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qathet Regional District briefs

Adopts solid waste regulation and tipping fee bylaw; provides Lift Community Services and food bank support letters; appoints 911 representative and hospital board chair; applies for FireSmart program extension; postpones Myrtle Point Golf Club financial assistance request
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Tipping fees
qathet Regional District (qRD) board of directors has adopted its solid waste regulation and tipping fee amendment bylaw, which sets out fees from 2023 to 2026.

At the November 24 regional board meeting, directors approved a bylaw that will set the rate per tonne of solid waste at $245 effective January 1, 2023, going up to $250 on January 1, 2024, $255 on January 1, 2025, and $260 on January 1, 2026.

The minimum charge for waste loads has also been amended. A minimum charge of $7.50 will apply to a maximum weight load of 30.612 kilograms effective January 1, 2023, 30 kilograms on January 1, 2024, 29.412 kilograms on January 1, 2025, and 28.846 kilograms on January 1, 2026.

Supports application
The regional board will direct staff to write a letter of support for Lift Community Services in relation to its gaming funds application for the Community Resource Centre and Family Place. According to correspondence from Lift, both the Community Resource Centre and Family Place are being threatened by rising costs and rapidly increasing community needs.

Provide work
The board will also provide a letter to support Powell River Action Centre Food Bank for its grant funding application to Disability Alliance BC. This grant, if accepted, would provide three people on disability the opportunity to work for one year at the food bank.

Representatives named
City director George Doubt has been appointed by the regional board as its representative to North Island 911, and Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox has been appointed as the alternate.

Bell relocated
Relocation of the Saint Gerard’s Catholic Church bell to the Powell River Regional Cemetery mausoleum has been approved, and costs of display will be included in the operating budget of the regional cemetery service.

Building shelter
The regional board has approved the Rotary Club of Powell River’s initiative to construct a covered shelter at Palm Beach Regional Park. 

Policy adopted
The parks, properties and trail volunteers policy has been adopted by the regional board. The board has directed staff to initiate the volunteer program. According to a staff report, allowing the community to participate and have a greater sense of ownership and commitment to parks, properties and trails will help the regional district promote these areas and educate the public on how important these areas are to the quality of life in the regional district.

Decision postponed
A financial assistance request from Myrtle Point Golf Club will be considered during the first financial assistance intake of 2023.

Vital signs
A grant of $1,000 has been approved for Powell River Community Foundation for the 2022 Vital Signs report.

Replace lighting
The regional board has approved a grant of $6,890 to the Lang Bay Community Club to assist with the replacement of outdoor lighting at Lang Bay Community Hall. The grant money will come from the Electoral Areas B and C grants-in-aid service.

Sandcastle grant
Texada Island Sandcastle Weekend will receive a grant of $2,000 from Electoral Area D grants-in-aid service.

Road rescue
The regional board has approved a grant of $3,800 to the Van Anda Improvement District for a road rescue program.

Pride funding
qathet Pride will be the recipient of $3,531 for general operating costs. The funding will come from the regional district’s social planning service.

Community justice
A grant of $2,250 will be provided to Lift Community Services for qathet Community Justice.

Arts underwritten
A $2,500 grant will be provided to qathet Art.

Regreening program
The regional board has endorsed an application to BC Hydro for the community regreening program for $7,000 to provide trees. Any costs not covered by the grant will be funded through the regional district’s regional parks service.

Extend FireSmart
An application will be made to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) 2023 community resiliency investment program to support the qathet Regional District FireSmart program, and to fund a community wildfire resiliency plan for the qathet region. The board has also endorsed carrying out the 2023 regional FireSmart program and community wildfire resiliency plan collaboratively with Tla’amin Nation and City of Powell River, with qRD providing overall grant management for this project. According to a staff report, total estimated cost of the proposed project is $200,000, and provincial funding through UBCM can provide up to 100 per cent of this cost.

Helping costs
The regional board will commit $200 to qathet Old Growth for general operating costs.

Doubt elected
At the November 24 Powell River Regional Hospital District board meeting, City of Powell River director George Doubt was elected chairperson of the hospital board.