From: Bowen Island Municipality Sent: Monday, July 29, 2019 2:03 PM To: Hope Dallas Subject: FW: Metro Vancouver's Chair Update ‐ July 2019
From: Metro Vancouver Chair
Metro Vancouver Chair Update ‐ July 2019
In this Issue ISSUE 79, July 2019 1. Metro Vancouver celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day Councillor Ander, 2. Metro Vancouver builds new water main in Surrey Welcome to our summer update, the last before we break for a month. A lot has been happening lately at Metro 3. Urban forests key to Vancouver, including a celebration of National Indigenous combating climate Peoples Day, in which we hosted a visit of Squamish Nation’s change in our Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers) to head office, and a communities booth at Vancouver’s Trout Lake. 4. Odour solutions: Highbury Interceptor Air We have also started a carpet recycling pilot program at the Management Facility Coquitlam Transfer Station and are building several new water mains in the City of Surrey and an air management 5. BCIT students conduct facility in Musqueam Park in South Vancouver. A fresh water habitat comprehensive update of Metro 2040, the regional growth studies in Minnekhada studies in Minnekhada strategy, is also underway, while we work to build a better Regional Park understanding and inventory of the natural resources within 6. Metro Vancouver Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks. approves 2019‐2022 With climate change upon us, our air quality division teamed Board Strategic Plan up with Vancouver Coastal Health to help the media get a 7. Carpet recycling pilot better understanding of the region’s role in air quality program underway at management, particularly when dealing with wildfire smoke. Metro Vancouver’s We saw a great turnout for this informative event. Coquitlam Transfer Station Metro Vancouver has approved its 2019‐2022 Board Strategic Plan, which includes themes such as resiliency, 8. Metro Vancouver hosts climate action and innovation. Speaking of climate change, media event to address Metro Vancouver, along with the project consultant Diamond wildfire smoke Head Consulting Ltd., was also recently awarded the 9. Check it out Canadian Institute of Planners’ Award for Planning Excellence 10. Metro Vancouver Videos 2019 under the Climate Change Planning category. 11. Events around the region Enjoy the summer and have a good break.
Sav Dhaliwal Chair, Metro Vancouver Board [email protected]
Metro Vancouver celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day
Metro Vancouver was actively involved on National Indigenous Peoples Day. The Squamish Nation’s Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers) performed traditional drumming, songs and dances at Metro Vancouver’s head office in the morning, while later in the day, several Metro Vancouver staff hosted a booth at Trout Lake in Vancouver, as part of the largest National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in British Columbia.
Staff handed out information on regional initiatives, conducted surveys, and fielded questions about the Metro Vancouver organization, its membership and its services. The Metro Vancouver water wagon was also on hand with attendants informing passersby, educating groups of students, and providing tap water.
At the same time, at the Musqueam community in the south‐west corner of Vancouver, Regional Parks’ west area staff, at the invitation of the First Nation, set up a booth and shared information on various projects, collaborative initiatives, and park ecology with hundreds of Musqueam members and invited guests enjoying a community celebration.
These are small but important examples of Metro Vancouver’s involvement in reconciliation activities with Indigenous Peoples across the region.
Metro Vancouver builds new water main in Surrey
Metro Vancouver is building several new water mains in the City of Surrey to continue delivering clean, safe drinking water to the growing communities south of the Fraser River. One of these water mains is the 148th Street Water Main, which connects the south shaft of the new Port Mann Water Supply Tunnel to the existing Whalley Reservoir and Whalley Clayton Main in North Surrey.
The 148 Street Water Main will be constructed over the next two years in two phases: the Port Mann section – along Surrey Road, Wallace Drive and 148th Street from 115th Avenue to 105th Avenue – and the Whalley section, along 148th Street, from 105th Avenue to 95A Avenue. Construction of both sections is now underway.
This essential project will increase the capacity and reliability of providing water to communities south of the Fraser River. The water main will be about four kilometres long, with the pipe 1.5 metres in diameter. The project will also include construction of underground valve chambers along the water main alignment. The valve chambers house pipe connections, valves and other equipment used to manage water flow. They also make it easier for crews to conduct maintenance and repair work when required, without disrupting water service in the area.
This project is being coordinated with the City of Surrey to minimize construction impacts on the community. It is expected to be completed by 2021 when it will be connected to the existing regional water system.
Urban forests key to combating climate change in our communities
Planting trees is an effective way to tackle climate change in our region while contributing to the overall health and well‐being of our communities. As trees grow, they absorb and store carbon dioxide, and shade and cool our streets and buildings while also absorbing storm water.
Recognizing the climate benefits of trees, Metro Vancouver developed its Urban Forest Climate Adaptation Initiative to assess the risks and predicted changes to the region’s urban forest. In 2018, Metro Vancouver’s Tree Species Selection Database was also updated to include species from other North American cities with conditions similar to the predicted future climate in Metro Vancouver.
