These are the written comments made by Electoral Area C residents who participated in Decafnation’s Local Government Performance Review. Comments that breached our journalistic standards have been eliminated. All other comments appear as entered into the online survey platform. Click on each image to enlarge the view.
Area C Comments on CVRD
⇒ More active effort to complete the Onespot Trail from Cessford Rd to Condensory Bridge required. Huge effort required to widen road from Cessford Rd to Condensory Bridge for walkers, cyclists &school children and horses.
⇒ Some are doing a great job others need to be voted out
⇒ Rural directors have a hard time at it as they are basically newbies when elected and have a lot to get up to speed on including municipal law. Not at all the situation the bulk of municipal directors find themselves in due to their prior experience gained in municipal councils.
⇒ Stick to the RGS– Don’t cave into the would-be developers
⇒ The response on the pandemic for business and tourism has been terrible. The failure to hold CVED’s accountable in the past, and now to hold them to the terms of the existing MOU is negligent, as it was breached from the start. Permitting CVED’s to then hand off a two year contract for Tourism Marketing and Visitor services, when the Agreement/MOU states that “the obligations must not be transferred or assigned by the society without prior written consent of the CVRD” is obscene for a six-figure contract.
⇒ Only area A is a keeper. The farmer and the building supply salesman can hopefully be replaced.
⇒ I’d like to see directors be more engaged with discussions around composting and solid waste disposal issues – at the moment, about the proposal before MOE that would permit deposits of waste materials in the Hamm Road Rd. area. Just because it’s a “provincial” issue doesn’t mean they can’t take a more assertive role in discussing options – even take a stand against it.
⇒ I am quite happy about the new group that has been formed to look out for the purchase/acquisition of new parkland. Although difficult, being proactive rather than reactive is much more effective in the long run. So important to protect our green space before it’s all gone…maybe this is reactive? I.e. Stotan Falls? The wildlife corridors need to be protected.
⇒ On the whole, I am pleased with how the CVRD has handled things this past term. I’m especially happy that they are putting CVEDS through their paces and bringing them to task for the years of secretive operations and inadequate service to the area as a whole.
⇒ I think that personal relationships seem to trump community greater good when it comes to decision making for Director Edwin Grieve. Very satisfied with Daniel Arbour and Arzeema Hamir.
Edwin Grieve
⇒ Not pleased with his views on development. Stotan Falls area should not in any way be developed.
⇒ About the only thing positive since being elected is that Mainroad is doing a much better job with road maintenance.
⇒ Appears to be a puppet for the ‘old boys’ (CVEDS)
⇒ Edwin has been between a rock and a hard place for a long time, what with 3L being in his grill for so long. Director Grieve seems to be a conciliator personality type and is not his own best advocate. I think that many times what he does in not actually understood by the electorate and the press. As the most experience of the 3 rural directors he is the most cautious. We have our differences. Using the fairgrounds for an ‘Ag Complex’ for example is a non-starter for me. Many have no cognizance of the actual amount of work put in by these directors for the people they represent. Much of their hard work is stymied by regional and municipal bureaucratic undermining. Rural directors within Regional Districts do not have much power as opposed to Municipal directors and the municipalities that get to vote twice – once in the municipal process and then a second time at the RD.
⇒ Don’t give in to the 3L bandits Edwin…. and where is the wired hi-speed internet you promised to promote for those of us outside of Courtenay?
⇒ Has actively worked to prevent any accountability for CVEDs. Don’t know of any actions he may have done to serve his district, but is happy to help developers. (provided they are purely for profit – guessing he would block any affordable housing initiatives)
⇒ He is useless. Retire next election.
⇒ Grieve appears to support the visions of CVEDS and the Exhibition Grounds Committee that are not in keeping with more sustainable, grassroots, community-based values. BIG is not necessarily beautiful. Input from local growers and the community at large should be valued and respected, not minimized or criticized. Time for him to join many of the other “old boys club” members and step aside.
⇒ Don’t know enough to rate Edwin
⇒ I’m not happy that Edwin supported the old school CVEDS behaviour. Other than that I think he’s been okay.
Area C issues
⇒ These wet spells have highlighted once again that our local septics are mostly collapsed now. Last survey was done just prior to the last sewer referendum and showed a growing trend of sewage issues.
⇒ As many cannot afford an increase in taxes due to covid related unemployment, plan on a budget that keeps taxes status quo. Need to continue NECESSARY services and leaves the wants for another time.
⇒ The bureaucracy at the RD is, frankly speaking, a 5th column with many fiefdoms totally without a grounding in the sensibilities of the people who live in the rural areas and the directors elected to serve those electors. The rural areas of the RD have a very diverse population from the import Martini Farmers at one end of the spectrum to the subsistence pensioners living in poverty at the other. Regulation these days seems to be written by people with good-paying jobs with dental plans which I have no problem with but their sensitivities are definitely skewed towards curbing any scent of, err how shall I say it, non-CSA approved habitation. The regulation industry is on a rampage that is forcing all but the most rich off the landscape as recent zoning bylaw amendments and ever ratcheting up building code regulation demonstrate. Employees with benefits and steady paychecks certainly have their biases when it comes to regulating lower-income people who have to scratch and peck to stay afloat. Many times regulation is written to curb the excesses of the Martini Farmers who have the money to comply but greatly impact the poor among us who may own property or who are forced to ‘camp out’ in less than the perfect situations that planners, inspectors and bylaw enforcement officers regulate. There is a disconnect there that needs to be addressed. Since the leaky condo situation federal, Provincial and municipal/RD building code over-regulation coupled with Provincial Electrical Regulation overreach have exacerbated these situations to the realm of ridiculously and the RD building inspectors and enforcement personnel pretty well have cart blanch to do as they please leaving builders and occupiers very little recourse.
Support to seniors. Careful watching the new land developments—Keep an eye on Union Bay– Don’t trade off our shellfish industry for housing.
⇒ Thanks for asking
⇒ We need an industrial park. Get it zoned.
⇒ You have to pay to play. Nothing is for free. It takes private business to support the wants of the many.
⇒ I appreciate being able to access minutes, agendas of upcoming meetings, staff reports and other information that’s available online, as well as viewing “live” or taped meetings of various committees.
⇒ Let’s get our human-powered transportation completed….we also need unbroken links…the One Spot is an amazing resource and is so close to being complete.
⇒ All of these things are important, but I’ve selected the items that I think should be up higher on the list of priorities.
⇒ All the issues above are important but I feel some are a stretch for municipal government. It’s ridiculous that such a small centre as the Comox Valley has 4? governing bodies. If a large centre like Toronto can do it certainly we could too. The 4 should amalgamate, revise the OCP to designate specific growth areas/strategies and start sending a clear unified message to developers. We have everything here to be an outdoor/tourism Mecca. This disjointed/patchwork/inconsistent approach we have now is unfortunate. If we amalgamated, skimmed the fat we could attract a better quality of personnel at all levels but specifically the planning, building and engineering departments.