Bill 15 provides Province with regulatory override powers for major capital projects
Publishing Date May 5, 2025
The Province of BC has introduced legislation that would give greater powers to the Cabinet to expedite the approval of projects it deems a matter of provincial significance. If passed into law, Bill 15 (Infrastructure Projects Act) will allow the minister responsible for a project – such as the building of a school – to make decisions to facilitate the completion and operation of a project as expeditiously as possible. For local governments, the Bill will also allow the Minister of Infrastructure to intervene in local regulatory processes to develop measures to address project delays when necessary.
The legislation was drafted by the Ministry of Infrastructure, which has been tasked with providing centralized planning for major capital projects such as schools and healthcare facilities.
The proposed legislation identifies two (2) classes of categories of Provincially Significant Projects to be considered for streamlining:
Provincial Projects – All Ministry of Infrastructure Projects (vertical infrastructure providing provincial services) including schools, post-secondary housing, hospitals and health facilities, and
Private Projects – On a project-by-project and tool-by-tool basis for projects designated by Order in Council as ‘provincially significant’ and projects delivered by other partners, such as crown agencies, local governments, First Nations and private proponents.
Provincial permitting processes are considered a significant barrier to the efficient delivery of significant projects. In part, the proposed legislation will support more effective and efficient provincial permitting implementation through prioritized provincial permitting and the development of a qualified professional reliance framework to expedite some provincial decisions where appropriate.
Environmental Assessment
The legislation provides two options to expedite the environmental assessment process. Both options are allowable on a case-by-case basis as approved by an Order in Council.
The first option will allow for automatic authorization of low-risk provincial permits following the issuance of an Environmental Assessment Certificate. For example, the issuance of a tree cutting permit on a mine site that has been issued an Environmental Assessment Certificate.
Secondly, the legislation provides an alternative and expedited Environmental Assessment process for designated projects to reduce the time involved with overlapping permit processes.
Consultation with First Nations
All designated projects under the legislation will be required to uphold the government’s commitment to the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Local Government Impacts
Under the proposed legislation, local governments are empowered to request the delay of provincial requirements to update official community plans for designated projects. This power cannot be extended to requirements related to health and safety, such as building permits, occupancy permits and sewer/storm water management.
Where a local government process creates a lengthy or unnecessary delay on a project as determined by the Cabinet, the Province will initiate a process to work with local government to resolve the issue. This includes:
Consultation with the local government
Seek written agreement with the local government, which could include creating a mutually agreed upon alternate authorization.
If no resolution is reached, the Minister of Infrastructure can intervene to develop measures to address delays for the designated project.
UBCM commentary on the legislation
UBCM met with staff from the Ministry of Infrastructure and with Minister Bowinn Ma to receive a briefing on provincial intentions through the legislation.
As B.C.’s population grows, communities require infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and care centres to support residents. Local governments have been calling on the province to accelerate the building of such facilities to ensure B.C. residents are living in complete communities. The focus on accelerating approval processes on the provincial side are needed and welcomed by UBCM.
UBCM notes that the process leading to the drafting of the legislation has been rushed, and did not include meaningful consultation with UBCM or member local governments. As has been proven in the past, a fast-tracked approach that skips over consultation is more likely to lead to unintended consequences.
Bill 15 provides the Cabinet with extraordinary powers to override regulations, including local government OCP, zoning bylaw amendment and subdivision approval processes. While the legislation is not designed to change the quality or rigour of the provincial permitting process, it remains unclear if the legislation equally protects the quality and rigour of the local government permitting process.
Local governments may have questions in instances when a decision by the Minister to overrule a local government process results in a direct financial impact on the local government. Specifically, will the local government be made whole by the Province?
UBCM also notes that local government processes often respond to provincial regulations or requirements. When a local government skips procedural steps to fast-track a project and a mistake is made, there is an increased liability for the local government. If the Province is to intervene with respect to local government regulatory decision-making, the legislation is not clear whether the Province will take on the liability of their intervention, and subsequent decisions. Local governments will want clarity from the Province on how liability risk will be managed if the legislation is passed into law.
The questions noted above were shared with Minister Ma during UBCM’s briefing meeting.
UBCM asks its members to review Bill 15 and consider how this legislation may impact local regulatory processes with respect to the planning, construction and operations of projects captured under the legislation.
IN MY OPINION this is just the latest example of The Province overriding municipal authority. First they overrode civic government to tell them when and where they are going to build to meet housing targets imposed by the Province.
Where and when will it end?
Bets are being taken now.
In My Opinion
Thursday May 01, 2025
Wasn't That A Party?
In all my years of heading to the polls for civic, provincial or federal elections I don't remember an election I felt was riding on the respective leaders for the various parties as much as Monday's election.
