A report outlining population analysis and projections from 2016 to 2041 has been adopted by qathet Regional District (qRD).
At the regional district’s board meeting on Thursday, July 25, board members considered three motions related to the report, which prepared 25-year projections for electoral areas A to D, where the qRD provides planning services.
The Arlington Group, the consultants who performed the analysis, indicated a 19 per cent growth in the qRD from 2016 to 2041, as compared to the provincial forecast of 30 per cent over the same time span. This shows modest growth in the electoral areas over the next 25 years.
On the first motion, the board voted to receive the Electoral Area A, B, C, and D population analysis and projections 2016-41.
The second motion was that the board directs staff to investigate economic development region-wide and bring back a report. City director George Doubt said in reading the resolution, staff had been directed to look into economic development region-wide, which he believes it should do, and that it should include the municipality.
“A regional economic development strategy would be a good thing to have,” said Doubt. “I think what we have now is, when you look at the real effort that has been put into it, it’s almost a cultural development strategy with grants-in-aid. It’s very limited and doesn’t allow staff to do much in the way of economic development. I’d like to see a report come back and I would like it to be a regional-wide economic development program.”
Chair Patrick Brabazon said he thought the comments were valid and pertinent and they will go to staff.
Brabazon said the motion before the board comes out of a couple of decades of less than harmonious inter-planning relationships with the municipality.
“That’s not to say we can’t move forward but we are going to have to do so slowly and carefully,” said Brabazon.
Area D director Sandy McCormick said the reason she is in favour of this motion is because the demographic analysis tells her the potential of where the regional district is going. She said it is not etched in stone that the projections are going to happen, and by having an economic development strategy, the groundwork can be prepared to enable those projections to actually transpire.
Brabazon said the motion as written called for region-wide economic development. He suggested accepting the motion as it is.
“We are all aware we would like to broaden the horizon,” said Brabazon.
Area B director Mark Gisborne asked if this is coming out of the electoral area feasibility study, would that limit the new service to just the electoral areas?
Brabazon said the study could recommend anything. He said with the feasibility study, what the regional district would do after that would determine the scope of it. The board would take the information provided in the feasibility study and then board members could stipulate what may or may not be done, he added.
“All options are on the table after the study is complete,” said Brabazon.
The regional board voted in favour of the economic development staff report.
The regional board also voted to forward the population analysis and projections to the regional hospital district for discussion on what infrastructure services the regional hospital district board can provide.
