Regional Growth Strategy

I've heard of it previously, mostly that it was being conducted by the Regional District of North Okanagan.

Didn't pay much attention to it though.

Not until today when I learned that the North Okanagan's Regional Growth Strategy was being conducted with the support of EcoPlan International, the University of British Columbia and the Real Estate Foundation of B.C.    

The RGS framework development was recognized by the Planning Institute of B.C. and awarded a gold medal in 2014 for Excellence in Planning Practice.

Here's the interesting part...and while you're reading...may I suggest you think the word "motivation":
 

The RDNO was successful in securing a $35,000 grant from the

 Real Estate Foundation of B.C. ,

 with contributions from other project partners

 totalling $80,000 to update the

 Monitoring and Evaluation Program

 as a component of the growth strategy's 5-year review.

RDNO has contributed $20,000

 and funds are being contributed by various partners, including:

-   Okanagan Basin Water Board $15,000;

-   Regional District Central Okanagan $5,000;

-   Regional District Okanagan/Similkameen $5,000.

What on earth would the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. have as motivation for giving the North Okanagan's growth management strategy thirty-five thousand big (dollars) ones?

And the Okanagan Basin Water Board's $15,000 grant...kinda like giving some of our money back, ne c'est pas?  But just to the RDNO, not back to residents.


The State of the Region 2016 Report is found here beginning at page 6 of 36, but some noteworthy excerpts are included in this blog entry, called "meat n potatoes" below:

A quick overview shows there are 7 policy areas:  Urban Containment, Agriculture and Food Systems, Water Stewardship, Environment and Natural Lands / Energy and Emissions, Economic Development, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Housing.

Not surprisingly, the add-on (Policy 8) was listed separately:  Governance and Service Delivery.
Maybe because governments know how testy the public here can be when it comes to "governance", or the lack / dysfunction of it, as some political candidates were wont to call it during a recent local election campaign (with residents agreeing wholeheartedly!)

Meat 'n potatoes, with corresponding government report card:
Begin at page 9 (of the 36 page link above), but I'll list some that I consider to be of particular interest:

Urban containment:  Much better.  Only 17 ha lost from 2011 to 2015, the previous five years we lost 178 ha.


Agriculture and Food:
ALR land:  Doing well.  Increase of 0.04% since 2011 despite development pressure
Farm employment:  OK.  Decrease of 8% to 6% of all employment
Farm profitability:  Doing well.  Up from 8 to 11% 2006 to 2011
Farmland diversity:  Baseline.  Diversity 0.23.  87% is forage or pastureland.
Farms diversity by type: Making progress.  Farm diversity high and increasing 0.80 to 0.81 ('06 to '11)

Water stewardship:  (stewardship?  my personal foe!)
Installation of water meters:  Doing Well.  (Did anyone here have a choice?  No!)  100% of households, businesses and agriculture have meter installed in Vernon, Armstrong, Coldstream, Lumby; and 97.4% in Enderby.

Water quality alerts:  Doing Well.  From 2006 to 2016 water quality alerts decreased overall.  Large water utilities decreased from 11 to 1.

Water used by major water utilities:  Baseline.  Much of our regional population and industry receive water from a handful of major utilities.

Groundwater levels:  % of observations wells showing increase/decrease in average annual levels: Possibly improving. Increased an average of 0.4 metres overall with with 78% of wells showing an increase from 2011 to 2016.  However, average levels are still down more than a meter since 2001. 
 
I'm going to stop there and go directly to "How are we doing?"  Readers can go to page 10 of the 36 page (link provided above) to continue reading, with the next being policy being Environment.
 
So...how are the bureaucrat planners and professional educators doing?

"...the amount and rate at which land in the North Okanagan has been rezoned from a "rural" zone (wherein new lots must be at least 1 hectare) to other "non-rural" zoning (wherein new lots may be less than 1 hectare) is one indicator of the demand for new, smaller lots."

"...since 2011, the amount of land in the North Okanagan within the ALR has increased by 6 hectares (+/- 0.04%) with the inclusions primarily taking place in the Spallumcheen area."

Page 13 (of 36) begins a section entitled Focus Development into Growth Areas, Protect Rural Lands.

