CSRD approves funding for SLIPP implementation…

Salmon Arm Observer

By Barb Brouwer
Published: September 21, 2010

A long sought-after project to protect the Shuswap Watershed got the green light from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District board last Thursday ‘ but not without controversy.

Regarded as the most important project of the Shuswap Lake Integrated Planning Process (SLIPP), a three-year, pilot Water Quality Monitoring project will proceed.

That the $335,000 needed to run the project was anted up at last week’s board meeting is a credit to Electoral Area C South Shuswap director Ted Bacigalupo, Area F North Shuswap director Denis Delisle and Area D Falkland/Ranchero/Silver Creek director Ren’ Talbot.

One of the major stumbling blocks to the project has been coming up with a satisfactory funding formula for the watershed, which includes all of the Shuswap and parts of the Thompson-Nicola and North Okanagan regional districts.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the City of Kamloops have already offered their support to the tune of $53,600, 16 per cent of the overall cost of the water quality monitoring project.

At the board table, Salmon Arm Mayor Marty Bootsma and Coun. Kevin Flynn maintained their stance that they were unprepared to spend Salmon Arm tax dollars if the funding formula is assessment based, or until CSRD rural areas have building inspection.

As well, Flynn said he was unwilling to contribute because too many unanswered questions remain, a statement supported fully by Area E director Rhona Martin who wanted the project deferred.

Bacigalupo cut through the controversy by seeking and receiving support from Delisle and Talbot to use money from their Community Works Funds, which are based on provincial gas tax revenue and can be spent at the discretion of the directors without public assent.

Sometimes heated discussion ensued about participation and funding.

‘Nobody has said they will pull out, because nobody is in yet,’ said Bootsma, responding to criticism of Salmon Arm’s role and drawing laughter when he added, ‘But I do like Bacigalupo’s proposal.’

Directors voted ‘that (the) CSRD board support the implementation of the SLIPP in principle with gas tax funds from Areas C, D and F and invite Area E, Sicamous, Salmon Arm and Nord to participate at a later date.’

The motion passed with only Area B Rural Revelstoke’s Loni Parker and Martin opposed and with abstentions by Revelstoke and Golden being considered affirmative votes.

CSRD administrator Charles Hamilton says the amendment was supported ‘in principle’ because there are matters to be considered, including what portion of the funding would be assigned to Areas C, D and F and how other areas could come on-board later.

‘The gas tax revenue is a population-based formula and I am prepared to apply that same formula to cost-sharing between the three electoral areas,’ Bacigalupo said Monday, noting that his Community Works Fund is richer than the other two because of Area C’s much larger population.

He says the watershed-wide SLIPP project definitely meets the specific criteria that includes being a benefit to the greater community.

‘What the hell good is the money if it’s sitting there not being applied to worthwhile causes,’ he says. ‘If we apply it to the right projects, it could result in less net taxes.’

SLIPP’s initiator, Ministry of Environment’s Ian McGregor, is thrilled to see another big piece of the SLIPP puzzle coming together.

He says a water quality monitoring program created at UBC is already being partially implemented.

‘MOE, CSRD and Salmon Arm are already contributing to that program, but at a much reduced funding level,’ he says, allaying the fears of some directors that there would be duplication. ‘Now with the full funding we will expand the sampling program to the entire watershed.’

McGregor says the next steps will be to find out when funding will be available and to reconvene the already formed water quality monitoring committee that consists of all regulatory agencies.

‘That’s what is so innovative about the plan, we have the document, we were just chasing funding at this point,’ he says, noting the Fraser Basin Council will manage the finances and that MOE’s contribution is worth another $335,000. ‘MOE has the equipment and staff, that was our commitment.’

McGregor says funding is available to proceed with other projects and that he is hoping to get the water-quality monitoring project running before the next growing season, by February or March at the latest.

‘We’re ecstatic the community has pulled together to fund a valuable environmental process and that the people of the watershed are taking ownership of the issues, he says. ‘And we need to commend the steering committee which is made up of elected officials.’

Shuswap Water Action Team (SWAT) president Ray Nadeau and Shuswap Environmental Action Society’s Jim Cooperman were also ecstatic following the meeting.

Nadeau made a presentation to the board at the outset of the meeting, providing results of a watershed survey on behalf of the Shuswap Watershed Alliance.

The survey, which was conducted online and in communities throughout the watershed, drew 641 responses ‘ 611 in favour of contributing to the cost of water quality-monitoring to the tune of about $11 per household per year.

‘We’re very pleased we’re getting a decision made,’ said Nadeau after the meeting. ‘All the comments we’ve been hearing are ‘Just get on with it.’ Kudos to Ted for stepping up to the plate and breaking the logjam.’