Media Statement December 16 2014
Site C Decision a Lost Opportunity
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the B.C. Green Party is extremely disappointed with the announcement by the B.C. Government today to proceed with the construction of the proposed Site C dam.

“The government has engaged in some very creative accounting to make Site C look more competitive than it is,” said Weaver. “They are trying to suggest they have found savings when all they have really done is move the financial costs of this mega project into a different category. The fact is the costs have gone up and so has the burden on taxpayers.”

The updated cost of Site C on ratepayers has been reduced from $83/MWh to $58-$61MWh, with the majority of the change coming from a commitment from government to take less in dividends from BC Hydro. However, this merely shifts the capital costs of building the dam from ratepayers to taxpayers.

Andrew Weaver maintains that Site C is the wrong project at the wrong time. Alternative energy, including geothermal, wind, solar, small-scale hydro sources and biomass, coupled with existing dams would provide firm energy and capacity at a better cost to British Columbians. They would also provide better economic opportunities to local communities and First Nations, with lower impacts on traditional territory.

A recent report by the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) noted British Columbia has substantial untapped potential for firm, on demand, geothermal power which could be developed as required, in locations close to where power is needed, or near distribution lines.

“I am gravely concerned that government did not compare apples to apples when they examined other alternatives to Site C,” said Weaver. “The rest of the world is taking advantage of the decreasing cost of alternatives such as geothermal, wind and solar technology, while we are effectively subsidizing the construction of another dam.”

“With LNG development not proceeding as promised now is not the time to be borrowing billions for a dam, potentially adversely affecting the provincial credit rating, when geothermal power especially appears far more cost effective. This is lost opportunity to explore alternatives to Site C and I am deeply disappointed in the government’s lack of foresight and leadership.”

Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary Andrew Weaver MLA
1 250 216 3382
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca

This is the thirteenth in our series of stories celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of youth in our community. These inspirational young adults are enriching our lives with their passion and commitment to the betterment of society.

Chloe Van Neutegem

It’s customary on Wednesdays and Fridays for evenings to include reading through the local Oak Bay and Saanich News. This past Friday was no different. But imagine our surprise. We were in the middle of putting together the finishing touches on this article when lo and behold, and to our great delight, there she was…featured in an article about Oak Bay High School’s Youth Against Cancer Group — a group co-led by Chloe. When we interviewed Chloe just a few weeks earlier she had enthusiastically described to us her plans with the Youth against Cancer Group. It was wonderful to see their ideas come to fruition.

Chloe was born in Southampton, England and moved Victoria when she was eight. She attended Monterey Elementary for Grades 3 and 4, Willows elementary for Grade 5 and Monterey Middle School for Grades 6 to 8. She has been at Oak Bay High School since Grade 9 and is currently in her graduating year. As one might imagine, she’s an exceptional student, with a 90% average in Grade 11.

Chloe has been extensively involve in school and community activities for which she was recognized last year in receiving Oak Bay High’s Green and White Award for excellence in school and community service. Most recently, Chloe describes being humbled by her humanitarian efforts on the “Hero Holiday” in 2013, when she travelled to Mexico with a group of students from her school to help build two homes for Mexican families. “It was an experience I’ll never forget. It opened my eyes up to things we can never really understand unless we experience them. I’ll tell my kids about the trip someday so they will care about this too”. In order to take part in the Hero Holiday, a lot of fundraising had to be done. Chloe was involved in 3 major fundraising events: a “Jail or Bail” event, a Mexican Fiesta Night and a Silent Auction.

While on the hero Holiday, Chloe became close with an “adorable” seven-year-old girl named Ana Jasmine. Ana Jasmine possessed limited English but that didn’t stop them communicating with their own form of sign language. Ana Jasmine loved piggyback rides, as did all the children they encountered there. And she especially “liked to play with my hair”. As a parting gift, Chloe gave her a beret as a keepsake. But in her broken English and unique sign language the seven-year-old let Chloe know that she couldn’t take it as it looked so good on Chloe.

The Oak Bay students stayed with families in the community while they worked on the house-building project. Chloe warmly recalled how they were made to feel “like a part of the family” and that their hosts “had the best food!” She was inspired to become involved in the Hero Holiday by her 13-month older sister Ella, who had participated herself previously.  In fact, Chloe praised Ella numerous times during the interview as being a wonderful, positive role model in her life; they are very close.

