Did you miss my April update in the Sounder? Here it is:
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers on Gabriola, Mudge, and DeCourcy! At the RDN volunteer thank you luncheon our Chair, Ian Thorpe, said – the RDN could not do what we do, without you! From emergency services, stream stewards, parks and trails groups, advisory groups and others, the RDN counts over 1000 people as volunteers.
RDN staff member Melissa and I participated in the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department’s Open House. Melissa gave a presentation on emergency preparedness and had pamphlets and booklets. Representatives from Emergency Support Services, Pets and Livestock Services, and Emergency Communications groups were also present. Thanks to everyone who came by.
At the Commons I chatted with a group gathered for a 2-day Community Bus Forum organized by the GERTIE team. This Forum drew in-person and online participants from various locations around the coast. Congratulations for such a successful event!
Julie Sperber, our Community Economic Development (CED) Officer provided updates at the monthly Economic Development Advisory Group (EDAG) meeting. She is fostering a collaborative network on our islands, and is actively supporting both new and established businesses. Exciting things are happening! For more information check out the CED tab on the Chamber website.
The four days I spent at the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities (AVICC) conference were full of invigorating discussions. Happy to see MLA Sheila Malcolmson there as well! I was honoured to be elected to the Executive as the Electoral Area Director representative. Delegates debated and voted on over 50 Motions of common interest to our coastal communities. Motions that received support will be discussed at the Union of BC Municipalities conference in the fall, with the goal of elevating the issues to a provincial discussion. If you’d like to know more about AVICC, see www.avicc.ca
The inaugural meeting between the Drinking Water and Watershed Protection (DWWP) Action Plan Steering Committee and the RDN’s Technical Advisory Committee began the process of updating the Action Plan. I was happy to see Trustee Scott Colbourne in the audience. We’re still gathering your input on drinking water and watershed protection through an online survey until May 27th. Take the survey and be entered to win a rain barrel! https://www.rdn.bc.ca/get-involved-rdn
The comments received on the draft Strategic Plan will be considered as the plan is revised. The eight focal areas of the plan are: climate change, environmental stewardship, housing, growth management, transportation and transit, economic coordination, people and partnerships, and social well-being.
Upcoming:
· At the end of May I will be meeting MOTI personnel on Gabriola to discuss issues of concern. Feel free to email me info/pictures of problem areas.
· I will be holding drop-in office hours between 2-4 pm at the Islands Trust office on May 6th and May 27th
· May 14th 1:30~5 pm at the RDN Building: Electoral Area Services committee and Committee of the Whole
· May 23rd 7 pm at the RDN building: Board meeting
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at vanessa.craig@rdn.bc.ca.