In the case of federal leader MARK CARNEY there was very little history to digest in a very short period of time. What did seem to resonate with the electorate was his straight ahead measured response to President TRUMP'S assertion he was thinking of annexing Canada and making us the 6
51st state. Boy did that ever resonate with the voting public. CARNEY won his seat as a first time out candidate which in itself is unusual.
Over on the Conservative front you had PIERRE POLIVIERE. Despite guiding his party to more votes than any other Conservative Prime Minister candidate, his own personal approval was low enough that he was ousted in his own riding, a riding which he had won no less than 7 times since 2004.
Locally the election took on a very personal and local aspect.
FINDLAY according to her FACEBOOK updates chose to do her talking on the doorsteps in the community as opposed to all candidate meetings (FINDLAY attended one) hosted by the Surrey Board of Trade. The knock against FINDLAY expressed by many in the community, was she has been invisible in the community, according to their observations.
Conversely on the other side of the coin you had White Rock councillor, local business owner and community advocate ERNIE KLASSEN.
KLASSEN as a result of his civic duties, had a very high profile in the White Rock portion of the riding. Travelling north into the wilds of south surrey his name recognition dropped. This in large part was not a huge factor due to the army of supporters KLASSEN had amassed to support his run for the riding seat under the Liberal banner.
When the polls closed it went down to the midnight hour wire before KLASSEN could celebrate with his supporters gathered at a south Surrey restaurant. It was a night of jubilation.
Over at the Conservative headquarters FINDLAY chose to remain at home until eventually making it down to say thank you to her volounteer team.
It has been years since this riding of South Surrey/White Rock had a representative in Ottawa that was part of the governing party. Fingers crossed.
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher
In My Opinion
Friday March 07, 2025
I have a number of things that I need to get off my chest. Bare with me.
- People that wander around behind vehicles that are backing up in the SAVE ON and other large parking lots. I shoulder check at least 5 times when pulling out of parking stalls. If possible I like to find one I can simply drive out front way if possible. To some extent I will give them some slack, in that SAVE ON/CANADIAN TIRE/PENINSULA VILLAGE provide walkways through their lots like you will find over at SUPERSTORE and WAL MART. But with that said who does not know those bright white lights that come on when you put your car in reverse is a warning to all mankind am backing up!
- The constant obsession with locals regarding the inevitable upcoming federal election. Most people I talk to never really take it into consideration that we do not elect our Prime Minister the way the United States actually votes for the individual they would like to be president. When I further that conversation and mention we only have the option to choose who represents us in Ottawa by electing our MP. I am somewhat taken back when I ask what they think or out current MP, and my inquiry draws a blank.
- Speaking of which. Next week the Liberal Party of Canada will elect a new leader. Once that happens all bets are off on how quickly we may go to the polls. The Liberals obviously would like whoever takes the helm of their party to have some time in the House of Commons. In reality the NDP and CONSERVATIVS may push a non confidence motion and force an early election. With that said where the hell are the NDP and LIBERALS in announcing candidates for this riding. Oh I know they will say it is a Conservative strong riding so why bother? Well I can give you a couple of reasons.
- When White Rock council is all painted with the same brush. There is a well documented division in the current council, so please do your homework and when praising and or criticizing council, do a bit of homework and find out who you are referring to.
- Crosswalks with flashing lights. A wonderful addition as more and more are being rolled out in White Rock. What blows my mind is how pedestrians feel by pushing the button to activate the lights that is all they need to do before they step right out into the traffic without checking left and right. I am surprised we have not seen more pedestrians getting knocked down.
- The price of concert tickets. TEDDY SWIMS is a relatively new artist who has scheduled an August concert out at UBC. As a dear friend who turned me onto this artist may have not been aware of the upcoming concert I checked to see what tickets were available? The only section of where two tickets next to each other was way at the back of the venue and the cost was $310.00 US which converted to Canadian funds means a pair of tickets would clock out at nearly $900.00?
- Spring Training is back which signals baseball season returns in a couple of weeks. I suppose I am a traditionalist but I shake my head when I see players with hair down over their shoulders and untrimmed beards making them look like “the missing link.” The New York Yankees this year will drop their long standing dress code and allow players to wear “neatly trimmed beards.” I keep hearing people say “Times have changed.” Yes they have. I just question is it for the better, and damn it that is my right to have an opinion.
- I would love to see a wider selection of retail outlets in White Rock, if you were to take the restaurants, coffee shops and nail joints out of equation we would pretty damn bare.
- Violence on television and in the movie theaters. While watching the Oscars the other night one of the producers of the low budget movie ANORA which had a Vancouver connection in that the production team members was from Vancouver, urged us all to go out to a movie theatre, as more and more movie theaters are closing due to poor attendance. Well here is an idea, how about creating movies we NEED to see on the big screen instead of a 50 inch TV in the comfort of our own home. Where popcorn is made just like we like it and don't’t have to float a loan to pay for it, no line up at the washroom and not having to put up with the constant yacking of other attendees.