Two initiatives that Chloe has devoted enormous time and energy to are Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock and the school’s Youth Against Cancer group. Last year, she cut 17 inches off her hair to raise $2,500.00 for Cops for Cancer. She and her very good friend Ana Adams also organized a bottle drive that brought in $5,500.00 for this year’s campaign. This year she also coordinated a live grad auction for Cops for Cancer — grad services (including things like dinner preparation) were “purchased” for a week. Chloe’s leadership role in the school’s Youth Against Cancer Group has meant working to increase awareness of issues such as the risks associated with tanning beds and the dangers of flavoured tobacco. The Youth Against Cancer group also holds school fundraisers — including Muffin Morning Mondays — with proceeds being donated to the Cancer Society. As noted in the Oak Bay News article, they prepare Smile Packages for cancer patients who are in for treatment during the Christmas season. This year they went one step further by decorating Canadian Cancer Society’s Vancouver Island Lodge.

Chloe adds volunteering at the Royal Jubilee hospital on Wednesdays to her already packed list of activities. There she chats with patients, delivers books and “gives them an ear – someone who will listen”. While some of conversations revolve simply around complaints about the food, more often than not, they are “really interesting” and she’s heard “a lot of amazing stories”. She thoroughly enjoys these visits and hearing from the largely elderly patients she encounters.

Chloe is presently taking a heavy load of mathematics and sciences in her final year in preparation for university where she hopes to enroll in a Kinesiology or Human Kinetics program. She eventually wants to practice as a physiotherapist or occupational therapist.

Summers are also a busy time for Chloe. For three years now she has been employed as an assistant teacher in the Victoria International High School Program. There she facilitates interactions between the international students and takes them on outings such as hiking and kayaking. In addition to supporting the students as they improve their English, Chloe helps with organization and program development. She also somehow manages to hold down a part time retail sales clerk job.

While noting there are many great teachers at Oak Bay High, Chloe has been particularly inspired by Roxanne Taggart, the sponsor teacher for Youth Against Cancer, who “is always there when you need her help” and Murray Allan “who really steps up and motivates us – although he can be hard on us, it helps us achieve our goals”.

Chloe loves sports, especially soccer; she’s played with Bays United since moving to Victoria at age 8. Chloe also enjoyed basketball and played on her school team in Grades 9 and 10 as well as the in the local Night League. In 2011 Chloe played on the school volleyball team and in the past she has coached a Grade 6 girls’ team at Monterey Middle School.

Chloe has learned the importance of teamwork through sports and her many extracurricular activities at school and in the community. She is a born leader and someone who can be counted on to follow through with any commitment that she makes. The fact that she is able to accomplish so much outside of school while still maintaining a very high average in a challenging academic program is a testament to Chloe’s dedication, commitment and organizational skills. She’s a proven team player and team leader. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to find out that ten years from now, Chloe is the head physiotherapist working with a semi-professional, or professional sports team. Thank you Chloe for all that you do to improve the lives of those in our community.

Media Statement: December 15, 2014
Guide outfitter industry prioritized over the needs of BC hunters
For immediate release

Victoria, B.C. –The Government of British Columbia’s recent decision to prioritize the guide outfitting industry over the interests of resident British Columbia hunters is directly contrary to the public interest says Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party.

On December 10th, 2014 the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations released his decision concerning how hunting licenses would be allocated between industry and British Columbians.

Contrary to the established Wildlife Allocation Policy, and the consultation process that developed it, this new decision allocated a massive increase in the proportion of licenses available to industry. This means that BC hunters, many of whom hunt for sustenance, may go without licenses this year.

“What we are seeing is the needs of industry being placed ahead of the needs of British Columbia residents,” said Andrew Weaver. “Last spring we had legislation passed that allowed guide outfitting operations to be owned by a foreign corporations, and now the government is supporting this industry on the backs of British Columbians.”

In February 2013, the government introduced the Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Statutes Amendment Act, 2014, which overhauled guide outfitting in BC. Importantly, it removed the requirement that a guide outfit can only be owned by a citizen of British Columbia, opening up the possibly that guide outfitters are owned and operated by corporations from other countries.

Since the legislation passed, government has maintained a focus on advancing the interests of this industry without mention of how it will affect BC hunters. In his June 2014 mandate letter, the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations was directed to “continue to work with BC Guides and Outfitters and other back country operators to ensure continued access and business certainty to Crown land and provide economic and tourism opportunities in rural British Columbia.”

“There are over 100,000 British Columbia residents who hunt each year, a number that has been growing over time,” said Andrew Weaver. “This government needs to halt their current approach to wildlife management and ensure that it is British Columbians who benefit from their policies.”

