Mayor’s Economic Resilience Meeting, April 21, 2022
(Summary notes prepared by Mac Nanton.)
Meeting called by Mayor Fred Haynes and held at Stew Vinnels residence at 1001 Southover Lane. (To expedite this get together which was taking ages to arrange, Stew suggested to the Mayor that he could host it at his home on Southover Lane, to which the Mayor agreed, rather than waiting for a meeting date at the Mayor’s office, timing being compounded, by COVID restrictions).
The Mayor thanked us all for attending today’s meeting, and felt it was time his Office host a joint get-together meeting for the three Community Associations (ROCA, BARA, and FCA) and the Royal Oak BIA . He wanted to explore with us possible options and areas for working together so that the five of us could better help facilitate our neighbourhoods, residents, and local businesses.
Members in attendance:
Mayor Haynes
Brent Reems-acting CAO, Saanich
Mitchell Edgar-Economic Development Manager-Saanich
Greg Gillespie-president Royal Oak BIA, (Royal Oak Business Improvement Association)
Roger Graham- president ROCA (Royal Oak Community Association)
Marilyn Graham-Treasurer ROCA
Doug Baer- president BARA (Broadmead Area Residents Association)
Stew Vinnels-Vice President FCA
Mac Nanton-Registrar FCA
The Mayor’s opening remarks discussed the economic importance of Saanich’s development, and it’s relevance and relationship with the surrounding areas. He touched on the South Island Property Partnership plan and various hubs being developed, by UVIC, Vancouver Island Tech Park Hub, the Food and Technology Hub by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the need for maintaining development within the Urban Containment Boundary. He also touched on Saanich’s proposed developments to be contained within proposed corridors and centres, which are being developed, and the need for Saanich to develop a comprehensive development strategy. In order to do so, the Mayor then introduced us to Mitchell Edgar, the newly appointed, and recently created Saanich Economic Development Manager, who has now been in office for two weeks. His duties will include establishing and maintaining working relationships with businesses, developers, as well as Municipal Council and staff, and at the same time being cognisant of the various political issues and their ramifications in order to carry out the goals of the District. Mitchell said he was looking forward to meeting with the Community Associations in Saanich. He said he would be visiting them all (16 in total), and proposed to complete his information gathering by the end of this year. His hope is to meet with each CA, and discuss their various interests and concerns (which could vary with each CA), and use these meetings to develop an ultimate comprehensive economic development strategy, with no completion date to date. He will also be liaising, and keeping abreast of, the work of adjacent Municipalities. His initial plan includes: Information gathering phase, which will continue to the end of December this year, followed by a strategy, proposed to be developed for discussion, in the first quarter of next year.
COVID masks, January, 2022
As Omicron has now usurped our beginning optimism over a speedy end to the pandemic, there is good news also. In response to CoVid, mask manufacturers have been in high gear perfecting their products. Canadian companies have made some strong advances and are receiving accolades for their research and products.
Our health experts are recommending medical grade masks to protect us including the N95; however, not all N95s are created equal so it is important to do your homework. The three higher level masks recommended masks at this time are the N95, the KN95 and level 3 medical masks (if the fit is good). The KN95 mask is effective but is reported to be “less-breathable” than the N95. Some “duckbill” style masks have a larger breathing chamber and are therefore more comfortable and N95s with pouch respirators fits under eyewear. The level 3 medical masks lose their effectiveness if they fit too loosely around the face. For more information, please check out this CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mask-filtration-standards-marketplace-1.5974442
All these masks are meant to be disposable and not reused. This is a concern to many of us who value the environment but there is at least one company, Vitacore Industries, who offers a recycling program.
During this pandemic we have tried to buy locally to support our merchants and manufacturers; this is also important when we consider purchasing masks. Purchasing Canadian made and approved masks give us the most security in ensuring our maximum protection.
Some Canadian manufacturers / retailers:
Vitacore Industries www.vitacore.ca
Inno Lifecare www.innolifecare.com
Eclipse Innovations www.eclipseinnovations.com
Dent-X & First Nations Procurement Inc. FN95 www.dent-xcanada.com
Canada Strong Masks www.canadastrongmasks.ca
72Hours www.72hours.ca
Crematorium Operating Reports, 2021
This summer the FCA reviewed the operation of the two crematoria located in the upper Falaise Dr. area. These facilities are operated by the Royal Oak Burial Park and First Memorial Funeral Services. We canvassed neighbours on Falaise Dr., Adeline Pl. and Royal Wood Pl. and Ct. last April to hear their concerns. Although residents’ opinions varied, there were worries with public health impacts from the air emissions and some residents wanted to learn more about the operating protocols of the two crematoria. Separate reports on what we learned have been prepared for each:
First Memorial Funeral Services
We learned that cremations are covered under the B.C. Cremation, Internment and Funerals Act. Consumer Protection B.C., a provincial agency, administers this act. However there is no specific regulation concerning air emissions from crematoria. The provincial government regards crematoria as relatively low emitters and does not consider the air emissions to be a public health hazard. That said, the regulation does ban certain potentially toxic materials as might be found in wooden coffins from going into a cremation. As a result, wooden coffins are rarely used as a cremation container and the majority are cardboard. Air emissions resulting from cremation are not monitored by the provincial government nor by the operators.
The Royal Oak Burial Park is a non-profit public agency. Its crematorium began operating in 1939, long before the Falaise residential subdivision was built. It currently has four cremation units; these were installed in the 1970s. The First Memorial crematorium began operating in 1996. Both run five days a week. Almost complete combustion is achieved but residual gases and dust residue are emitted into the air. Both operators told us they do their very best to limit the amount of emissions but acknowledge that deviations do happen. The First Memorial cremation chimney is fitted with two scrubbers designed to remove dust before the gases are emitted. Royal Oak Burial Park informed us that they are planning to install new cremation units in the next year that will be more energy efficient and with reduced air emissions.
The FCA intends to continue to monitor this situation and report back to residents on whether the anticipated upgrade at the Royal Oak Burial Park crematorium makes a noticeable reduction in periodic air emissions.