- The sad state of radio. Do you still actually listen to the radio? If so I would imagine the majority of your radio listening is to talk radio and that occurs mainly when you are driving somewhere. The once might voice of Canada and America has devolved into hair chat and innocuous blather. Local radio stations that once were licenses to print money across this great dominion are being silenced on a monthly basis. Local television news is not one iota any better. The once might GLOBAL (formerly BCTV news) @ 6 o'clock has turned into mind numbing mush. They are hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
- Goodbye local newspapers. GLACIER MEDIA who locally own the SURREY NOW and THE PEACE ARCH NEWS last week announced they were shutting down their operations in New Westminster, Coquitlam and Burnaby. Hardly small markets. I have a gut feeling at some point the SURREY NOW will absorb its sister publication THE PEACE ARCH NEWS and we will be left with a supplement for White Rock/South Surrey.
- Finally, bring back THE SANDCASTLE COMEPTITION. For years we were known as The Sandcastle Capital of the World,and then we let it slip away. Harrison Lake took a stab at it and Parksville on Vancouver Island has one that is created in a parking lot near the beach. We deserve better, we deserve to have the sandcastle competition return to the sandy sunny shores of Semiahmoo Bay.
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher
In My Opinion
David Chesney
Thursday February 26, 2025
Highrise Hub
White Rock council is currently being presented with somewhat cobbled together plans to create an uptown Community Hub. I say “somewhat” because of what the Community Hub will actually house seems to have a very fluid tenant list which is changing weekly.
Possible tenants being floated around:
City hall including new council chambers
Community Theatre
Library
Daycare centre
RCMP substation
The Foundry (SOURCES operated facility for community members needed assistance)
Social Housing
The proposed highrise tower which will be 12 or 16 stories is being considered, would be located on the empty lot on Johnston road next to Russell avenue and south of the current White Rock Playhouse.
I do not support creating a community hub at this location for at least four simple reasons;
In my first term under Mayor BALDWIN the council of the day voted unanimously to purchase the old Rebel Gas station site. That council also included current council members Bill Lawrence and Meagan Knight. The proposal to purchase the property was to maintain a “green space” amongst the numerous high-rises the council of the day had already created and planned to add to the inventory of high-rises
In the last term of council under the leadership of Mayor DARRYL WALKER when the talk of a new city hall was being discussed, I created a stick man drawing of the current city hall site. My design included all of the current tenants with the exception of SOURCES the Foundry. I also envisioned all of the above would be spread out over the entire current site, with 3-4 floors of housing to be built above the community hub. When I submitted my plan to virtually every senior member of staff and the council of the day I received one response from head of engineering JIM GORDON who simply replied “interesting.
I still have questions regarding the ability to create underground parking on said site as well as environmental studies that must be done. The city has maintained both have or will be done.
I have filed FOI requests to further understand the back room dealings the city went through with Imperial oil whom we purchased the property from. My FOI was filed nearly a month ago yet I have not received the documentation.
Currently council is split on so many other issues 4-3. Mayor Knight and councillors Cheung, Lawrence and Partridge are fully and completely in support of the Highrise Hub, whereas councillors Chesney, Klassen and Trevelyan stand in opposition. Fair enough we are all entitled to our opinions. The current council makeup does not harbour an obvious “slate” yet Peace Arch News report ALEX BROWNE caused quite a stir at city hall when he identified there seems to be a silent slate of sorts headed up by Mayor Knight.
Here is a sampling of just a few of the letters submitted to the Letters section of the local newspaper.
There will be an Open House scheduled where residents can drop in and share their opinions on the uptown move. There will also be an online survey.
Excuse me if I seem skeptical. In my 10 years on city council I have never once seen public feedback actually affect what city hall does. Sad but true.
Your next opportunity to be heard will be in October 2026 when the next civic election is held.
The problem is that may be too late to stop the Highrise Hub.
David Chesney
In My Opinion
Thursday February 06, 2025
Thank You President Trump
THANK YOU for waking up this great nation of ours.
You see we just been rolling along trying to be nice to everyone, to be a very welcoming country and generally being proud that most non-Canadians in good humour mock the fact how nice and polite we are.
Qualities you seem to be devoid of.
I found it very interesting that a MOLSONS BEER ad that recently celebrated its 25th anniversary
The
ad "I Am Canadian," was launched in 2000, celebrating Canadian identity and pride. Featuring a passionate young speaker, it humorously highlights unique cultural elements, from hockey to politeness and immediately resonated with people across the country. At its peak it became a national anthem of sorts, fostering unity and reinforcing the notion of what it means to be Canadian,
In short order I heard people singing O Canada louder at public events, I saw more flags flying off of car aerials and it was a massive shift in our consciousness on subsequent Canad Days that carries on to this day.
I love the fact people are sharing the products that are made in Canada, it might take a few minutes longer to do our shopping but the by product of our attention to what we are purchasing is immense.
