month. One of the big errors that the Village CAD makes, is his assumption that those few people who responded to the survey somehow represent the usage of the entire Sayward Valley.

As I have stated before, none of the SRD Board of Directors, including myself, will have any say whatsoever as to whether the Sayward Valley might contribute financially to the Kelsey Centre in the future. The only thing the Board can do is to force the Valley to hold a referendum to determine whether they consent to contribute, or not. The outcome of such a vote would be final. It appears that the Village is determined to pursue that route, although it is difficult to predict how far into the future such a vote might be held. For Valley voters, it is essential to understand that if we did agree to contribute financially to the Kelsey Centre, a Recreation Service most first be created. Once a service of this nature is in place, it is virtually impossible to ever rescind it. Furthermore, the Valley would never have any control at all over how much we would be forced to contribute, or how much our property taxes would be increased each year. This would be determined by the Village together with the other municipalities, who hold the majority vote at the SRD. Operating costs are relatively easy to predict, but future capital costs are not. Capital costs for both the known required upgrades, as well as the unexpected building maintenance, upgrades, and repairs, such as if there were a leak in the pool or the building’s roof, could easily require millions of dollars to remedy, which would send our property taxes soaring. These are the hidden costs that the Village is not disclosing. My responsibility as your director is to provide you with all the facts so that in the future you can make an informed decision.

New Arts and Culture Service

There are two main Board decisions required to create a new service. The first is to request a report on that initiative, and the second is to vote on the actual creation of that service once the report has been received. At our last Board meeting, Campbell River and other municipalities, supported by the Village of Sayward, passed that first step in order to create a Regional Arts and Culture Service, with the intent of forcing everyone in the SRD to pay for Campbell River’s Museum, Tidemark Theatre, Maritime Heritage complex. Art Gallery, and who knows what other Campbell River assets. Of course, this is designed to download the City of Campbell River’s budget onto all the other jurisdictions. I cannot understand why the Village of Sayward would support funding assets owned by Campbell River, when the Village cannot even afford to fund their own infrastructure.

New Tourism Service

Campbell River has their own in-house agency for promoting tourism. They now want every property taxpayer in the SRD to subsidize this organization. Therefore, at our last Board meeting, the municipalities with the Village of Sayward’s support passed a motion to initiate the first step in creating this service.

The Sayward Valley (Area A), Cortez Is. (Area B), and Quadra Is. (Area C) voted against the creation of all these new and expensive services.

Electoral Area Planning Service

This planning service is mandated for all electoral areas by the province; however, municipalities are permitted to join and pay their share of the costs. They cannot use this service for their own municipal planning, but if they joined. they could vote on all electoral area land use matters.

Therefore, their only interest in joining would be to take over total control of all the decisions electoral areas make on land development. So, once again, initiated by Campbell River and supported by the Village of Sayward, the municipalities voted to request a report to investigate Campbell River and any other interested municipalities joining the electoral area planning service.

2025 Property Taxes

Campbell River has the absolute majority vote on all financial matters. At the end of this year’s budget process they announced that they didn’t feel they were getting their money’s worth from their involvement with the SRD. This is because they had not been successful in getting all the new regional services they want. Therefore, they reduced their financial contribution by $1.3 Million which was then downloaded onto the electoral areas. This increased our (Area A) property taxes by $29.61 per average assessed property value. To offset this increase, I have approved an accounting maneuver to reduce our average garbage collection bill by $37.21 per home.

If you have any questions on these or any other issues, please do not hesitate to contact me. My door is always open.

Gerald Whalley
Regional Director (Area ‘A’)
Phone: 250-2f12-3787
gwhalley@srd.ca

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SRD Board Approves 2025–2029 Financial Plan, Prioritizing Community Well-being and Sustainability

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board has officially adopted its 2025–2029 Financial Plan, reaffirming a focus on strategic investments, fiscal responsibility, and advancing key priorities such as community well-being, climate resilience, and strong governance.

Serving as a blueprint for operations and long-term objectives, the Financial Plan balances the delivery of essential services with preparations for sustainable growth. Developed through a comprehensive process—including staff-led planning, public engagement, and in-depth Board discussions—the plan reflects a wide range of input and careful consideration.

Despite pressures from inflation and rising operational costs, the SRD remains committed to responsible development and community strengthening.

Key Investments in the 2025–2029 Financial Plan:

• Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Adaptation: Funded through senior government grants, initiatives will enhance wildfire preparedness, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.

• Healthcare Access & Workforce Housing: Continued investment in the Just Like Home Lodge and Healthcare Workforce Housing initiative supports both patient care in Campbell River and critical housing for healthcare professionals.

• Community Recreation Infrastructure: The REC-REATE project will revitalize Strathcona Gardens, delivering modern sports and rehabilitation facilities.

• Governance & Engagement: Funding will support Indigenous reconciliation efforts, enhanced public engagement, and professional development for staff and elected officials.

