City of Fort St. John Special Council 1:30 pm Council Chambers October 31, 2011 Page 1. Call to Order: 2. Notice of New Business: Mayor's List Councillors' Additions City Manager's Additions 3. Adoption of Agenda by Consensus: 4. Adoption of Minutes: None 5. Business Arising Out of the Minutes: N/A 6. Delegations: None 7. Correspondence: None 8. Reports from City Manager and Administration: Administration Report No. 285/11 Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application 3-25 26-30 9. New Business: Page 1 of 30
City of Fort St. John Special Council Meeting Agenda: October 31, 2011 Page 10. Resolution to Move to Closed Meeting: None 11. Adjournment: Page 2 of 30
File # 2280-20, 5500-02 Report To: From: Presenter: Mayor and Council Dianne Hunter, City Manager City Manager Subject: Administration Report No. 285/11 Draft Agreement - Cooperative Environmental Assessment Site C Meeting: Special Open Council Meeting Meeting Date: October 31, 2011 RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 1: 1. THAT, Council advise the BC Environmental Assessment Office that it has the following comments on the Draft Agreement for the Joint Environment Assessment for the Site C project: a. Council recommends that funding be provided to all those local governments and agencies who are invited to be part of the Working Group; b. To avoid any possibility that the Environment Impact Statement Guidelines are self-serving or perceived to be self-serving, Council recommends that the Province or the Federal Government prepare the first draft of the Guidelines which would be based on comments from the Working Group; c. Council further recommends that local governments be considered a significant stakeholder and be given the same opportunities as Aboriginal groups to participate. Dianne Hunter, City Manager Administration Report No. 285/11 Page 3 of 30
CURRENT SITUATION: The Ministers of Environment for both Canada and British Columbia have agreed to conduct a cooperative environmental assessment for the Site C Clean Energy Project. They have drafted an agreement which outlines the terms and conditions on how they will proceed with the environmental assessment as well as the establishment of a Joint Review Panel. They have provided the public with a copy of the draft agreement and have requested public input by November 7, 2011. Provided for Council s consideration are comments that Council may wish to forward to the BC Environmental Assessment Office. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: BC Hydro proposes to construct and operate an up to 1,100 megawatt hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River, 7 kilometres southwest of Fort St. John. BC Hydro has adopted a multi-stage approach for the evaluation of Site C. The project is currently in Stage 3 - the Environmental and Regulatory Review stage. This stage includes an independent environmental assessment process led by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office. The Federal and Provincial Governments have decided to undertake a coordinate assessment of the proposed Project. Attached for Council s consideration is a copy of the draft Agreement for our comment and input. COMMENTS ON THE AGREEMENT: In both Administration and our legal advisor s opinion, the Agreement is fairly comprehensive and tracks the processes that are already set out in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the BC Environmental Assessment Act. It also provides for input from stakeholders, including local government. However some concerns are as follows: 1. Funding for the Working Group There is nothing in the Agreement that speaks to providing funding to members of the Working Group. The Working Group will comprise of representative of federal, provincial and territorial government agencies and Aboriginal Groups and local governments that have been identified as having an interest in the project. The City of Fort St. John has been identified as a local government having an interest in this project. Section 6 Participant Funding appears to only refer to funding for the Joint Review Panel. Council should seek clarification on this issue and specifically request that funding to provided to all those who are invited to be part of the Working Group. 2. Development of the Environmental Impact Statement: Guidelines will be provided to BC Hydro by the Federal Minister and the Executive Director of the Environmental Assessment Office and they will identify the issues to be addressed and the information to be provided in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). However, Section 3.4 of the Agreement states that BC Hydro will prepare the first draft of the EIS Guidelines. The Working Group then gets to review the EIS Guidelines and provide comments to the Agency who will in turn Administration Report No. 285/11 Page 4 of 30