I love peanut butter and I took notice when someone posted a Canadian brand of peanut butter. My next refill will be Canadian. Just contemplate for a minute, if all of us stopped buying U.S. peanut butter and concentrated on Canadian made peanut butter. Hell their sales would go through the roof, they would have to expand their operation, hire more workers and pour their profits back into OUR economy. Seems so simple.
This is not intended to be a sight against Americans. It is not intended to put them down, quite the opposite it is designed to lift us up.
I was raised in a home that celebrated all things Canadian. Our family library contained every book Pierre Burton and Farley Mowat had ever published. I remember feeling incredibly excited about dragging one of my father’s books to school to see if we could learn BC INDIANS LIVES AND LEGENDS in our elementary class. To no avail.
I have never had to be told to BUY LOCAL. I am now shifting over to BUY CANADIAN even more so than before.
Thank you PRESIDENT TRUMP.
You turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher
White Rock City Councillor
What a year it is shaping up to be, talk about starting with a BANG.
First our Prime Minister resigns and then the President of the United States ponders annexing Canada and making us the 51st state in America.
Is it possible things could get any worse?
One only has to digest the recent article written by reporter ALEX BROWNE on the machinations of the current city council here in White Rock. The lines have been drawn but to date Mayor Knights unofficial coalition of council members have thought they were hiding in the shadows. Far from ALEX BROWNE to be the only one that noticed there clearly are two factions that make up White Rock council.
(see link below to the full Peace Arch News story)
I am not aware there was any back room deal made ahead of time with the mayor and her 3 supporters. But as you the reader knows I have a front row seat in my third term on council. In my opinion the votes during the council meetings were decided before we ever walked into city hall. If only the White Rock Players were as well rehearsed.
From the very beginning of this term a quorum of council members (4 or more) have convened in local bars or restaurants following council meetings. When I suggested to the current CAO about my concern, as I was warned repeatedly a quorom of council must never meet outside of the council chambers unless it is a designated social event that all members were invited to. The CAO brushed off my concerns my simply categorizing them as brains storming sessions or something to that effect. The habit continues to this day and I don;’t expect anything to change.
In my o-pinion each elected member of council has every right to make decisions on the future of White Rock….as long as that is what they promised when canvassing for votes on doorsteps back in September of 2022. There is a video filmed at the mayoral all candidates meeting where elected Mayor Knight repeatedly stated if she was elected she would STICK TO THE OCP. Currently the two pieces of legislation created by The Province Bill 44 and Bill 47 seem to be heaven sent for the installation of increased density in White Rock. Bill 47 is the contentious legislation in my mind. It states huge density may be parked along any area that is on a RAPID BUS LINE.
Quite synchronistic as lower mainland communities wrestle with how to put minimum 4 townhouses and up to 6 townhouses on a single housing lot with no off street parking, over in Delta the solution might be right under our noses. I have forwarded this video to our planning department and anxiously await their response.
White Rock is not on a RAPID BUS LINE. There is a proposed RAPID BUS LINE that when completed will run from Whalley/Central City to North Bluff and Johnston Road. Which will end in Surrey, not White Rock!
Watch for it, Mayor Knight and her three supporters are clapping like trained seals this will mean yanking the plug on the current OCP and saying “Well the Province told us we had to do it!”
BC Gov Issues Housing Supply Targets For Municipalities
The housing supply targets are for the second cohort of 10 municipalities, including the City of North Vancouver, Kelowna, and Surrey and White Rock.
White Rock
Year 1: 189
Year 2: 387
Year 3: 596
Year 4: 821
Year 5: 1,067
These targets are effective as of July 1, 2024 and end on June 30, 2029.
And if you buy that I have some ocean front property on North Bluff I would like to sell you.
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher
White Rock Sun
In My Opinion
David Chesney
December 05, 2024
Warming up to The Warming Centre
For the past 3 years White Rock has been home to the ONLY daytime warming centre south of the Fraser River. It is the perfect res-pot for the unhoused in the Fraser Valley to get in out of the cold and and wet weather.
For the first year the city of Surrey split the cost with us, which was totaled at $360,000.00 Each city contributed $180,000.00 to fund the operation of the warming centre which was to be located in Centennial Park in White Rock.
Last year Surrey withdrew their funding, opting to create alternate options in Surrey. Libraries and community centres were welcoming to the unhoused in severe weather. Here in White Rock at the council table we continually pressed the mayor and staff on whether or not we had had communication with the city of Surrey to see if there was some common ground and perhaps a location in Surrey that would be easier for the unhoused to access, and less disruptive to the surrounding community.
Time and time again we were assured the city of Surrey had been contacted and they seemed to be hesitant to share the load with the city of White Rock.
Fast forward to this year. Mayor Knight in an open council meeting stated her frustration along with staff’s frustration to be able to get any kind of commitment from Surrey to partner with us to supply this service.
