The Capital Regional District will reach out directly to Esquimalt residents with a mail-out outlining its $19-million offer to the township to reconsider its refusal to locate a regional sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point.
The revised amenity package would essentially cover Esquimalt property owners’ share of building sewage treatment. That means Esquimalt residents would have to pay only the operating costs of a new plant, estimated at about $125 a year for the average homeowner.
Victoria Coun. Geoff Young, who chairs the CRD liquid waste committee, called the offer a “win-win” and said Esquimalt residents should be given an opportunity to let their council know if they are interested.
“We are presenting Esquimalt with a very generous offer. They may or may not accept it. I think if Esquimalt council elects not to accept that offer, then they can discuss that with their citizens who will, I think, ask the simple question: ‘Why is it better to have a sewage treatment plant downtown that we’re paying for instead of the free one at McLoughlin?’ ” Young said.
Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen said he was even prepared to sweeten the offer further.
“If Esquimalt feels that this deal is not good enough and they want some amenities, such as what I would call beautification amenities — paths and bikeways and facilities to make it look better — I would even support that,” Jensen said, adding that $500 million in senior government grants are at risk if deadlines are missed.
But Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said her council’s refusal to rezone McLoughlin came after two public hearings and was never about money but about issues such as the small site size, tsunami risk, and rising sea levels.
“I don’t understand what you’re not understanding and how you are wishing to subvert a normal process. If it had occurred in your municipality, how would you accept it?” Desjardins said.
The CRD’s attempts to move forward with the $783-million Seaterra sewage treatment program have been frustrated by Esquimalt’s refusal to rezone McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant and Environment Minister Mary Polak’s May 27 decision not to overturn that refusal.
CRD chairman Alastair Bryson said Polak made it clear in a recent letter to the CRD that McLoughlin Point is still very much alive as a potential sewage treatment site.
“The minister is very clear that this site is not dead as some people would like to have us believe. I have not seen any do-not- resuscitate order on this site,” Bryson said.
Some directors expressed unease at appealing directly to Esquimalt residents.
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said he had “extreme discomfort” with sending a letter directly to Esquimalt residents. “That just seems to me to be one step too far,” he said.
Saanich Coun. Vic Derman said the step would lengthen the process.
“It becomes almost an interference with the process of the municipality,” Derman said.
Saanich Coun. Leif Wergeland said he would like to think Esquimalt council would appreciate the CRD informing their residents. “I don’t see it as being disrespectful,” he said.
Over the past eight years the CRD has sent information to residents of different areas when the sewage plan might affect them, Langford Coun. Denise Blackwell said. “It’s not without precedent. We’ve done this before.”
Ultimately, CRD directors approved officially making the cash offer and asked staff to provide information directly to Esquimalt residents and solicit feedback from them regarding the offer.
