Updates! Including time-sensitive application for Koksilah watershed.

And new website upgrade !

Dear COAP members,

The only way we can keep getting the word out monthly is with your support!

September Westward Independent September Ad Sale! All ads larger than a business card are now 20% off for the September Edition! All advertisers who sign on to a 6-month contract will receive a free advertorial on you and your business!

email sales@wwind.ca for a rate sheet!

Read the August edition here: https://wwind.ca/edition-003-august/

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The Koksilah Watershed board is looking for applications!

You have until August 15th to apply, they are seeking 12-15 people to assist and advise the Koksilah watershed board. This would be extremely important for farmers or anyone who uses well water, or surface water, in the Koksilah area.

Follow this link for the application form, completed forms must be emailed and received by August 15th.

https://www.koksilahwater.ca/_files/ugd/c71d17_1e9b535738d746cbbf9f750eb6775334.pdf

Visit the Cowichan Watershed website for more information.

https://cowichanwatershedboard.ca/
https://www.koksilahwater.ca/

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North Cowichan wants your input on affordable housing. While we all think that is important, I can’t help but think that the need for affordable homes will only get worse if North Cowichan continues to raise taxes for homeowners. By raising taxes, and separating the utility bill from their taxes, they have increased the cost of homeownership and therefore anyone who rents these houses. These cost increases will also drive many homeowners into default and therefore end up in line for the new ‘affordable’ housing projects.

What is “affordable”? Provide 10% of units at a price below the market rate or an equivalent cash contribution.

• For multi-family developments:

  • 20% of the units as 2- and 3- bedroom units, suitable for families

  • 20% of the units as one-level and adaptable units, suitable for seniors and people with mobility issues

Translation: Builders can buy out of the 10% of units below market value for a “price”, and they did not place in the stipulations how far below the market value they would be. Currently, I see they typically run at about 10%, which would mean a 3-bedroom apartment sitting at around the $2500 per month mark would save the renter ( or owner) $250 a month.

North Cowichan is looking for a grant to speed up ‘housing’. This grant is to build 3500 units in three years, even though they only expected 3700 new residents by 2050. Note these residences will be crammed into their “growth centres”.

In today’s CVRD meeting, Mayor Rob Douglas suggested there is a lot of land to build on if we look to the “walkable” communities where there are still single-family homes that could be traded for compact apartment-style living, even though the vast majority of citizens when polled, prefer a single-family dwelling.

Landowners should be more free to place small homes, or prefab homes on their properties. Taxes should reflect North Cowichan’s commitment to “affordable” housing, but they do not.

Have your say here: https://www.connectnorthcowichan.ca/affordable-housing/survey_tools/provide-input-on-the-draft-affordable-housing-policy

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Exciting new upgrades to our website can be viewed at coap.ca

COAP has been catching on across the province. We have been invited to multiple meetings to help others take action in their communities. Because we have had so many requests, we decided to upgrade our website, by adding more resource sections for people to pull from, our letters to council, our FOIA requests, and more! We are continually upgrading, so keep visiting and sharing.

We are looking to expand to another community on the island currently. Stay tuned!