The strange part of that assertion by our mayor was following that statement I happened to be at a civic event in Surrey and the mayor buttonholed me, rather upset she claimed no one had been in touch with her and her entire council for the first time seem united in their opposition to such a public statement.
In the following months staff set up a meeting with Mayor Knight and councillor Lawrence and Trevelyan to be held at Surrey City Hall. Along with White Rock’s CAO Guillermo Ferrero journeyed up the King George Highway for a “sit down.”
The meeting according to staff and a council member amounted to nothing more than a pleasant visit to assure the White Rock representatives the city of Surrey had no intentions ofc0- funding a warming centre in White Rock.
Back to the drawing board. Now White Rock was faced with funding the entire operation of a Warming Centre.
A group of concerned citizens began turning up at council meetings pushing the council of today to continue with the operation of the Warming Centre in Centennial Park. Members of council including the mayor were hesitant to continue operating the warming centre due to what the mayor referred to as a push back from residents in the area of Centennial Park.
Finally it was decided to have an online poll to gauge the interest or opposition to White Rock once again hosting the warming centre. The online poll which did not capture where the respondents lived, and or how many times an individual was allowed to vote. Even with that it was close to a 50/50 split for and against.
What was shocking to me was during all this discussion for and against I asked staff if had we applied to BC Housing to support our Warming Centre, as I was aware of their support for other shelters in the Lower Mainland. Then and only then were we informed if we actually had an overnight component in our shelter BC Housing would be an option, but nothing forthcoming for a “daytime” warming centre. Really? Nice to find that out now that we have carved out close to $400,000.00 of taxpayers money. the Province and Ottawa need to help shoulder the burden not just the taxpayers of White Rock.
For the third time when the vote was taken at the council table I was the only councillor that voted in opposition. It pained me but when I weighed out all the information and considered the personal feedback from area residents I could not support and even more increase in budget to operate a daytime warming centre in Centennial Park. I live a few blocks from the facility and since its opening the crime in our are has spiked. As recent as this past week our underground parking was broken into and access was gained into the main building by breaking a lock on the barrier door. Residents here are now patrolling the building themselves. I have had two bicycles stolen (yes they were locked) and one stripped for parts.
The Warming Centre is open from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. 365 days from the beginning of December to mid-March,roughly 100 days. Once the Warming Centre closes 10 p.m. the users of the centre are simply turned out into the streets of White Rock and South Surrey to fend for themselves in the cold night air. I will note the operators of the Warming Centre when possible will transport individuals to the EXTREME WEATHER shelters in South Surrey which are open over night when the temperature plunges. Last year we were informed those centres were open 20 times during our Warming Centre's operation.
In closing I wonder if any of my fellow council members have noticed an abundance of the unhoused sleeping in doorways and wandering the streets nightly in their neighbourhood. I don't have to wonder very long.
...but that's just MY OPINION.
David Chesney/Editor-Publisher
October 24, 2024
In My Opinion
Surrey EWR shelters operate from October 15 to April 15 when weather is extreme (feels like temperature is at or below 0 degrees Celsius, significant snow, freezing rain, sustained high wind, and/or temperatures near zero with rain).
Due to the heavy rains last weekend, the city of Surrey activated their Extreme Weather program. This triggered opening a shelter in the lower level of the South Surrey Rec Centre. Given I knew the topic of a Warming Centre was back on the agenda for Monday's council meeting I decided to educate myself more on the matter of the unhoused in our community.
I made a point of visiting the centre each morning at 6 a.m. an hour before the scheduled closing time. I learned a number of things.
1. On average there were less than 10 users nightly.
2. Many used the facility on more than one night.
3. A van was utilized to drive around the south Surrey/White rock footprint of land to pick up anyone that looked like they may be unhoused. the same van at closing time @ 7 a.m. then distributes the individuals to wherever they would like to be dropped off. Tim Hortons? McDonalds? Or anywhere they can get warm and stay in out of the weather.
4. All of the users of the facility were adults.
Fast forward to Monday evening's council meeting. to say we wet the bed on this topic this year would be an understatement. I believe the two constants over the back and forth of approving the Warming Centre, were my opposition to the expenditure and creation of a Warming Centre, and Councillor Ernie Klassen's support to open and operate a Warming Centre again this year. In the past three years the facility was operated I voted in opposition. Not to be cruel or uncaring. I consistently asked "So what happens at 10 p.m. when the Warming Centre is closed" The hours of operation for those not aware were 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily. The cost of operating the Warming Centre is roughly $400,000.00.
