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North Cowichan gives green light to use grant for firehall, garbage fleet, affordable housing

But not all council members agree
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Rob Douglas. (File photo)

North Cowichan council unanimously supported using approximately $4.8 million of the almost $7.7 million the municipality is receiving from the province’s Growing Communities Fund to pay for the replacement of the aging Crofton fire hall at its meeting on March 15.

Council also agreed to use almost $2 million of the funding to help cover the cost of transitioning North Cowichan to automated curbside garbage collection, which will save each household in the municipality $30 a year, and $902,000 for affordable housing initiatives, but not all council members agreed with those initiatives.

RELATED STORY: GRANT COULD COVER COST OF NEW CROFTON FIRE HALL, AND MORE

Mayor Rob Douglas said he’s pleased North Cowichan will be given some immediate financial relief in their taxes for 2023 as a result of the province’s grant as many taxpayers are currently facing a tough time due to the rising cost of living.

“There’s also the long-term focus as well with almost $400,000 a year in savings over a 20-year period [as a result of not having to get a loan for the new fire hall],” he said.

Financial director Talitha Soldera said in a report that using some of the grant funding to pay for the fire hall results in a 0.3 per cent tax reduction for 2023 and a 1.09 per cent reduction for 2024, with the savings carrying on for the next 20 years.

The tax increase for 2023 in the Municipality of North Cowichan was set at 4.82 per cent earlier this month.

RELATED NEWS: NORTH COWICHAN’S PROJECTED TAX INCREASE FOR 2023 NOW AT 4.82%

The funding will also allow for the municipality to decrease its garbage fee hike from the $183 that was planned down to $153 a year, but Coun. Bruce Findlay felt the fee should be dropped to the $125 amount that it was in 2022.

The motion to use some of the funding for transitioning to automated garbage collection passed with Findlay and Coun. Tek Manhas opposed.

The largest discussion at the council table was over earmarking $902,000 for affordable housing initiatives, with $432,000 going towards the affordable housing project on Sherman Road which North Cowichan is supporting, and $470,000 to be placed in North Cowichan’s Affordable Housing Reserve to fund future affordable housing projects.

Manhas said he thinks providing affordable housing should be left up to the private sector.

He said the Sherman Road project, which is being built by the Community Land Trust with North Cowichan donating 2.1 acres of municipal land upon which it will be built, plus some financial support, has been ongoing for years with no results to date.

“We’ve expedited the zoning for this project, given them relief on their development cost charges and given them the land and cash out of our Affordable Housing Reserve and still we’re nowhere,” Manhas said.

“I’d like to see that $902,000 put towards capital projects, or something like that, and leave housing up to the private sector.”

Douglas pointed out that the Sherman Road project, which is designed for 95 affordable dwellings comprised of townhouses and apartment units, couldn’t move ahead without funding from senior levels of government, and no money became available until 2018.

RELATED STORY: NORTH COWICHAN TO KICK IN FINANCIAL HELP FOR AFFORDABLE-HOUSING PROJECT

Coun. Christopher Justice said affordable social housing built by the private sector and affordable housing built by BC Housing are not mutually exclusive.

“They’re complimentary and we need them,” he said.

Coun. Mike Caljouw agreed that affordable housing built by government agencies and the private sector are both needed.

“We need as much affordable housing as we can possibly get,” he said.

‘The need is there. If we can work with the private and public sectors, that’s a win-win.

CAO Ted Swabey said, typically, the private sector doesn’t get into building affordable housing.

He said the reason North Cowichan doesn’t have much affordable housing available now is because no one wants to build it.

“It’s not an easy thing to do and we haven’t really defined what affordable means,” Swabey said.

“Affordable typically means below market income and we have to require that of private developers for a portion of their developments through rezoning applications. I think that’s a question that requires a lot of thought.”

Swabey said while there are ways to encourage developers to build affordable housing, it’s not going to be the panacea for the private sector to get into the non-market housing business.

Douglas said these issues will be discussed when council deals with North Cowichan’s housing policies later this spring.

The motion to use $902,000 for affordable housing initiatives passed, with Manhas and Findlay opposed.

Findlay questioned why the money was not being used to further lower taxes.



robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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North Cowichan councillor Mike Caljouw. (Photo by Don Bodger)
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Christopher Justice. (File photo)


Robert Barron

About the Author: Robert Barron

Since 2016, I've had had the pleasure of working with our dedicated staff and community in the Cowichan Valley.
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