Hello everyone! It has been a fairly busy few months since elections and it continues to be so. Our major developments are going through the required steps, but hopefully we will soon have a direction for going forward or a decision not to. Our legal folks are dealing with CDA language etc. and I'm sure the developers are pondering the economic times and what their next move should be.

We have had discussions with Minister Kruger, of the Community development ministry, and Minister Penner of the Environment ministry, regards our water and waster water systems. The meetings went very well and I expect to hear shortly from ministry staff as to how we can go forward from here. Our issue was that we hoped to apply some common sense to the approval process for our water infrastructure upgrades given the governments desire to have a regional solution. While we are not at all opposed to a regional solution as long as it is good for Cumberland, we need a short term solution if we are to go forward with out community development plans.

The hospital issue seems to be coming to a decisive point where VIHA has requested local support for the two hospital model. This will be quite a bit more expensive than the one hospital model, but seems to be what a large number of citizens are wishing for. It is now up to VIHA to provide a plan including location once they get the local support for the model. I will keep you up to date on that as it progresses.

The solid waste issue is causing a lot of discussion and so it should. We need to make sure the Regional district hears out concerns with expansion of the Dump facility loud and clear. There are other options for increasing the ability to handle more garbage than simply increasing the facility at Cumberland. I am confident that the RD will explore other alternatives and give full consideration to our concerns for air quality in our village.

The most important public process this region will participate in for the next decades is the regional growth strategy, and the sustainability strategy, are underway. The sustainability strategy is a more detailed version of the basic growth strategy. The Growth strategy was mandated by the Province and deals with land use and " where" growth will be placed, the sustainability strategy is a local effort and is about the How we will handle the growth. I am hoping that more Cumberland citizens will participate as the outcome will affect us all. In Canada, we may not stop people from moving here, but we can manage how we handle the growth and maintain as much of the lifestyle and sensitive areas as is possible.

This is an opportunity to get involved in a positive way in the long range future of this valley.