Common Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about the candidate’s platform, our recent accomplishments, and our strategic plans for the future of our district.
What is the core focus of your platform?
My platform is rooted in protecting our community's rural character while ensuring fiscal resilience, modernizing health services, and enhancing public safety infrastructure. We will build on the foundation that we have established in the prior 4 years (2022-2026).
What are your most significant accomplishments?
Under my leadership, we have successfully secured over $9 million in grants for the firehall replacement project, established key Strategic, Agricultural and Climate Action Plans, and built strong relationships with Regional, Provincial and Federal partners enhancing open and transparent governance.
How will you ensure long-term financial stability?
By implementing a prudent Asset Management Plan and a balanced long-term budget strategy, we will keep residential taxes reasonable while funding essential community infrastructure. We will explore securing additional revenue sources beyond the existing tax base.
What will the Firehall Replacement Project Cost and how will we pay for it ?
The ultimate cost of the Firehall will depend on the final design. Based on current and similar firehall builds for rural communities of 5000 residents, the cost will likely be in the range of $10-$12 million and will be determined based on Metchosin's needs and financial capacity. Bowen Island, which is a similar-sized community with similar needs, spent $4 million on their firehall in 2021 (Pre Covid).
The Class D Cost Estimate with the preferred option 1A for the Firehall replacement estimates the cost at 16.4 Million. (See the executive summary on Page 3) This cost includes a 15% design and pricing contingency as well as a 10% price escalation contingency. It will be funded by the $7 million dollar Federal / Provincial / UBCM grant, and $2.4 million from the Province's Growing Communities Fund (2023) and, if needed, the remaining funding can come from our capital infrastructure reserves or modest long term financing.
I am committed to keeping the cost at or below the current $16.4 million estimate and will not spend a penny more than this. The project needs to be consistent with our rural needs and financial capacity. If needed, I will scale back project scope to achieve this.
Detailed information regarding the Firehall Project can be found on the Metchosin District Website.
What contingency is built into the Firehall cost estimate ?
Option 1A of the Class D Estimate includes a 15% design and pricing contingency and a 10% price escalation contingency. This amounts to $ 4.9 Million. There is an additional contingency for construction allowances of $782 thousand. This option keeps the existing facility in tact until the new build is complete and avoids the need for a temporary facility.
Is the grant tied to the recommended option 1A Design of the Class D estimate?
NO! The grant is based on a NEW Build for the Firehall. The funds cannot be used for renovations of the existing structure.
What is "Option 1 A" ?
The key elements of this option involve a full replacement of the administrative building and the apparatus bay with a new building that addresses both the seismic deficiencies and the occupational health and safety issues.
Are there standards that the Firehall build must meet ?
Yes!
A firehall must be post-seismic or post-disaster compliant and comply with the BC Building Code (BCBC) ; the BC Fire Code (BCFC), WorkSafeBC, the Fire Services Act , and should try to comply with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
* The BC Building Code is a provincial regulation that sets the minimum requirements for safety, health, accessibility and fire and structural protection for buildings.
* The BC Fire Code is a provincial regulation that sets minimum standards for fire safety in buildings, including Firehalls.
* Worksafe BC and NFPA speak to decontamination and clean zones as well as air handling systems for exhaust removal and Off-gassing of PPE.
* The project must also meet energy, mechanical and electrical system standards and address other fire rescue programming deficiencies.
Is there a recent, comparable firehall build that we can learn from ?
Yes!
On September 19th, I travelled to Bowen Island to view and discuss what they did for their 2021 new firehall build. They are a community of 4,256 and have similar firefighting / emergency preparedness needs to Metchosin. Their 2021 cost to build was $4M. Have a look at the trip video and a written summary of our discussions.