Seldom do relationships go unstrained. Call it the failure of compromise, which, though occasionally surprising, is never unlikely.
So it is that Squamish is experiencing a slight falling out with its corridor companions, and the regional growth strategy (RGS), which was narrowly rejected by the district’s outgoing council, is the source of discord.
The RGS is a product of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. Planners there began the process in 2003, and the document, which seeks to rein in urban sprawl in a bustling corridor, was accepted by Whistler, Pemberton and all other areas on the SLRD map.
In early November, Squamish council shot it down 4-3. Their reasons are by now familiar: inadequate public consultation, lack of clarity in both procedure and substance, as well as concern over the amendment process and the subversion of the district’s yet-to-be-approved official community plan (OCP).
Less clear are the implications the decision has on corridor relations. Though the SLRD has sent a letter to the province and Community Development Minister Blair Lekstrom is prepping a mediation process, there are still some bruised feelings north of district boundaries.
“What I know is there is a new relationship that’s going to have to be built between the new council and Whistler’s new council,” said Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed. “I don’t mind sharing some frustration. I thought we had built a fairly strong relationship, and our councillors, especially as recently as the UBCM (Union of British Columbia Municipalities annual meeting in September), spent a lot of time talking with Squamish councillors about the RGS moving forward. So I was surprised at the rejection, and also disappointed.”
An improved relationship between Whistler and Squamish is something outgoing Mayor Ian Sutherland cited as a success when he announced he would not seek re-election earlier this year. Along with outgoing Councillor Raj Kahlon and re-elected Councillor Patricia Heintzman, Sutherland voted to pass the document, going so far as to chastise other councillors for waiting until the last minute before registering full-scale dissent.
Further, it was Kahlon and Sutherland, each a Squamish representative on the SLRD, who had to face down rattled board members at this week’s meeting.
“Everyone on the board was surprised that Squamish turned their vote against the RGS,” Sutherland said. “And they don’t quite understand the reason we did it. It’ll take time to rebuild those bridges.
“I wasn’t embarrassed because I voted for it the whole way through. I’m a bit concerned about the image of our council, though.”
Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy draws a line there. “We also have to understand this was a vote made by a council that is not really in effect any longer, so the new council is sworn in on the second, and perhaps their position has changed.”
However, just how receptive the new council will be to government mediation is uncertain. Mayor-elect Greg Gardner, though currently out of town, voted against the RGS. However, he praised its vision and direction, saying that the flaws are largely in the degree of public consultation. Heintzman, who voted in favour of the document, saw her seat returned, as did Corinne Lonsdale, who voted against it. Councillor-elect Paul Lalli, who, seated in the gallery the night of the rejection, broke into applause as the motion died, is not a fan. Meanwhile, Doug Race, Bryan Raiser and Rob Kirkham all cite a need for further study.
During the fall, Lalli rallied support from the business community, as well as from other could-be councillors on the electoral ticket. In a press release issued back then, he said the RGS wrestles land use away from the district’s OCP. Any effort to amend those decisions would require success in a voting matrix that gives potentially victorious weight to interests outside a given municipality’s boundaries.
Parts of the Squamish rejection parcel are understandable, especially to Sturdy, who also thinks the amendment process is flawed.
“The amending formula is unworkable,” he said. “But I understand the province is looking at changing the legislation for the amending formula, and I support that.”
However, Sturdy does not buy the public consultation logic, saying the project has been in the works for years and there was ample opportunity to keep the citizens of Pemberton on the up and up.
“I think it’s important for us to just move on in this process,” he said. “I’m sure we can get through this in the next couple months. It’s only been years — what’s wrong with another couple months?”
The province’s timeline for mediation is uncertain. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Community Development said the minister can comb over the Local Government Act in search of the appropriate dispute resolution mechanism.
“He encourages and supports local governments to work together and find solutions that work for them,” said the spokesperson. “When a decision is made, everyone will be notified.”