Metro Vancouver, with the project consultant Diamond Head Consulting Ltd., was recently awarded the Canadian Institute of Planners’ Award for Planning Excellence 2019 under the Climate Change Planning category. The Initiative also actively encourages municipalities to utilize and build upon their methodologies, tools, and tree species database, helping to transform this regional tool into an approach that can be utilized across Canada.
The jury of the Canadian Institute of Planner’s recognized the project’s outstanding efforts in the realm of climate change adaptation. The award was accepted at the 2019 Canadian Institute of Planners National Conference on July 5, 2019.
Odour solutions: Highbury Interceptor Air Management Facility
Metro Vancouver is building an air management facility in Musqueam Park in South Vancouver.
The facility is designed to reduce odour and pipe corrosion along the Highbury Interceptor – the large sewer pipe that carries the majority of Vancouver’s wastewater south to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant – between the Fraser River and West 18th Avenue.
Sewer gas will be drawn from the pipe and treated using carbon scrubber technology and the treated air will be dispersed through a vent stack. Once commissioned, the facility will treat 13,000 cubic feet of sewer gas per minute.
Metro Vancouver worked closely with the local community, City of Vancouver, Vancouver Park Board and the Musqueam Indian Band to gather feedback on the location, design and landscaping of the facility. A public washroom has also been included to benefit park users.
The facility is anticipated to be fully operational by the end of 2019, and will be monitored regularly to ensure it is functioning properly. This is the first in a series of air management facilities being constructed in the City of Vancouver to address issues of odour and corrosion in the sewer system. The projects are part of Metro Vancouver’s commitment to protect public health and the environment. BCIT students conduct fresh water habitat studies in Minnekhada Regional Park
Metro Vancouver is building a better understanding of the natural resources within its Regional Parks through collaborative partnerships with non‐government organizations and local educational institutions such as UBC, Simon Fraser University, and BCIT.
The projects, which range from wildlife studies to greenhouse gas assessments, provide insight into how our parks function and characterize the natural resources that are important to the health and well‐being of our parks and the people that come to visit them.
This past winter, for instance, BCIT students undertook an inventory of the streams feeding Minnekhada Marsh to determine the fresh water habitats within the park. For more than six months they mapped streams surrounding the marsh using GPS technology and characterized them in terms of structure and habitat value. The streams support a wide range of species including many species of fish.
Prior to the study, there was no detailed data available on how many streams fed the marsh, where they were physically located and what kind of habitat values are provided by them. The information provides a clearer picture of the resources to be protected within the park, as well as inform how to manage those areas. It will inform future public programming, interpretation and park resource management. Future studies will examine some of the plants and animals associated with those streams. Metro Vancouver approves 2019‐2022 Board Strategic Plan
Metro Vancouver has approved its 2019‐2022 Board Strategic Plan, which includes themes such as resiliency, climate action and innovation.
The Plan is the outcome of a workshop held in April that was attended by almost all Board members and provides strategic directions for each of the organization’s functions. The workshop provided an opportunity for the Chair, Vice‐Chair, and the Board to share ideas and insights as well as to clarify priorities for the next four years.
The plan was informed by the long‐term planning underway at Metro Vancouver that anticipates several factors, including a growing population, climate change, and the need to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure. The plan aims to help us sufficiently maintain our infrastructure so it’s resilient to impacts from seismic events, natural disasters and the effects of climate change and leveraging opportunities within our operations for energy, resource recovery, and greenhouse gas reduction.
The 2019‐2022 Board Strategic Plan will provide guidance to Metro Vancouver staff in their work and planning. The directions from the Board Strategic Plan will influence the 30‐Year Financial Framework, which will be presented to the Board this fall.
Carpet recycling pilot program underway at Metro Vancouver’s Coquitlam Transfer Station
Metro Vancouver has started a carpet recycling pilot program at the Coquitlam Transfer Station to evaluate opportunities to divert carpet waste from the landfill.
Each year, approximately 17,000 tonnes of carpet (two per cent of the waste stream) ends up in the regional disposal system. This pilot will direct carpet to a local recycler that recycles the nylon carpet fibres and sends the remaining underlay, as well as carpet types that cannot be recycled, to a local cement kiln for fuel. Nylon carpet fibres can be recycled into products such as car parts, electronic components and office chairs.
Carpets will be accepted for recycling from residents at the regular garbage tipping fee, with the tipping fee revenues used to cover the cost of recycling the material. If the project is successful in Coquitlam, it will be expanded to the other Metro Vancouver transfer stations across the region. Metro Vancouver hosts media event to address wildfire smoke
Metro Vancouver teamed up with Vancouver Coastal Health in June to help the media get a better understanding of the region’s role in air quality management, particularly when dealing with wildfire smoke.
Metro Vancouver’s air quality was significantly affected by wildfire smoke during the summers of 2015, 2017 and 2018, and the event was in response to increased media interest in regional air quality, wildfire smoke health risks, and how the public can prepare for these risks.
