qathet Regional District briefs

FireSmart application

qathet Regional District (qRD) directors have endorsed applying to Union of British Columbia Municipalities for the 2022 FireSmart community funding and supports.

At the September 23 regional board meeting, directors also voted to endorse carrying out the 2022 regional FireSmart program collaboratively with Tla’amin Nation and City of Powell River, and that the board endorse the regional district to receive and manage the grant funding on behalf of the city and Tla’amin, and to provide overall grant management for this project.

The regional district will be applying for $80,000 to operate the program in 2022. 

Support letter

qathet Regional District’s chair will send a letter of support to Powell River Brain Injury Society for a federal grant to expand its garden area. The society has partnered with the local food bank and will be installing a 100-foot greenhouse, complete with power for lights and heat, to grow nutritious and healthy organic produce year-round.

Award nomination

The regional board has ratified the provision of an award nomination for Powell River Salmon Society to FortisBC’s 2021 community giving award nominations. The salmon society, in correspondence to the regional district, indicated this might be a possible funding source to temporarily alleviate some of the society’s immediate funding shortfalls.

The society stated that it has been operating for nearly 40 years with measurable results, including successfully introducing and sustaining a chinook salmon run in Lang Creek. Annually, the salmonid programs release up to 1.9 million salmon smolts back into regional waters. 

Denies request

The qRD board passed a motion to respectfully deny the request from Myrtle Point Golf Club for a permissive tax exemption for the 2022 tax year. The board had previously granted tax exemptions to the golf club for the years 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, and gave financial assistance in 2017 when the club request for a permissive tax exemption missed the deadline.

The club’s requests for permissive tax exemptions in 2020 and 2021 were denied by the regional board. The estimated value of a permissive tax exemption in 2022 would be nearly $9,000.

Staff presentation

qRD staff will be directed to make a presentation on the ability to use the regional district’s parks and greenspace plan to request parkland dedication at the time of subdivision.