The council chambers were packed with advocates for the Unhoused. When the dust cleared after discussion and a vote, myself, Councillor Trevelyan and Mayor Knight voted in opposition. the vote being 4-3 in favour means the Warming Centre will operate again this year. Knight, myself and Trevelyan advocated a nightly operation that would mirror when Surrey has their Extreme Weather shelters are open for overnight service. An added feature this year of our Warming Centre will be an expenditure of $30,000.00 to have a security person patrol the surrounding area after closure. It was also stated a group of volounteers would come forth to help sweep the area clean in the morning to pick up any drug paraphernalia, evidence of drug use and anything else that would impact the nearby daycare centre and sports fields used by many young members of our community.
It is shameful the Provincial and Federal government will not participate and support our efforts. It is also disgraceful we are unable to have an open dialogue with the city of Surrey to work together to solve this problem. I do not know what the answer is to this serious problem in our community, I simply don';t believe the operation of the Warming Centre as it exists...is the answer.
That is MY OPINION
David Chesney
Editor/City Councillor White Rock
IN MY OPINION
David Chesney
July 19, 2024
I would like to get a few things off my chest today.
I love White Rock, it has been my home for nearly 40 years, prior to that I grew up in the Guildford area, though it was not called that back in those days. Due to Surrey’s size when asked where we lived we simply said North Surrey.
Back to White Rock. As most of you that are reading this know I am a third term city councillor in this City by the Sea..
Have you noticed the increase in homeless that have like us, decided it would be great to live in White Rock. Council for the past three years have elected to fund a “warming centre” which has been located in Centennial Park. I did not support the warming centre, not out of meanness, but simply because there seemed to be no thought put towards what happens when the warming centre closes @ 10 p.m.? The centre closes and when possible if it is really cold the operators of the warming centre attempt to relocate the individuals from the centre to overnight cold weather shelters in Surrey. The problem is those overnight cold weather shelters are only open a fraction of the time the warming centre operates. This means @ 10 o'clock each evening the visitors to the warming centre are turned out on our streets with nowhere to go until 7 a.m. when the warming centre opens again. In the first year Surrey shared the price tag of $350,000.00 with White Rock. The past two years we have gone it alone. This picture is of a person who has decided he will take the homeless situation to the front door of city hall.
Meanwhile: July 18, 2024
Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society Invites Grant Proposals for Projects to Address Homelessness
Up to $500K in Grants Available
Surrey, BC – The Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society (SHHS) has issued its 2024 Grant Call for Submissions from charitable and non-profit organizations seeking funding support for projects and initiatives to help address homelessness and housing insecurity in Surrey. This year, up to $500,000 in grants is available. Submissions are accepted now through 5 p.m. PDT on August 30, with the grant allocation announcement taking place in September 2024.
I am still having a hard time imagining someone driving into White Rock along Marine Drive and saying "I know what this town needs...another ice cream shop"
Yet another ice cream shop opened just last week across from the museum.
Perhaps we should look at the possibility of council limiting types of retail outlets.
If we cut the number in half it would be far more profitable for the remaining outlets.
Bring Back The Sandcastle Competition
The above photo is of the winner of this year's PARKSVILLE SAND SCULPTING FESTIVAL. Our very own Sandcastle competition inspired Parksville in 1982 who wanted a summer time event to draw tourists. The White Rock Sandcastle competition ran from 1979-1987. The final year it drew a record crowd of over 400,000. That's right 400,000.
The RCMP encouraged the city to cancel the competition and just like that we went from THE SANDCASTLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD to ...........?
Hike The Hillside
The new trek, PoCo Climb, has opened its first phase. Phase Two promises an even bigger adventure, with over 150 stairs and a 75-meter elevation gain, plus a unique granite boulder scramble.
Well good on you PoCo.
For years I have pushed White Rock to create a HIKE THE HILLSIDE connection of roads and road end with location signs strategically placed along the route to promote the hilside hike route. . Visitors would park near the bottom of Oxford Street, hike up Oxford then head east to the series of "road ends" that dot our hillside. Great exercise going up and down them (if only we marked them).
I am not really holding my breath. It has now been over a decade since the the late city councillor HELEN FATHERS brought forth a design to beautify the Centre street walkway which runs from Columbia down to Marine Drive and affords walkers a spectacular ocean vista. The last council voted to rename the walkway HELEN FATHERS CENTRE STREET WALKWAY in her honour.
Here we sit. A lot of talk and that is about all.
It is not all bad in White Rock. Far from it, this weekend hundreds will take part in the dance on the plaza in Memorial Park and in the coming weeks large crowds will turn up for the Concerts at the Pier. Personally I am excited about the return of our SEA FEST and in particular the Torchlight parade on Saturday evening August 03. I have spoken to a number of friends that are already jockeying for a patio seat along the parade route.
Chris Thornley & his brother /HELEN & I
It will be slightly different for me this year. In the past years I rode the parade route with my dear friend the late and great councillor HELEN FATHERS. Very humbling to drive from one end of our town to the other and hear every second person have a personal greeting for Helen. And well deserved I might add.
Dave who?
