Ford elected SLRD chair

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) board of directors has a new chair.

Whistler Councillor Jen Ford was elected to the role on Nov. 25.

“It’s exciting. I am honoured by the trust of the board, and I am appreciative of the opportunity to work with the whole region,” Ford said.

“It’s something that I’ve been really interested in for a long time. It’s certainly interesting and uncertain times to be stepping into the chair role, for sure, but hopefully we can continue the work of the board … to weather this storm for however long it continues.”

First elected to Whistler council in 2014, Ford has previously served as chair of the Whistler Housing Authority, and joined the SLRD board in January 2018.

At the regional district level, it’s important to work with each member towards their individual goals, Ford said, adding that in the SLRD, those goals can fluctuate wildly.

“The interests of an Area A director compared with a municipal director are vastly different,” Ford said.

“I think it’s really a matter of hearing what everyone’s intention is and really trying to meet those needs, and recognizing that those needs are going to be very, very different.”

Like all other governments, the SLRD has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford said—a challenge bolstered by the departure of former chief administrative officer Lynda Flynn just before the pandemic hit B.C.

“But our staff are professionals, and they handled it with grace,” Ford said.

“It’s been a year.”

Mandate letters for new provincial ministers outline “some pretty exciting stuff for us,” and with new funding streams coming from both the province and the federal government, “we have some opportunities that we wouldn’t have had a year ago, which is kind of a silver lining, if you will,” Ford said.

Funding for enhancing cellular service and capital funding for provincial parks and rec sites are two areas the SLRD is watching, “and then the big one, the behemoth, is the regional transit,” Ford said, adding that new CAO Melanie Helmer has a “solid history” of working on transit.

“So we’re really hopeful,” she said.

“Not to put it all on her shoulders, but we definitely brought in some A-game to help us move that file along if the province is going to come to the table.”

Other projects in the works at the SLRD include a sewer upgrade in Bralorne and a new transfer station in Pemberton, Ford added.

“I’m excited and very enthusiastic to work with partners, stakeholders, [and] regional community groups,” Ford said.

“All through COVID, we’ve been working with non-profits and social services throughout the corridor with the response to the pandemic … It’s been really rewarding to work with those groups, and [I’m really excited] to continue that work.”

The SLRD elects its chair and vice chair annually. Ford replaces outgoing chair Tony Rainbow (also Area D director).

Area B director Vivian Birch-Jones will serve as vice chair.

Read more at slrd.bc.ca.