And then there's this Water Stewardship "gem", where someone forgot to mention to the report writers that other stakeholders were involved too!  (Even though we all know that only agriculture and Interior Health had any clout in the process!)

No wonder only Agriculture and Interior Health reps knew the way in...

"The GVW Master Water Plan, completed in 2012, is a detailed water utility study that reviews progress and provides direction for the next 40 years to ensure compliance with Provincial standards to safeguard health and to meet future water needs based on predicted growth."

"The Master Water Plan is the outcome of a partnership between RDNO, the City of Vernon, and the District of Coldstream in consultation with professional engineers and a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of local government staff as well as representatives from the agricultural community and Interior Health."

"The Master Water Plan is a living document that continues to be updated by expert engineering analysis and current Okanagan water information and technology."


"The MWP omits a professional peer review," Kia would've said.

...Its largest omission was the ability to listen constructively to those whose scientific ideas were (and remain) noteworthy. 

The draft document's concluding sections are an interesting read.

But I'm left wondering whether the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. felt they got "bang for their $35,000 bucks".
Still wondering about their motivation though.

Anyway, the Draft 36 pages went to the November 17th meeting of the Regional Growth Management Advisory Committee Meeting at RDNO.

B.C. Utilities Commission Request for Comments

...on the 2-tier electricity rates in B.C.
You have only until November 24th to submit your Letter of Comment on hydro rates that comprise the Tier 1 and Tier 2 pricing.

The Google search on the request for comments took me to a website from Bowen Island, and provides some good information.  Presumably residents on the island(s) have no access to natural gas, and are severely affected by high hydro rates.

I did provide my comments already--albeit almost 6 years ago--and also included a reply from then-minister Lekstrom.  The 2010 blog entry was re-sent today to the BCUC.

Why the call for comments?

Obviously, electricity rates are going to keep increasing.

But while there is no hint of it, methinks that the B.C.U.C. is planning to implement Time of Use rates in British Columbia, much like the system currently in place in Ontario.

Before commenting on your personal situation on hydro rates, it may be helpful to read the following excellent entries by blogger Norman Farrell:  private power purchases 2005-2016, which provides information on the types of customers hydro has, and a sub-blog (Tyee) that Norm Farrell has included because of the huge amounts of money that are "at stake here", and the many articles that Norm has penned regarding huge cost overruns on Hydro's Site C dam.

"We'll run the dishwasher and the washing machine at 2 a.m.," Kia would've suggested "to save money, which W.A.C. Bennett would never have seen in our future."

An appropriate graphic for ToU energy use.  Source:  Twitter

Family members will take turns as night owls, thanks in part to the B.C. Government's insatiable appetite for revenue.

The BCUC "comments" initiative may state it's regarding the current Step 1 and Step 2 tiered electricity rates, but results WILL lead to Time of Use electricity rates for British Columbia.

 

Swarm of Stinkbug Soldiers

Well, okay, not soldiers or swarm, really.

But it's an invading army nevertheless.

The brown marmorated stinkbugs haven't been around for very long, as Wikipedia reports: "The brown marmorated stink bug was accidentally introduced into the United States from China or Japan. It is believed to have hitched a ride as a stowaway in packing crates or on various types of machinery."

Accidentally introduced.
Aaaargh!

Drives me crazy now that cold weather is upon us, and the buggers are finding their way into the house.
Not a piece of firewood comes in without a hard tap on the ground to dislodge any that are sleeping on the undersides.   Since they're not small, I wonder how they get in.

But get inside they do.
Aaaargh again!

The Wikipedia gallery shows egg clusters on leaves...but look at what I found on a decorative plant at the edge of the patio:  (click photos to enlarge)

A hardened glob of mud, with some type of larvae inside. Was the stinkbug feeding?  or protecting it?

The stinkbug on the mud glob quickly met its maker 

So was the stinkbug feeding on the contents of the mud glob?
Or are those its own larvae overwintering?

The round depressions on the mud glob were interesting, and appeared as though a penny had been pressed into the mud while it was still wet.  
What made those penny-sized depressions?

A clever adversary, skilled in geometry, if it was the stinkbug.
Arrived via hitch-hiking.