This year I will be accompanied by my fiancé GAYLE BOUTILIER.
Give us a wave and a big hello, I LOVE MY WHITE ROCK!
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher
May 08, 2024
In My Opinion
At the last regular meeting of council (April 29) staff brought forward for a "first look" at two projects that are well above the allowable height in the current Official Community Plan OCP.
One of the applications for an OCP amendment was for a 26 storey tower to be locate on the NE corner of George Street and North Bluff road. The current Official Community Plan designates that are of the city to have nothing more than 6 storey buildings.
The other application which seems to have inflamed the community is a proposed 31 storey tower (which would make it the highest building in the city). In the past couple of weeks I have had numerous residents buttonhole me and ask me "What the heck is going on @ City Hall?"
The last council 2018-2022 Democracy Direct were elected with a majority of council seats (5-2). Democracy Direct capitalized on the community's anger at the number of the high-rises approved by the previous council (2014-2018) the Coalition led by former mayor Wayne Baldwin with two of the current sitting council members on his slat. Mayor Knight and Bill Lawrence were shown the door when Democracy Direct gained control of city hall.
Through all this mess the late councillor HELEN FATHERS and I sat back with only two votes marveling at the twists and turns of both councils.
I am not sure if the current council is going to push hard for more density in White Rock. With the exception of myself and Councillor TREVELYAN if we can come to any conclusion from the April meeting, this council is planning on adding more density to our city by the sea.
My basic objection is twofold.
1. We are waiting for the emissary of representatives from The Province to arrive to sit down with our Planning Department and map out how they believe we should pack in more people into the 9th densest city in all of Canada.
2. The sitting council a number of months back approved a $90,000.00 expenditure for a NORTH BLUFF CORRIDOR study. The George street project is smack in the middle of said study.
Why the rush?
Is there fear the Province's guidelines and or North Bluff corridor study will not reflect the vision the the 4 councillors and the mayor who approved both OCP amendments?
From the feedback from the community it appears most of the anger is centres on MAYOR KNIGHT. Someone took to social media and posted up an audio video clip of MAYOR KNIGHT stating at the all mayoral debate, if elected she would stick to the Official Community Plan.
The community has a lot of questions. Will the heat die down. Will people get over it and just accept more high-rises as their fate?
I do know one thing, the vast majority of the people that vote annually in White Rock do not support high-rises.
David Chesney
Editor/Publisher / City Councillor
The above comments are solely MY OPINION
In My Opinion
David Chesney
Yesterday (March 20) I had the pleasure of joining host IAN SCOTT of Surrey talk radio in an hour's dialogue on a wide variety of topics. One of the questions IVAN posed to me was the pros and cons of being a city councillor in White Rock. The pros rolled off my lips. The true highlight is the positive feedback from members of the community.
A supportive email, telephone call or a personal encounter in the community puts the wind back in my sails.
The cons are few, with the exception of one personal occurrence. Keyboard warriors. For those not aware of the term, it refers to individuals that take to social media to offer up their personal opinions on how city council is doing. I will openly admit normally when someone says to me "Did you see what so and so said about you on such and such FACEBOOK? I simply reply no I did not see it, and if sos and so has anything to say to me they know how to get a hold of me.
The city has provided an easy to find link on its website where the emails and city cellular phone numbers of all members of council are archived.
In my 9 years as an elected official I have only had one individual actually stop me on the street and take me to task on something I have said or done pertaining to my p[position as a city councillor. Read that again. ONE INDIVIDUAL!
I openly encourage dialogue with the community. In my first term as a city councillor I hosted monthly COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS on the first Saturday of the month at the White Rock library. I have plans to revive the opportunity to dialogue with members in our community in a slightly different format. Think POP UP Community Conversations. Stay tuned.
I digress. The other day a community member asked me what I thought of the Mayor's planned 25 storey tower to be located at the corner of Russell avenue and Johnston Road. The piece of property next to the White Rock Playhouse which the city bought 6 or 7 years ago. I was on that WAYNE BALDWIN led council (as were two other members of the current council). The property the one time location of Rebel gas station was owned by Imperial Oil and we were offered the opportunity to purchase the land. The pitch to the council of the day was to turn it into a a green space/park to offset the runaway tsunami of highrise approvals. The details of that deal will be the topic for another day.
When I told the individual I wasn;'t sure what he was referring to he forwarded me the link on FACEBOOK by a resident by the name of FIONA MCDERMID. I read with interest the comments, some listed below. The racist and totally without merit have been omitted. I have respect for FIONA MCDERMID, she has been engaged in our community for a number of years, volounteering for community events as well as actually turning her collar up to the winds of indifference and ran for city council.