Electoral Area Tax Impacts

Revised overhead allocations and increased service demands will result in household tax increases across all electoral areas:

• Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward): 4% increase (~$30 per average household), driven by the new cost-sharing model and increased contributions to the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL). Coordination with Sayward will also improve fire service cost distribution.

• Area B (Cortes Island & Surrounding Archipelago): 4% increase (~$64), due to revised overhead distribution and higher VIRL funding.

• Area C (Discovery Islands & Mainland Inlets): 30% increase (~$193), reflecting internal cost reallocation and expanded funding for community halls, libraries, and 9-1-1 services.

• Area D (Oyster Bay–Buttle Lake): 4% increase (~$96), supporting growth in recreation, transit, and library services.

“Extensive effort has gone into developing a plan that meets residents’ needs while laying the groundwork for a sustainable and prosperous future,” said SRD Chair Mark Baker. “Investments in recreation, housing, climate resilience, and governance will provide long-lasting value for our region.”

To learn more or view the full budget, visit www.srd.ca/financial-planning.

The Strathcona Regional District serves more than 48,000 residents across four electoral areas, a treaty First Nation, and five member municipalities.

Although we are well into April, the Vancouver Island ski season is still going strong. The snowfall forecast for alpine resorts between April 6th and April 15th, 2025, are extremely favourable to Mt. Cain and Mt. Washington. In fact, these Vancouver Island mountains are set to receive the most snow out of any ski hill in North America over the coming week!

Mt. Washington is expected to receive 21 inches of fresh powder, while Mt. Cain will see upwards of 31 inches of new snow!

Source: https://snowbrains.com/where-will-it-be-deep-this-week-these-are-north-americas-top-5-forecasted-resorts-for-the-10-days-of-april-6-15-2025/

**Update

Sayward residents did not end up being impacted by proposed property tax increases. There was some discussion of that, but the motion was defeated.

Strathcona Regional District funding is weighted. As such, Campbell River does contribute the largest amount of SRD funding. In the event of Campbell River slashing SRD funding, there is a possibility of arbitration between the province and the regional district.

Thanks to SRD Area A Director Gerald Whalley for the above information.

**

Campbell River council and the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) are in disagreement over allocation costs. Following a contentious discussion on February 19th about regional services and fairness, Campbell River has threatened to make significant cuts to its contributions.

Go Sayward readers may recall a Sayward property tax increase to fund Campbell River’s Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex, while Sayward faces uncertainty about the future of its own Kelsey Centre.

Allocation costs include both direct expenses for specific services and general costs (such as hydro, IT, and building debt) that can’t be directly allocated. These are usually part of the general administration and shared among all service members.

According to CAO David Leitch, out of SRD’s $20 million budget, about $2.8 million is unallocated and used for administrative expenses. Campbell River contributes $1.6 million, or 56%, of this total.

Gerard Whalley, an SRD director, argued that the existing formula was intended to reduce Campbell River’s budget while shifting costs to the Electoral Areas. Leitch acknowledged that Campbell River, as the largest partner, carries the heaviest assessment.

Residents of Campbell River pay $88.14 annually toward SRD administrative costs, the highest amount among municipalities and Electoral Area A. However, residents of Areas B, C, and D pay more, with Area D residents paying the highest at $208.34.

Mayor Kermit Dahl is considering an 82% reduction in Campbell River’s contribution at the upcoming SRD meeting. Director Ben Lanyon raised concerns about the value being returned to Campbell River taxpayers and the slow pace of progress, warning that Campbell River might reallocate its budget if the issue isn’t addressed.

Director Doug Chapman supported Lanyon, while Whalley proposed deferring the discussion to the committee of the whole. Director Mark Vonesch asked for more information to make a well-informed decision.

Mayor Dahl agreed to the deferral but indicated he would propose a $1.3 million reduction in Campbell River’s requisition requirements on March 26th. The meeting ended with Campbell River directors voting against the deferral, despite a suggestion for a committee meeting on March 5th.

The Xwésam (Salmon) River on Vancouver Island plays a crucial role for all five species of Pacific salmon, along with cutthroat trout and steelhead. Its river and estuary provide a safe haven for some of British Columbia’s most iconic wildlife, such as the majestic great blue heron, the elusive northern pygmy owl, and the Roosevelt elk, the largest subspecies of North American elk.

The Nature Trust of BC is racing against the clock to raise the remaining $294,000 by April 9th to protect 105.6 acres of floodplain forest along the Xwésam (Salmon) River. Securing this land would expand The Nature Trust’s Xwésam (Salmon) River Estuary Conservation Complex, increasing the total protected area to 1,037.8 acres.

Some area residents are questioning what needs protecting and cited other regional environmental concerns.

We have reached out to The Nature Trust of British Columbia for comment.

Credits

Photo – The Nature Trust of British Columbia