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: (continued) 2. Development of the Environmental Impact Statement: (continued) provide comments to BC Hydro. Given that BC Hydro must ultimately prepare an EIS in accordance with EIS Guidelines, it is questionable whether BC Hydro should be preparing the first draft. To avoid any possibility that EIS Guidelines are self-serving, or perceived to be self-serving, Council may wish to recommend that the Provincial or Federal Government prepare the first draft of the Guidelines which would be based on comments from the Working Group. 3. Duty to Consult Local Governments: Because the Crown owes Aboriginal groups a duty to consult and accommodate, there is more reference in the Draft Agreement to the involvement by Aboriginal groups than other stakeholders. Municipalities are entitled to a high level of consultation by the Province under the Community Charter if they engage the support of UBCM on the issue. Council may wish to request that local governments be considered a significant stakeholder and be given the same opportunities to participate. ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. THAT, Council advise the BC Environmental Assessment Office that it has the following comments on the Draft Agreement for the Joint Environment Assessment for the Site C project: a. Council recommends that funding be provided to all those local governments and agencies who are invited to be part of the Working Group; b. To avoid any possibility that the Environment Impact Statement Guidelines are self-serving or perceived to be self-serving, Council recommends that the Province or the Federal Government prepare the first draft of the Guidelines which would be based on comments from the Working Group; c. Council further recommends that local governments be considered a significant stakeholder and be given the same opportunities as Aboriginal groups to participate. 2. THAT, Council receives the report from the City Manager regarding the Draft Agreement for Joint Environmental Assessment for the Site C project for information. ATTACHMENTS: Draft Agreement to Conduct a Cooperative Environmental Assessment, including the Establishment of a Joint Review Panel, of the Site C Clean Energy Project between the Minister of the Environment, Canada and The Minister of the Environment, British Columbia. Administration Report No. 285/11 Page 5 of 30
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Dianne Hunter City Manager October 26, 2011 Administration Report No. 285/11 Page 6 of 30
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File # 1855-01 Report To: From: Mayor and Council Sarah Cockerill, Director of Community Services Subject: Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Meeting: Special Council Meeting Date: October 31, 2011 RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 1: THAT, Council authorizes staff to apply for the Tire Stewardship BC Community Grant Program for funding to be allocated toward the matting required for Phase 1 of the Outdoor Fitness equipment. CITY MANAGER S COMMENTS: Support recommendation. Dianne Hunter, City Manager CURRENT SITUATION: Thanks to the people of British Columbia, the scrap tire recycling program in BC, which is now the responsibility of Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC) is one of the most successful in North America. Since the BC program was established in 1991, over 50 million tires have been recycled. Communities invest considerable resources to support recycling as a way to protect our environment. TSBC offers a Community Grant Program as an opportunity for communities to use and benefit from a wide range of recycled tire products. Municipalities, registered non-profit Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Page 26 of 30
CURRENT SITUATION: (continued) community groups or organizations, Schools/Colleges/Universities, First Nations and Métis settlements within the Province of BC, etc. are all eligible for projects that: - uses BC recycled rubber and is publicly and wheelchair accessible, - uses tires in place of rubber tile surfacing for playgrounds, waterparks or fitness areas, walkways, running tracks, or playing fields. It is a matched funding grant (50% applicant, 50% grant) of up to $30,000 per community. The City has already approved and purchased Phase 1 of the Outdoor Fitness Equipment plan attached as Appendix A. In order to install a cluster of equipment, rubber matting must be placed on the concrete base for participant safety. The Tire Stewardship Grant could cover up to 50% of this cost budgeted for in 2012. ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATIONS: ATTACHMENTS: 1. THAT, Council authorizes staff to apply for the Tire Stewardship BC Community Grant program for funding to allocated toward the matting required for Phase 1 of the Outdoor Fitness equipment. 2. THAT, Council receives Administration Report No. 286/11 - Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application for information. Outdoor Equipment Plan RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Sarah Cockerill Director of Community Services October 26, 2011 Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Page 27 of 30