"Between knapweed and stinkbug 'imports'," Kia would've suggested, "B.C. has a trade imbalance with China and Europe."

Knapweed details.

Was that a Guesstimate?

Today's Morning Star editorial by Rolke, entitled "It's all about vision", focused on Coldstream purchasing the 2 acres of commercially-zoned land between Dutch's campground and Vernon City boundary.

An excerpt:  "If the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative is correct, an additional 107,400 visitors will be attracted to the region annually to use the trail....this could possibly pump $6.7 to $8.7 million into the economy, and even if that figure is off slightly, the extra revenue going into businesses and families will be welcome."

And then halfway through, he states: "Of course we can't ignore the cost of preparing the property for hikers and cyclists....figures aren't known..."

I personally don't have an issue with the District of Coldstream spending $550,000 for that 2 acres of land. 

What I do have an issue with is this:

Who/what determined that hikers and cyclists--well known for being outfitted from head to toe and self-sufficient for their trip--would spend any money at either end of the Trail?
  
Let alone that 107,400 of 'em would inject $6.7 to $8.7 million into the economy.

photo:  internet.  See all those backpacks?  Chock full of water, juice, snacks, and sandwiches.  And toilet paper.

Rolke's story concludes:  "These two acres are a diamond in the rough."

"Might be a cubic zirconia," Kia would've whispered.

Both are shiny and attract people.

So we'll see...if any of those 107,400 people need anything here.

It's Open

30th Street is open again! 
Yay!

But somewhere, somehow during its 3+ month closure, it went on a diet.
30th Street came back skinnier.
No parking.
On either side, possibly?

Looking south on the newly re-piped, re-sewered, re-paved, nicer-lamped 30th Street

Wider sidewalks are to encourage more walking ... past a 50-year old costume house, tattoo parlour, friendship center, most businesses that are closed on weekends...even the Shaw-TV business is boarded up!

"Get your cane, Myrtle," Kia would've said, "we're going for a walk in this new neighbourhood."

Some other time, thanks.

Future 30th Street sign?

Murkily Transparent

It's not life or death...

It's not a huge deal that the District of Coldstream omitted the "Applicant" part of a public hearing's rezoning application...but the point is that it was omitted...when other public hearing documents include the applicant's name.

In this case, it's a resident's application to rezone their property to Bed 'n Breakfast--allowed in their area--by the Official Community Plan (and zoning regulations).

I am not against the application, and with the planned Okanagan Rail Trail, the bed 'n breakfast application is likely a good idea as those people using the trail may wish to access accommodations without going into downtown Vernon.

It's simply that some things aren't done in a consistent manner by some local governments (in this case, Coldstream).

Unlike Vernon:  An October hearing, with applicant clearly defined.

Have a look at the 7+ pages of public hearing documents from the City of Vernon...you'll be hard pressed to find the Applicant information omitted.

"Coldstream only includes Applicant names when officials deem the issue to be earth-fracking (-shaking), like a decidedly-sinful liquor license," Kia would've said.


Bed 'n breakfasts don't qualify.

But they won't want transparent windows...

Bellringer "Out to Lunch"

Yup...B.C.'s Auditor General, Carole Bellringer, is out to lunch if she thinks she has a good grasp on the recycling program(s) in the province.
She's obviously listening to the wrong people.

A November 10th Kiss-FM news story reported that no recycling audit was necessary.

""Such as ensuring the quality of reporting and recycling outcomes, expanding access to recycling services to more locations throughout the province including  rural communities, and encouraging accountability through transparent financial reporting."

The program's working well, Ms. Bellringer?
Really?

"Those who make, distribute or sell certain types of products are responsible for recycling them.

 The intent is to take the responsibility off of taxpayers

 and local governments and put it with the producers,"

 Carole Bellringer, B.C. Auditor General

Abject hogwash.

Have a look at "those who make, distribute or sell..."

Notice something?  (You should...)
Well, perhaps not...because you have to dig for it.

"Those who make..." includes Weston Bakeries, the largest bread manufacturer in Canada.

an apt description...

"So does Bellringer know that bread bags aren't allowed in the recycling containers?", Kia would've asked.

