Victoria, BC– May marks a crucial time for reporting on Capital Regional District (CRD) achievements of the past year. The CRD and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) both released their 2022 Annual Reports today providing an overview of the work completed over the last year and highlighting the progress made on strategic priorities to support a growing region. Progress reports were also released for three significant areas including: Solid Waste, Climate Action, and Regional Parks and Trails.
“2022 was a year of transformation at the CRD. It marked the end of a very successful Board term and welcomed a new incoming CRD Board, who brings fresh perspectives and energy to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead,” said CRD Board Chair Colin Plant. “As we concluded the previous Board term in 2022, we were able to complete and operationalize almost all the initiatives outlined in the previous corporate plan. We rely on strategic plans to implement our goals over the long term and ensure quality and service delivery excellence to the public.”
Each term, the Board sets the strategic priorities, policies and direction that guide the activities of the organization. 2022 marked the fourth and final year of the four-year strategic and corporate planning cycle and incorporated the delivery of work and execution of priorities and initiatives that were identified as part of the previous strategic and corporate plans for the CRD. In 2022, the CRD focused on completing the initiatives in the 2019-2022 Corporate Plan. Some of the biggest accomplishments included acquiring new parklands, continuing funding for affordable housing projects in the region, and approving the Regional Water Supply 30-Year Master Plan.
The CRD Annual Report highlights the breadth and scope of the work the CRD does on a daily basis to contribute to the health and well-being of residents such as maintaining the availability of safe and clean drinking water, treating wastewater, managing solid waste, providing housing, responding to climate change, and managing regional parks and trails.
The CRD also prepares additional reports that provide more details on how strategies are being advanced and meet requirements for regulatory compliance.
The CRHC’s 2022 Annual Report outlines the work done in the last year to achieve the commitment to improve and expand housing opportunities. The CRHC is the largest non-profit housing provider on Vancouver Island and currently provides homes to almost 4,000 tenants with 1,877 units in 51 buildings across the capital region. Major accomplishments in 2022 include the completion of Twenty-Seven Eighty-Two, Spencer Road, in Langford. For more information and to view the report, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/crhc.
Additional details regarding the CRD Progress Reports can be found in the attached backgrounder. To learn more and view the 2022 CRD Annual Report online, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/reporting.
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The CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and government partners to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andy Orr, Senior Manager
CRD Corporate Communications
Tel: 250.360.3229
Cell: 250.216.5492
Progress Report Background
Regional Parks and Trails
The 2022 Regional Parks and Trails Annual Progress Report presents progress on the implementation on their ten-year Strategic Plan which is currently in interim status.
The Plan establishes five goal areas: Reconciliation; Conservation; Visitor Experience; Climate Action & Resiliency; and Access & Equity.
Overall, the Regional Park Progress Report showed that progress is on track with 75% or more of the targeted progress achieved in 2022. Some highlights include:
- CRD staff invited Nations to identify priority initiatives related to regional parks and regional trails and to develop workplans with associated timelines and budgets for implementation.
- 41 hectares of new regional parkland were acquired in 2022 and a Species at Risk Inventory was conducted.
- The CRD added new mountain bike-rated trails in the regional park system and a new park in the Natural Recreation Area classification.
- Construction began on the Mayne Island Regional Trail in late 2022. This work expands the regional trail network into the Gulf Islands increasing multi-modal access across the region.
- An Accessibility Audit was launched at select regional parks to learn more about barriers and deterrents to access.
Strides were made toward the goal of Reconciliation, however, there is ongoing work to do with an opportunity for improvement. The interim 2022-32 Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan focuses on strengthening government-to-government relationships and understanding between the CRD and First Nations in the region.
Climate Action
The 2022 Climate Action Progress Report documents progress made on the CRD’s Climate Action Strategy.
In late 2021, the Board approved a renewed CRD Climate Action Strategy. The strategy includes a five-year action plan which outlines six goals with 127 actions that will guide CRD services through 2025.
The six goal areas include: climate focused decision making; sustainable land use, planning and preparedness; low-carbon mobility; low-carbon and resilient buildings and infrastructure; resilient and abundant nature, ecosystems and food systems; and minimized waste.
Overall, the Climate Action Progress Report showed opportunity for improvement with 74% of yearly targeted progress achieved. Some highlights include:
- Launched the Home Energy Navigator Program to support residents in undertaking home energy upgrades and to capitalize on provincial and federal retrofit rebates.
- Hired an Electric Mobility Coordinator to support the implementation of the Capital Region Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Roadmap and submitted a $7 million grant to advance a regional EV public charging network.
- Developed and conducted a region-wide outreach campaign, Charge Your Ride, to encourage adoption of EVs and e-bikes, engaged with over 3,800 residents at community events and provided three large test-drive and ride events – supported by a $225,000 federal grant.
- Grew the Capital Region Invasive Species Partnership to over 60 diverse agencies and provided workshops, alert sheets, a regional forum and procured a mobile incineration unit.
- Successfully applied for a $150,000 grant from Union of British Columbia Municipalities to gather and analyze data to develop a Capital Region Extreme Heat Vulnerability Mapping Dashboard in 2023, supported by an inter-municipal team.
In 2022, the CRD progressed on several climate action initiatives, and has identified where focused efforts need to be made or increased to achieve targeted actions and outcomes.
Solid Waste Management Plan
In 2022, the CRD progressed on several climate action initiatives, and has identified where focused efforts need to be made or increased to achieve targeted actions and outcomes.
The 2022 Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report identifies progress towards implementing the CRD’s 2021 Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP).
In British Columbia, regional districts develop SWMPs under the provincial Environmental Management Act that are high-level long-term visions of how the regional district would like to manage its solid waste in accordance with the 5R Pollution Prevention Hierarchy of reduce, reuse, recycle, resource recovery, and residuals management.
The CRD’s SWMP includes four goals and 15 strategies and staff began implementation in 2021.
The four goal areas include: to surpass the provincial per capita waste disposal target; to extend the life of Hartland Landfill to the year 2100 and beyond; to have informed citizens that participate effectively in proper waste management practices; and to ensure that the CRD’s solid waste services are financially sustainable.
Overall, the Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report showed that progress is on track with 75% or more of the targeted progress achieved in 2022. Some highlights include:
- Collected 20,562 tonnes of provincially regulated recyclables through the Hartland Depot, Electoral Areas Depots, and the Curbside Blue Box Program.
- Completed the Multi-family Dwelling Market Research.
- Launched Rethink Waste Community Grant and Rethink Waste Newsletter.
- Established a local government Waste Reduction Working Group.
- Conducted a Solid Waste Stream Composition Study.