Outdoor Fitness Equipment Plan As a registered Active Community with British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), the City of Fort St. John strives to promote healthy lifestyles choices, increase accessibility to physical activities and build supportive community environments. As part of an on-going commitment to encouraging physical activity amongst all of our residents, staff has gathered information about the use of Green Gyms in communities such as our own. Outdoor Fitness Equipment provides residents a free and accessible fitness option for all ages and mobility levels while encouraging residents to keep active year round. These types of outdoor fitness equipment projects give active adults the freedom of an outdoor workout. The equipment is installed outdoors so it is robust, weatherproof and colourful. It does not use weights for resistance, but rather one s own body weight. The equipment is inviting, and looks more like friendly playgrounds than intimidating fitness equipment. Outdoor fitness equipment provides a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy fitness and healthy active living for free. The following plan for implementation is proposed: Phase 1 Green Gym Cluster (2011) $25,000 for outdoor fitness equipment was approved by Council in the 2011 budget. Phase 1 of this project is targeted at adult users. The facility is proposed to be placed in Kin Park, adjacent to the new trails highly utilized by our local residents. Further, it is near a parking lot, bus stop, and playground, amongst other athletic fields and courts. It is sheltered by mature trees, in an accessible community park. Kin Park Note trail installed in 2010 is not shown Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Page 28 of 30
The Ufit Package from Green Gym is proposed to be installed in a grouping, placed on a 37 x 27 concrete pad with rubber matting. (See attached descriptions of Ufit Package) Phase 2 Seniors (2012) Recognizing Fort St. John s growing aging population, staff has noted a need for senior s programming. Outdoor Fitness Equipment offers more fitness options to seniors and allows for more inclusiveness with other age groups within the community. Components of outdoor fitness equipment can be designed specificly for use by older adults, focusing on repetative tasks that will make it easier for users to perform daily tasks and enjoy a better quality of life. The equipment is built on the principles progressively challenging exercises patterned after the twists, turns, and movements of everyday life, allowing adults the energy and strength to complete the real-life activities that matter most. Recently, the Government of Canada has made enhancements to the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) which is a federal Grants and Contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in their communities and in the lives of others. Two of the primary objectives that this program supports is increasing the social participation and inclusion of seniors, and providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors. Council has approved staff to apply for the New Horizon s Grant to be applied to outdoor fitness equipment targetted at Seniors. If successful in the grant, $25,000 is accessible for Phase 2 focusing on seniors. It is proposed that pieces be placed in accessible areas close to senior social centres. Heritage Park and Centennial Park have been identified as potential locations. Phase 3 2014 BC Senior Games Legacy Project (2015) A Bid was submitted for the 2014 BC Seniors Games. If the bid is successful, Phase 3 of the Outdoor Fitness Equipment project is identified as the Legacy project of hosting the Games. Organizers were confident that the 2014 Senior Games will generate a significant legacy fund for future development. The goal is generate $40,000 in legacy dollars, with 50% directed at future Games through the BC Senior Games Society and 50% staying in Fort St John to provide outdoor fitness equipment installed on trails. If successful, $20,000 would be accessible for Phase 3, focusing on our trail system. It is proposed that pieces be placed along our walking trails from 100 th Street to the West Bypass in convenient, safe stopping points along the path. Phase 4 - Covering of Phase 1 Recognizing that Fort St John is a winter city, outdoor fitness may become uncomfortable during the colder months. It is proposed that the City consider placing a roof structure over the Kin Park installation (Phase 1) to encourage continued use in the winter months. Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Page 29 of 30
Promotion At the end of each construction phase, the City would host a Grand Opening of each component of the outdoor fitness equipment. Further, ongoing promotion would work to encourage target markets to utilize the new option available to them. Other promotions include: - New initiatives are updated continuously on the City of Fort St. John Website, facebook page and various other local community websites (Energeticcity.ca) - Once per month an e-mail is sent by the Recreation department to all registrants in our Activenet system. - An activity guide called Momentum is sent to every household bi-annually - Information is communicated to other organizations through alliances, committees and e-mail - City s electronic sign is utilized to display current events and program - Promote events and programs through Facebook groups including Fort St. John, For All the Moms in Fort St. John, NPSS, Bert Bowes, Dr. Kearney, and others Administration Report No. 286/11 Tire Stewardship Grant Program Application Page 30 of 30