April 2024 Forum Review
Seventy-two elected officials, staff and observers gathered in the Grand Hall of the Gleneagles Golf Clubhouse in West Vancouver, near Ch’ax̱áy̓, Horseshoe Bay, Friday, April 12, 2024, for the Howe Sound Community Forum hosted by the District of West Vancouver.
The Forum began with a territorial welcome from Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Council member Joyce Williams. Mayor Mark Sager provided an overview of the many issues and actions within the District of West Vancouver. The Mayor encouraged the forum members to take the opportunity to express their support for a Sea-to-Sky bike trail to connect communities around the Sound.
Ruth Simons provided an overview of the history of the Howe Sound Forums and a then-and-now review of the issues discussed in 2014 to see where those issues have landed ten years later.
Both MLA Nicholas Simons, Powell River, Sunshine Coast and MLA Jordan Sturdy, West Vancouver Sea to Sky were recognized for their many years of service and participation in the forums. Both have been long-running representatives whose work behind the scenes has supported the mission of the Forums and have declared they are not running again. At the next Forum, October 25, post-Provincial-election, we will be welcoming new representatives for our region.
Representatives from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Uxwumixw, the municipalities of Whistler, Squamish, West Vancouver, Gibsons, Bowen Island and Lions Bay, plus regional areas of the Sunshine Coast Regional District, Squamish Lillooet Regional District, Metro Vancouver and the Gambier Island Local Trust Area, gave updates on actions and issues in their communities.
After lunch, we welcomed the Honourable Minister Lana Popham, Deputy Minister Nick Grant and staff from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Minister Popham joined the forum at the invitation of Mayor Sager with an interest in furthering the opportunities for cycling tourism in the Sea to Sky region. An avid cyclist, Minister Popham shared her personal experiences of the benefits of improved cycling infrastructure. This was a good introduction to the discussions on this topic during the Roundtable small group discussions. Notes taken during the meeting by the staff of the Tourism Sector Strategy Division were shared after the event.
After lunch, provided by The Orchard, Patrick Weiler, MP West Vancouver/Sunshine Coast/Sea to Sky, shared relevant news focused on the many new Federal announcements related to housing issues and the new funding for conservation.
Ellika Cairns, Project Director for the Marine Stewardship Initiative summarized the activities of the Ocean Watch Action Committee since the previous October forum held in Whistler. This was followed by presentations from Courtney Smaha, Marine Resource Planning Officer and Kira Stephenson, Marine Policy Analyst with the Ministry of Water, Lands and Natural Resource Stewardship (WLRS) on the Province’s Coastal Marine Strategy. This included a chart on the alignment of the Actions that the Ocean Watch Action Committee has been working on from the Howe Sound Ocean Watch Report (2020).
Ruth Simons provided a short update on the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society activities since the fall.
Minister Popham responded to questions from the forum members followed by roundtable discussions on the opportunities and potential for a safe and accessible Sea to Sky Trail connecting West Vancouver to the Sea to Sky region and beyond. This has reopened the possibilities for an earlier study on a Sea to Sky trail connecting Squamish down to Lions Bay. Notes were taken by ministry staff that will be followed up over the next few months.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District will host the next Howe Sound Community Forum at Camp Elphinstone on the Sunshine Coast on October 25, 2024.
Photos by Cillema Productions. For the full gallery or copies, please contact admin@howesoundbri.org
