Today marks a significant moment for our community as the government has shared the much anticipated "What We Heard" Report regarding the Dock Management Plan (DMP). The document compiles feedback from over 1,700 individual letters, a testament to our collective effort to ensure our voices are heard. A sincere thank you to everyone who voiced their concerns and perspectives by writing to the Ministry and government representatives.
Community Concerns Identified in the Ministry Report:
- The need for flexibility in dock design at different locations.
- An interest in “grandfathering” existing moorage structures.
- Ensuring access to private property from the water.
- Concerns about the Dock Management Plan not being supportive of existing private boathouses.
- Importance of robust, healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems.
- Questions about dock impacts in freshwater environments given the importance of endangered species.
- Request for how Boathouses could align with Best Management Practices
- Concerns related to potential economic impacts: to private property and business value, to regional economy from a possible reduction in moorage opportunities, and costs from disposal of existing structural materials.
You can view the government's response on the Pender Harbour Project Page, here. The full PDF report is located here.
Ministry Response:
Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and lhe hiwus (Chief) Lenora Joe, shíshálh Nation (shíshálh), have released the following joint statement.
Excerpt:
“The comments and questions we received have been invaluable in helping guide our next steps forward as we consider further changes to reflect feedback.”
“We want to get this right. We will share further information on proposed changes to the Dock Management Plan in the days ahead. Together we want to implement good dock standards for a long, sustainable and enjoyable future on the Sunshine Coast.”
As we review the government's documentation, we will formulate our next steps. We want to highlight the importance of community engagement and our collective effort to ensure that future negotiations include our perspectives.
Your continued support and involvement are crucial as we continue to keep up pressure on the government and strive for a fair, transparent, environmentally responsible and scientifically backed approach to dock management that truly represents the interests of all stakeholders.
Stay tuned for a more detailed analysis and formalized action plan, based on the government's publication. We will continue to update you through these newsletters and on our News & Media page as the situation unfolds.
Thank you for standing strong with the Waterfront Protection Coalition.