Council resolutions
The District of Squamish council is asking the provincial government to set up a funding mechanism to pay back local governments for staff time and resources spent on Environmental Assessments.
The request is one of the resolutions council is sending for consideration at the Lower Mainland Local Government Association Conference scheduled for May 10 to 12 in Harrison Hot Springs, and to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities from June 1 to 4 in Ottawa.
Squamish council is also asking that the province consider projects comprehensively instead of piecemeal. Currently, there is a separate public process for different aspects of each assessment: Hydro lines and the FortisBC pipeline, for example, are considered separately for the Woodfibre LNG project. Council wants them to be considered comprehensively.
Council is also putting forward a resolution to have 24/7 access to the services and staffing needed to provide rape kits (also known as SANE kits) in communities lacking forensic services and that funding for the kits move from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Justice. “Survivors of sexual assault need medical forensic examinations readily available on demand and should not be expected to travel further than 50 km to facilitate equitable access to justice and associated resources,” reads the resolution passed at council March 14.
Trades training fund
Local students interested in skilled trades careers in the Sea to Sky may soon find new equipment in their classroom.
The province has announced School District 48 will receive $167,686 over the next three years to buy equipment for its trades classes, including laser engravers, table saws and 3D printers, a news release from the provincial government states.
The provincewide Youth Trades Capital Equipment Program has a budget of $7.5 million to be distributed during the current school year. The remaining $7.5 million will be distributed in 2017 and 2018 ($4 million) and 2018 and 2019 ($3.5 million).
To be eligible, school districts have to demonstrate that the capital investment supports the delivery of one or more Industry Training Authority youth trades programs.