Apparently she hasn't a clue that bread bags aren't allowed.

The problem with recycling program(s) in B.C. should ring a bell.
But apparently not for everyone.

Just more ka-ka from the B.C. government, whose regional districts got lots of moolah (= bribe?) to enable the program...

T2 Condones Chaos?

I almost fell off my chair when I read about this.
So much so that I almost posted this blog entry's heading as "Drama Teacher vs. Economist (Trudeau vs. Harper).

Almost.


The story concerns a woman named Charmaine Stick who went on a 13-day hunger strike as a result of Onion Lake Reservation chief Wallace Fox denying her request for an explanation of financial problems at the band.

The First Nations Financial Transparency Act requires disclosure.

The transparency act was enacted under Prime Minister Harper after years of problems with bands who were unable--and unwilling--to show where the money went.  We've all heard the horror stories of Federal money going to bands whose members live in unsafe and unsanitary housing, etc.

So what happened?  it appears that T2 (Justin Trudeau, prime minister) actually refuses to enforce the act, and has halted the court action that would've had the Onion Lake band comply with the Act.

At this point I was almost spitting nails, so will leave it to the CTF to explain the debacle:
"
Charmaine Stick and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are taking the Onion Lake Cree Nation to court to force band leaders to tell band members what’s happening with the community’s money. Today we filed the final court documents and announced the court application to the media.

If she wins, it will set a precedent across Canada and force dozens of other First Nations bands to open their books.

Charmaine is courageous. When she heard about financial problems at her band, she demanded answers from her leaders. When they refused, she went on a 13-day hunger strike. Now, because of donations from people like you, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a co-applicant on her court case and we’re covering all of the legal expenses.

We’ve given Onion Lake Chief Wallace Fox every chance to do the right thing, but he refuses to comply with the CTF-inspired First Nations Financial Transparency Act. The act requires First Nations to publish the salaries and expenses of the chief and council as well as the band’s basic financial information. More than 98 per cent of First Nations have complied to some degree. The disclosures show some chiefs got paid more than the prime minister and others serve as unpaid volunteers. But Chief Fox says it’s “racist” to have a law requiring transparency in First Nations communities and he won’t open the books.

It gets worse.

The previous Conservative government went to court to force Onion Lake to follow the law. When the Liberals formed government, they halted the court action and stopped enforcing the law.

The federal government may have given in, but Charmaine hasn’t and neither have we. Now Charmaine will have her day in court. And she’s getting the opportunity to tell her story to the world through the media.

It’s now time to turn the heat up on the federal government. Can you email the Prime Minister, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and the opposition critics and ask the federal government to apply to be an intervenor in this case on behalf of transparency?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s email is: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca

Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Norther Affairs’ email is: carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca

Cathy McLeod, Conservative Party critic for Indigenous Affairs’ email is: cathy.mcleod@parl.gc.ca

Charlie Angus, NDP critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs’ email is: charlie.angus@parl.gc.ca
"
 
Whad'ya expect from our new Prime Minister?
...remember how important legalizing marijuana was for him?
As though that's important in a world fraught with crises... but what do you expect from a Trust Fund child?

"Isn't that akin to Reverse Racism?", Kia would've asked.

Good point.
It certainly is chaos, and T2 appears to condone it.

Further reference:  Attawapiskat housing debacle

Need Another Room to Pile It

...just so I don't get another "note" from the recycler/driver.

Since the recycling system collects only every two weeks--and I only put recycling out once a month--there are 4 weeks of recycling in the blue bins...all of which is acceptable (no rejected containers or packaging, or illegal items in the tiny world of the recycling industry).

But I toss stuff into the blue bins (located in the garage) as--and when--containers are emptied in the house through cooking etc. 
So it's only natural that there may be some items somewhat mixed up in the blue box.
Otherwise I'd have to have numerous loose piles in my laundry room--which I vehemently refuse to do--and then on the morning of recycling, I would have to selectively load into the required categories the items in the order they want.


To be fair, the driver DID take all my recycling, despite the green--slap on my wrist--note stating they had been unable to collect it today, so thank you.

And, yes, he left a RDNO brochure about the partnership with Emterra Environmental and MMBC.