“I fail to see why they are advancing the interests of this industry ahead of the interests of British Columbians,” said Andrew Weaver.

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Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
Mat.Wright@leg.bc.ca
Cell: 1 250 216 3382

The Fall 2014 session of the Legislature has concluded with the passage of the LNG emission and taxation bills. Watch Andrew Weaver report on the debates and votes, along with events and issues that affect the riding of Oak Bay – Gordon Head and everyone around the province.

Thank you to SHAW TV for providing this community service.

“There is no one profile of a person who is experiencing homelessness,
just as there is no one path that leads there.”
Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness

Contributing Factors of Homelessness

Homelessness is more than what you see on the street. Nothing has become more evident to me while researching for this blog series than this one simple fact.

While people often view homelessness as an issue specific to the downtown core, the hard truth is that poverty and homelessness can take on many forms in communities all across the region.

Whether it be a middle-aged man injured on the job and unable to work, a single mother trying to support three children on minimum-wage, a young person struggling with mental illness and unable to hold down a job, or a senior who can’t afford rent and groceries on her monthly pension, poverty and homelessness know no boundaries.

Just as there is no single face of homelessness, there is also no single contributor to homelessness. From mental illness and addiction to domestic violence, to the many challenges facing both on- and off-reserve aboriginal persons, several factors can lead to poverty and homelessness.

Here in Greater Victoria and throughout B.C., one of the most significant contributors to poverty and homelessness is the gap between income and housing costs. While average rent costs continue to rise, the resources available to low income households have not changed, making it increasingly difficult for many to afford adequate housing.

As of April 2013, the average monthly rent paid by someone on income assistance in Greater Victoria was $501. However, the monthly shelter allowance for a single individual receiving income assistance is only $375. This means that many individuals are forced to forgo other basic necessities, such as food, clothing and health-related expenses, in order to cover the cost of their rent.

Similarly, the gap between the living wage in Greater Victoria and the minimum wage here in B.C. is staggering.

The living wage in our region – “the wage that both parents in a two parent, two child family need to make in a 35 hour work week to maintain an adequate quality of life” – increased to $18.73 per hour in 2013. In the same year, the minimum wage in B.C.was only $10.25 per hour; $8.48 lower than the living wage.

In order to make a living wage and maintain an adequate quality of life, an average family of four would have to earn a monthly income of approximately $5,222.36; even then they would not be able to afford to care for an elderly relative or disabled family member, to own their own home, or to save for education or retirement.

In reality, most low-income families earn at or slightly above minimum wage, making it virtually impossible for them to afford the high costs of living and keeping them in a constant battle to remain housed.

Housing Need

Affordable and supportive housing is considered a key factor to combating homelessness by service providers. Since 2008, almost 250 new supportive housing units and over 450 new affordable housing units have been built across Greater Victoria. While this is progress, it is not enough. The Coalition estimates that in order to end homelessness in our region we need an additional 250 – 750 units of supportive housing and 1500 units of non-market and low-market affordable housing.

Meeting these housing needs requires funding commitments from all levels of government: federal, provincial, regional and municipal. And this is precisely what local housing groups have been tirelessly campaigning for. Affordable housing projects saw a slight boost in funding recently when the Canadian and British Columbia Governments announced that they were committing an additional investment of over $300 million over five years. While this certainly helps, more funding is still needed if we hope to end homelessness completely.

Weekly Action Item

With Christmas quickly approaching we thought we would choose an action item that helps alleviate hidden poverty in the context of the holiday season: Christmas Hampers.

High costs of living and limited financial resources mean that many families in Greater Victoria are unable to provide their children with the same holiday experiences that the rest of us are fortunate enough to enjoy. To provide these families with much-needed additional support during the holiday season, several organizations in Victoria run Christmas Hamper Programs. These hampers, which can include basic food, clothing, or even small gifts, make Christmas brighter for hundreds of families throughout the city.

Organizations that run Christmas Hamper Programs include the Mustard Seed, CFAX Santa’s Anonymous, and the Goldstream Food Bank, to name a few.

So, if it is within your means, please consider donating to one of the many Christmas Hamper Programs in your community.  

But please also remember that while these hampers will help to alleviate some of the need over the holiday season, they are not a permanent solution. Child poverty continues to be on the rise in B.C. and more government action is needed at all levels if we hope to end this trend. I will be touching on many of these issues over the coming weeks, for now click here for other ways you can take action to reduce child poverty.

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