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CRD seeks input on sustainability

An online feedback form is available until Feb. 15 to offer opinions on the Draft Regional Sustainability Strategy

The Capital Regional District hopes residents will peruse and offer opinions on the Draft Regional Sustainability Strategy.

The RSS is a vision for the region that will guide decisions affecting our communities to 2038, being developed collaboratively with affected local governments and other stakeholders. How we address population growth, climate change, housing, transportation, parks, food supply, natural resources, community and economic vitality are among the topics being considered.

“The sustainability strategy is a road map to the future. It will help local governments make decisions that support and enhance the quality of life we currently enjoy while taking care of the planet and our resources,” said Nils Jensen, CRD board chair and Oak Bay mayor. “We want to hear from the public if we’re heading in the right direction.”

An online feedback form is available until Feb. 15 and paper forms are available through the CRD. Participants can answer all or some of the questions and provide comments on any part of the draft strategy. Feedback will be summarized and presented to the CRD board. To ensure transparency, a summary of survey results will be posted on the CRD website.

Visit www.crd.bc.ca/sustainability to connect to the survey.

 

 

Have your say on Island View park

The Capital Regional District seeks public input on updating the Island View Beach Regional Park Management Plan through public meetings in January and February. This first stage of a four-step planning process permits CRD staff to present and gather scientific information about the park’s natural environment.

“The purpose of stage one is to develop a common understanding of the natural environment found within Island View Beach Regional Park, and to add to the information base about the natural environment through public feedback,” said Mike Walton, senior manager of Regional Parks.

CRD Regional Parks will present scientific information and seek public knowledge on the natural history, coastal processes, ecosystems and habitats, and species of interest found within the park.

Meetings are Jan. 29 at the Leonardo De Vinci Centre, 195 Bay St., from 6 to 9 p.m. and Feb. 5 at the Saanich Fairgrounds main hall, 1528 Stelly’s X Rd. in Saanichton from 6 to 9 p.m.

The CRD will then gather information about issues and interests from stakeholders, hold two community round table dialogue sessions and present a draft plan for feedback at public meetings.

 

 

BBB alerted to scam

A number of Greater Victoria businesses have been alerting the Better Business Bureau to a potential phone scam.

According to the Bureau’s Vancouver Island president and CEO Rosalind Scott, callers to businesses in Greater Victoria have identified themselves as representatives of the bureau and asked for information readily available through other public listings.

“I’m not sure what the intent of these calls are,” she said. “My guess is there’s a double intent here. What on earth are they pretending to be us (for)? That to me sends up all kinds of red flags.”

Whether it’s a company trying to get around federal anti-spam email legislation, or trying to put together some kind of marketing campaign, using a legitimate organization’s name without permission doesn’t wash, Scott said.

While the calls on their own don’t appear to be illegal – the police have not been notified – the misrepresentation hinders legitimate research work being done on local businesses by the bureau in its consumer protection role, she said.

“Happily there are some very savvy people out there. The people who called us were aware that it was a scam.”

In a number of cases, Scott said, when business operators requested callers’ phone number to verify the credibility of the inquiry, the person hung up. “If anybody won’t give you callback information, don’t talk to them.”

For a list of tips to ward off such scams, visit bbb.org/Vancouver-island or call 250-386-6348.