Notice anything?  hmmmm.

Notice anything about the recycling guide brochure the driver left? 
Yup...it's got plastic overwrap.

Plastic overwrap isn't allowed by our recycling program (if you can call it a program), and the plastic overwrap has to be taken to a separate depot.

So...anybody else have piles and piles of loose stuff in their laundry room--waiting for recycling day--so that you can nicely arrange it for the driver (to prevent getting a green note)?

"Maybe you should offer to drive the bloody truck, too," Kia would've said.

Recycling director, Mr. Allen Langdon should be driving the truck.

"Earning" My Carbon Tax

Okay, it may have been difficult--let alone expensive--for Canada Post to provide the same keyed locks that residents already possess when CP switched the old group mailboxes to the new fancy-schmancy style.

But really, just think of how inconvenient it is/was for people from 38 residences (in just this one area, one grouping of boxes) to hoof it in to Canada Post downtown to pick up new keys.

So imagine thousands of people making individual car trips--with supporting parking coins for the meters--to pick up their new keys.

Inconvenient indeed!

But perhaps the "improved security features" will pay off, with fewer attempts to tamper with mailboxes in unlit and infrequently travelled rural areas.

"Too bad the Morning Star box was recently vandalized--and now removed entirely," Kia would've said.

Just think of all those inconvenient new, gas-guzzling trips:

1.  since the blue bag recycling program ended--with Mini-Material B.C. taking fewer recyclables than their predecessors--we hoof it into town to drop-off centres where we can spend 20 minutes placing recyclables into one or two of the myriad labelled containers.  If MMBC's managing director, Mr. Langdon, lived in this community, I would be one of many people who would happily line up at the curb to place the "unrecyclables" on his lawn!

2.  since the Morning Star box is gone at this location, we hoof it into town to pick up a newspaper three times a week, if the box isn't replaced.

3.  since the group mailbox changed, we all made a one-time trip into the Post Office to pick up new keys.

We're getting mileage out of our carbon taxes.

Yessirreebob.

The bureaucratic way...

Grant Appeal to Federal Liberals

...from the riding that voted to remain Conservative.

Oh well, GVAC's gonna try.

A month before the election in 2015, the North Okanagan's election signs were everywhere. 
Then Justin ("T2") Trudeau's Liberals swept in virtually everywhere else but in the Okanagan.

Maybe it'll work in our favour, i.e. the federal Liberals wouldn't be so obvious as to not award infrastructure funds to a community that voted against them during the election?

Or would they?

It's said that payback is a tough pill to swallow. 
We'll see.

The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee will apply for $7 million dollars from Infrastructure Canada.  In the scheme of the Liberal's giant economic stimulus, seven million bucks is a pittance.

The money would be used to construct Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant's UV treatment system, and help stave off Interior Health's demand ("we can Order you") to filter the water.

What if the Feds say "no?"

In many ways, it really doesn't matter...North Okanagan residents will pay for it either way.

Whether we--and our children and grandchildren--pay down a ballooning deficit, pay we will.


We as taxpayers will pay for "economic stimulus"--more accurately called deficits, the Liberals spending money they don't have--or we'll pay for it through increased water base/consumption rates (by the utility borrowing money, or using the reserves they have already accumulated).  But maybe with a federal grant in place, the continued gouging of water users won't be so severe all at once (again).

If you have a particularly strong stomach, have a look at Canada's debt clock.

Kia would've said "The only difference really is that infrastructure money might arrive in GVW's pocket sooner than if they had to accumulate it from water users."

Money is scarce for everyone.
But government at all levels will continue to gouge us.
They've grown accustomed to it.

$7 million...maybe GVW should buy lottery tickets too.

November 8th Can't Come Soon Enough...

...for this household.

We've even stopped watching TV, with the exception of Knowledge Network / PBS--which are wonderful.

The chaos on all media these days can only be described as that.
Chaos...the following from Wikipedia:

"cha·os

ˈkāˌäs/

noun

noun: chaos; plural noun: chaoses

1. complete disorder and confusion.