The media event included a presentation, question and answer period, and a tour of Metro Vancouver’s Mobile Air Monitoring Unit (MAMU). Staff from Vancouver Coastal Health addressed questions specifically related to air quality health risks.
Media attendees included CBC, CKNW, CTV, Fairchild, Global, News1130, The Tyee, Vancouver Sun and The Weather Network. The event was well received, and resulted in a number of media stories that emphasized the importance of public preparedness for wildfire smoke impacts.
Staff will continue to work with media organizations during any upcoming air quality advisory periods to ensure clear public communication of air quality risks and appropriate approaches for mitigating impacts.
Metro Vancouver operates a network of 31 air quality monitoring stations from Horseshoe Bay to Hope, which collects air quality and meteorological data on a continuous basis. Data are made available to the public on Metro Vancouver’s website at airmap.ca, as well as on the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (BC MOECCS) website.
Summer 2019 Nature Program Guide Summer 2019 Nature Program Guide
The Summer edition of Metro Vancouver Regional Parks’ Nature Program Guide (Check it Out) is bursting with fresh programs and events. Pack a picnic, lace up those hiking books and step into regional parks to reconnect with nature where you can:
Watch bats emerge as dusk descends. Get away from the hustle and bustle to paddle calm waters. Capture the wonder of wetlands through watercolour painting. Watch your child’s imagination run wild at a nature play date.
Registration now open!
Metro Vancouver Videos Construction, Renovation and Demolition Waste
Across Canada, the construction and demolition industries create about 1.5 million tonnes of waste a year. Cities in Metro Vancouver are considering solutions such as recycling and deconstruction bylaws and incentives.
Construction Underway for Jericho Reservoir
In the Willoughby area in Langley, the Jericho Reservoir is under construction. The above‐ground reservoir will ensure a continued supply of quality drinking water as new neighbourhoods take shape in municipalities south of the Fraser River. Aldergrove Regional Park Nature Discovery Area
Aldergrove Regional Park is home to a new Nature Discovery Area, where kids can take part in nature‐based play using stumps, rocks and sticks. The area's colourful history includes a historic rock festival that took place during the Summer of Love.
Strata Energy Advisor Program
The Strata Energy Advisor pilot program allows strata councils, property managers and strata members to get free assessments and advice from a strata energy advisor on energy efficiency and GHG reduction, which helps them save money and emissions. Events around the region
Metro Vancouver’s Watershed Tours
Metro Vancouver offers tours of our protected watersheds every summer to help people discover these pristine valleys firsthand. Join us and register for an engaging and scenic guided tours.
Information and registration
Kaleidoscope Arts Festival Town Centre Park, Coquitlam
This fourth annual free event will feature concerts, dancers, multicultural acts and interactive community art, as well as delicious food truck fare and craft beer and spirits.
Saturday, August. 10, 2‐9 p.m.
More information
New West Cultural Crawl Venues across New Westminster
This 16th annual free event invites the public to explore New Westminster at their own pace, checking out artworks by professional and emerging artists who live in the city. Artist studios and venues open their doors for two days to welcome thousands of visitors from across Metro Vancouver.
11 am‐5 pm, August 11, 2019
More information
YVR: Why your local airport matters Fairmont Waterfront Hotel ‐ Waterfront Ballroom, 900 Canada Place, Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is more than just a travel hub—it's an economic generator, community contributor and a hub of innovation. Join Craig Richmond, YVR's President and CEO, for his annual address to better understand why a community‐based airport with a local perspective matters.
11:30 am, September 12, 2019
Information and registration
Surrey Environment & Business Awards Lunch with Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, 15269 104 Ave, Surrey, Surrey
The Surrey Board of Trade will welcome keynote speaker Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Visionary Environmental Activist and Business Leader. The topic will be Why Environmental Policy Equals Good Business Policy. Please note that there will be no Q&A period. The event will be strictly focused on environmental and clean technology industry topics.
11 am – 2 pm, September 17, 2019 Information and registration
UBCM Convention Vancouver Convention Centre – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Registration is now open for annual UBCM Convention, which will take place in Vancouver. This year’s theme is “resiliency and change,” as B.C.’s communities ‐‐ big or small, rural or urban ‐‐ experience change at an unprecedented rate. From climate change to economic pressures, local governments are on the front lines managing the local impact of complex issues.
Monday to Friday, September 23‐27, 2019
Information and registration
Zero Waste Conference Vancouver Convention Centre East – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Registration is now open for the 2019 Zero Waste Conference: A Future Without Waste: Mobilizing for success in the circular economy. The annual conference attracts thought leaders from around the world, highlighting circular economy success stories, waste prevention innovations, and local and global perspectives as the shift to waste prevention and the transition to a circular economy continues to gain momentum.
October 30‐31, 2019
Information and registration
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