As for the res of the "keyboard warriors" zero respect. As I scrolled through the names I did not recognize but just a couple of the critics. I have never heard from their regarding their displeasure with what is happening at city halls
For years elected council members made sure QUESTION PERIOD was buried at the very end of the council meetings. Meaning if a member of the community had a question, they were forced to sit through en entire council meeting to have their say. To the credit of the last council QUESTION PERIOD became QUESTION AND ANSER PERIOD and was moved to the front of the council meeting. Any member of the community wishing to address their elected officials =simply had to turn up 5 minutes before the council meeting, sign the sign up list and voila. The floor was theirs for two minutes. When the current council was elected there was a movement to move QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD back to the end of the council meeting to in my mind discourage dialogue from the community. Four members including myself stood our ground to retain it in its current format and time. I have been terribly disappointed there has been little or no engagement from the community. Heck our council meetings now start @ 4 o'clock. You can be on your way home by 4:15 at the latest.
So "Keyboard Warriors" I challenge you here and now. Soldier up so to speak, and if you have something to say to me or any of the elected officials you sent down to city hall, come on down. I dare you.
The door is open and the lights are on. Come out of the shadows.
Enough already. Where is the infrastructure to support this. It already takes me literally 5 times longer to get from point A to point B than it did 6 years ago. What used to take five minutes now takes up to twenty-five. And that's when I'm not fighting a road closure due to seemingly endless construction blocking through routes so they can unload supplies or whatever. Stop! There is no where else to put any more traffic.
Is anyone else seeing what I’m seeing here, speaking of all the $ going to Surrey? Check out district 9! All those immigrant liberal votes. What a fn scam!!! And White Rock district 10 is 2/3s in the ocean!!! Like really??? Anyone?
Pretty much. And a lot don’t even have that yet when they arrive.
Also Steven, it’s not just white people saying this. I’ve talked with brown people and asian people who are ashamed of their own for what’s going on and how.
Isn't the Mayors Husband a Developer? What's really happening here.
January 31, 2024
IN MY OPINION will not be a regular weekly column, but it will appear fairly often as the actions of White Rock council unfold.
I will note first and foremost the reason the column is called IN MY OPINION is that it is exactly that. I do not in any way shape or form intend anyone to think the thoughts that will be expressed here are of the current council. The other reason for it being called IN MY OPINION is for anyone in any way shape or form think I am violating the conduct of conduct this council was saddled with. And I do mean saddled. Over 30 pages of you will do this and you will not do that was not supported by me when the vote was taken. This document was crafted by God knows who because from my research it was not crafted by ALL the members of council, and perhaps there was no input from any members of council.
Corporate report dated January 29, 2024 from the Director of Planning and Development Services titled "Update on Recent Provincial Housing Initiatives and Regulation Requirements".
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council receive the Corporate report, titled “Update on Recent Provincial Housing Initiatives and Regulation Requirements,” dated January 29, 2024, from the Director of Planning and Development, for information.
This item is a report only at this point. I do not in any way shape or from support proceeding with implementing the Provincial housing guidelines to our community. As I have previously mentioned and staff has now supported, the current Provincial guidelines DO NOT APPLY to White Rock.
The Transit-Oriented Development Areas Designate by the regulation (in effect) designates 16 Lower Mainland communities that are currently listed as Development Areas. White Rock is not on that public list.
Corporate report dated January 29, 2024 from the Director of Engineering and Municipal Operations titled "Temporary Office and Council Chamber Options".
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council:
Approve Option A “Relocate Council Chambers to Annex and Construct Offices in Vacated Space”; and
Authorize staff to proceed with the renovations once the Financial Plan is approved.
The expenditure to move and create a new council chamber is unnecessary in my opinion. If the city is in need of office space, the temporary office space should be created in the Annex building where the very expensive proposal to relocate the council chambers is being proposed. The cost to move and create a new council chamber and craft a few offices in the old council chambers will cost the taxpayers of White Rock a half million dollars. Yes you read that right. $500.000.00 dollars. But no money for a mural which would cost $30,000.00 dollars. (see below)
decline the mural proposal from artist, Jim Davidson; and,
direct staff to communicate to Mr. Davidson the appropriate procedures for future mural proposals, in accordance with the Public Art Policy.
I believe the decision to decline Mr. Davidson's mural proposal is very short sighted. As the city prepares to commemorate our original wall mural THE WYLAND WHALE WALL in uptown White Rock this would be a perfect tie in to the planned celebration. Mr. Davidson laid out a clear plan for monetizing the mural, the media coverage he had already secured, the first nations support and tie in and the environmental of all monies raised through posters during the mural's creation being dedicated to the Semiahmoo Fish & game organization.
There is a nucleus of council (4 votes) that for the most part will shape the future of White Rock for the next three years left in this four year term.
Do you wonder what their vision is? So do I, but we will just have to sit back and patiently for them to put their cards on the table.
If you don;t like highrise towers I think you are going to be in for a shock as I know for a fact none of the cabal of council knocked on doors and said "Hey vote for me I want to do what I THINK is best for White Rock.