   
   

   "snow caused chaos in the region"

   
   

   synonyms:

   disorder, disarray, disorganization, confusion, mayhem, bedlam, pandemonium, havoc, turmoil, tumult, commotion, disruption, upheaval, uproar, maelstrom; More muddle, mess, shambles, free-for-all; anarchy, lawlessness, entropy; informalhullabaloo, hoopla, train wreck, all hell broken loose "police were called in to quell the chaos"

   antonyms:

   order

   • Physics

     behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions.
   • the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.
   • Greek Mythology

     the first created being, from which came the primeval deities Gaia, Tartarus, Erebus, and Nyx.

     noun: Chaos

Origin

late 15th century (denoting a gaping void or chasm, later formless primordial matter): via French and Latin from Greek khaos ‘vast chasm, void.’ "

Of the Wikipedia descriptions, I tend towards favouring "behaviour so unpredictable..."

And it's not just television.

Pick up a newspaper, internet publication, or American blog, and there it is again.

Apart from the lack of common sense, decency and respect for candidates that run for public office, fear-mongering and disgusting displays of "news" comments are emblazoned on print publications and LED screens throughout North America.  And, likely, overseas too.

The first thing that occurs to me is "have they (candidate(s) ) no shame?" 

Apparently not.

I know it's an important election, principally because it'll select a leader for the most powerful and progressive nation in the world.

Is it in the interests of disseminating "news" that every burp and hiccup and disgusting indecent comment is parlayed into print or on tape for immediate "breaking news" playback?

Nope, it's more sinister than that.

I'll leave the topic open, with only the following graphic (U.S. specific?) and another paragraph or two to provide the answer:  (click on graphic to enlarge)

 

 

And get a load of this sentence:  "The country’s largest newspaper chain is mostly owned by U.S. hedge funds, which won the company for a song by buying up distressed Canwest debt for pennies on the dollar."  From here.

Kia would've said:  "Does the following graphic epitomize politics in the 21st Century?"

Hopefully NOT!

 

Too bad there aren't any gardening shows on TV any more...even in November!

Locked Parkade

The fact that the downtown Vernon parkade needs to be locked at night (and all day Sundays) is a sign of a problem the city hasn't been able to address....criminal activity and homelessness.

Do other cities lock their parkades--imprisoning the parked cars whose owners dashed in and parked, and then were delayed--without reading the signs?

Or have other cities managed to defeat the criminal activity and homelessness issues?

The answer may be a resounding "no" to both questions.

Let's look at Kelowna's myriad parkades.

The website states: 

For longer term parking, park in a parkade or off-street lot.

Parking is not permitted on any downtown street between the hours of 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. due to street cleaning and snow removal. Please park in a parkade or off-street lot if you may be leaving your vehicle overnight.

...which would indicate parkades are not closed/locked early, but I may be wrong.
Sure, some of their parkades close at 6 p.m., but those aren't in commercial/business zones.

Evidenced is the downtown (similar to Vernon's location) Ellis and Lawrence Streets parkade:  open Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Plenty of time to conduct business and get out of late meetings at the office...

So when does downtown Vernon's lone parkade close?

Are you sitting down?
8 p.m.

8 p.m. ?  Really?
And 7 p.m. on Saturdays?

How about businesspeople whose afterwork meetings delay their return?
Everyone's likely heard of the 21st Century trend of longer workplace hours.

Everyone but the Vernon parkade manager, anyway!

Tiny sign (at the right side of parkade entrance) in downtown Vernon.

There are other signs, in other parts of the world, that are infinitely more noticeable:

The parkade sign of the future?

Kia would've said:  "It'd be a smaller sign if they included only the bodily functions that are allowed."



Oh, and speaking of the Vernon downtown parkade, I'm reminded of a conversation several years ago with a nearby business owner (who--for obvious reasons--will remain anonymous).

He told me "that parkade is always empty, so I contacted Vernon city hall and said I'd like to rent 4 parking spaces on a monthly basis, but I could only afford half price (their normally exorbitant rate).
It'd be win/win for both the City and me...the parkade would have some revenue, versus being empty now during the workday, and I'd have reasonably-priced parking for my customers."

You guessed it.
The City told him "No."

Seems the City of Vernon would rather have an empty parkade during workdays!