Communities contracting with Surrey dispute safety argument at CRD board meeting

Regional fire dispatch is a hot topic in the Capital Regional District, at least at the board level, but directors opted to see more costing models in more specifics on facility options for a regional fire dispatch model.

Despite heated debate during the meeting April 11, the board passed a motion seeking more information.

BREAKING: @crd agrees to continue to explore creating a single CRD-based fire dispatch service. pic.twitter.com/IZKAVlB5Tr

— Nils Jensen (@MayorNils) April 11, 2018

Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen led the charge to seek time to consider the options, including encouraging others at the table to delay decisions on replacing the local service.

Colwood, Esquimalt, View Royal, North Saanich and Sidney started searching for alternatives late last year after Saanich announced it plans to nearly double its service charge, citing concern over its own budget and prior investments into its fire dispatch centre.

The five communities have passed a joint resolution to contract with Surrey, whose annual fees for the five communities would range from $44,000 (North Saanich) to $103,400 (Colwood) for 2018. Saanich’s rate for the five communities range from $91,200 (North Saanich) to $196,200 (Esquimalt).

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“I’m not opposed to receiving more information but we are already considerably down the road to receiving a different dispatch at this time,” said alternate director Cynthia Day, a Colwood councillor. “We feel we have been fully open, fully transparent.”

She was among those who supported looking at more information and the concept of one dispatch centre, on a cost recovery basis, governed by the CRD. Day added that the financial implications are “particularly speculative”.

“We really do need a further study to find out what the financial implications would be,” she said.

CRD staff did a high level analysis for the report the board was presented with. It suggested 10 to 20 per cent savings could be had with three different single location options. It shows a regional service delivery model would create economies of scale in staffing, technology, facilities and administration.

“View Royal supports a regional dispatch we always have,” said Director David Screech, mayor of View Royal, adding that five fire chiefs, five mayors and five councils unanimously have made the decisions to go to Surrey. “There is no reduction in the level of service to our residents. We wouldn’t dream of taking a level of reduction for our residents.”

The contract would show a savings of $1.5 million over the contract, he added.

“We tried to reach out, we tried to have discussions. We were rebuffed,” Screech said. “We didn’t choose this … to ask us now, when we are well down the path, I don’t thing we can turn around. Commitments are made.”

View Royal could consider changing course in the future, he said. A sentiment echoed by Mayor of Esquimalt Barb Desjardins

“We already have costing models, we went out for an RFP. We have three costs that came in … Saanich was the most expensive and Surrey most cost effective,” Desjardins said. “It is also clear that this process has been going on for a while and unfortunately players didn’t come to the table. Saanich had an opportunity to sit down and work with these communities and they chose not to. We are far along on a process, and to go back on an RFP at this point is poor form and that I’m putting lightly.”

“We all are making sure public safety in this region is at its highest quality and standard.”

Director Lisa Helps, mayor of Victoria, suggested the board “take a deep breath together” and hear some preliminary costs as a show of spirit.

“This is a real opportunity … to take a step in the right direction as a region,” Helps said. “For those potentially wandering away, if we could stay together for the next month or two months as a rallying cry.”

Jensen expects the board will see further costing during its April 25 meeting.