SRD receives go ahead to establilsh a housing service
Cortes Currents
English - January 25, 2024 20:18 - 2 minutes - 5.51 MBNews cortes island discovery islands quadra food security energy indigenous nations Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Roy L Hales/ Cortes Island - The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) received the go-ahead to establish a regional housing service and authorize loans of up to $10 million on an ‘as needed’ basis. While the SRD can raise funding for projects through property taxes, this money must be repaid once the projects start receiving rents.
This matter was brought before the board at their January 24, 2024 meeting.
At their November 8, 2023 Board Meeting, the SRD Board approved using the alternate approval process to seek the electorate's approval. If a minimum of 10% of the electorate - i.e. 3,456 people - had advised the SRD they were opposed, the motion would have been considered defeated, but the ‘no’ vote was only 392.
When asked, Senior Manager Thomas Yates advised the board where the opposing votes came from:
- there were 111 approximately from Campbell River,
- 81 from Cortes Island,
- 66 from Quadra Island,
- and 133 from the Sayward area.
Director Doug Chapman of Campbell River moved that No. 515, being Regional Housing Loan Authorization Bylaw 2023, be now reconsidered, finally passed and adopted.
Regional Director John RIce, of Area D, provided the
Sayward is in Area A, whose Regional Director, Gerald Whalley, cast the only opposing vote.
“I, just fot the record, I’m going to vote against this. It’s the will of my constituents. The vast majority of them opposed it. So it's appropriate that I would oppose,” he explained.
Chair Mark Baker called the vote, “ All in favour? Opposed? One opposed, Director Wally. The motion is carried.”