Tomorrow North Cowichan Council meeting 5pm Agriculture, crime, nurses back to work, and step code

Canada wants your input! Enjoy the comments after participating!

Hello community,

Submissions due by the 5th of April !!

https://canada-2035-target.ethelo.net/page/how-to-participate

“Welcome to “Talking Targets: Canada’s Climate Future” -- Environment and Climate Change Canada’s engagement on the 2035 emissions reduction target!

Our intention with this engagement is to provide Canadians with a chance to share their ideas and input on different topics related to fighting climate change. These will directly support the development of the 2035 target.

Completing this questionnaire will take you between 15 and 25 minutes.

This engagement will be open until April 5, 2024, and the target will be announced by December 2024.

Input into this process is integral to helping Canada determine and achieve its climate change goals under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. We are grateful for your participation and look forward to your submission.”

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North Cowichan will be meeting this Wed at 5pm, be there at 4:30 to sign in to speak.

Agenda: https://pub-northcowichan.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=c3b5cc06-abd5-4d7a-bc60-a08da1565aac&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=32&Tab=attachments

Sections of interest that may be spoken on :

5.2.5 Request from the ministry of agriculture to present on future land use. May speak on concerns around land use.

11.2 A request from staff to create a new “safer communities plan”. May speak on worries around the current crime, drug use, and shutting down of areas such as Quamichan High and bus stops to accommodate those who need actual help that is not available.

12.1 You may speak on the healthcare crises. Cllr. Findlay is bringing forward this motion: Purpose: So that Councilor Findlay may introduce the following motion which Council will consider at the April 17, 2024, regular Council meeting.

“WHEREAS North Cowichan Council voted on March 20, 2024, to provide a grant-in-aid of $1,000 to the Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society, and to send a letter in support of the Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society to the BC Minister of Health;

AND WHEREAS the healthcare industry in British Columbia is stretched to the limit, from all accounts;

AND WHEREAS approximately 10,000 healthcare workers retired, left the industry, moved out of province, or chose to stop working due to the provincial Covid-19 vaccine mandates;

AND WHEREAS approximately 4,000 healthcare workers remain out of the industry, but wish to return to their previous healthcare positions;

AND WHEREAS British Columbia remains the only jurisdiction in North America to maintain a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers;

NOW THEREFORE be it resolved that North Cowichan Council authorize the Mayor to send a letter to Minister of Health, Adrian Dix, and the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, to request the termination of the Covid-19 vaccine mandate and invite over 4,000 healthcare workers back to work, to help alleviate the stress on the provincial health care system.”

Many of you filled the rooms when council was debating weather to implement the step code 6 years ahead of the province. Cllr. Findlay has proposed and you may speak on this again: Purpose: So that Councillor Findlay may introduce the following motion which Council will consider at the April 17, 2024, regular Council meeting.

“WHEREAS North Cowichan Council adopted the Building Amendment Bylaw on October 18, 2023, which included implemented Emission Level 3 of the BC Zero Carbon Step Code on January 1, 2024, and further implementing Emission Level 4 of the BC Zero Carbon Step Code on July 1, 2024;

AND WHEREAS the construction industry has stated this is an unreasonable and difficult acceleration of code implementation without the full BC industry being in line;

AND WHEREAS the Zero Carbon Step Code, as created by the BC government, was designed to be slowly implemented over time to allow industry to adapt;

AND WHEREAS several municipalities in British Columbia, including North Cowichan and Nanaimo, have expedited the Code six years faster than the provincial guidelines;

AND WHEREAS the construction industry while guided by the rules set out in the BC Building Code by the province, may have accelerated timelines for different, and sometimes neighbouring, municipalities for the Zero Carbon Step Code implementation;

AND WHEREAS North Cowichan staff recommended the expedience of the Zero Carbon Step Code but at a slower rate of Emissions Level 2, and to maintain the provincial guidelines for the Energy Step Code;

AND WHEREAS the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Greater Vancouver and Surrey Boards of Trade, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and other unions, restaurant owners, trades and fireplace manufacturers, have created the BC Coalition for Affordable Dependable Energy lobby group to lobby the provincial government over such haphazard amendments; 

NOW THEREFORE be it resolved that Council direct staff to draft an amendment to the Building Bylaw to postpone when the Emission Level 4 (EL-4) requirement comes into force and effect from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2027, to allow industry to adapt to ever-changing energy advancements and legislation.”

These are the initial motions, and can be spoken to tomorrow and you can speak to them when debated on April 17th. If a councillor brings forward motions, and the community does not step up, then do not expect change. If a precedent is set it can trickle down to your community. Support your local councillors who are bringing forward items to vote on that you agree with - or lose any voice you may have in local government. We have been reached out by councillors from all across the province that agree that there are policies being broken, and something “not right” , but are too scared to bring forward motions because no one shows up to support them. Let’s do better in the Valley.

Summery for this meeting: Crime, Agriculture plans, Nurses back to work, and the reduction of choice around heating and cooking.

Sincerely,

team COAP