Bruce Fraser - Platform

Platform

I have been connected with the Shawnigan region all my life. I was one year old in 1941 when I was dropped off the edge of Cliffside wharf, to be introduced to the lake rather directly and hauled, sputtering to the surface, by my mother. I started as a summer visitor and graduated to a full time resident, sometimes on an island in the lake and now on the banks of the Koksilah River. Recently I have been volunteering with the Cowichan Environment Commission, the Cowichan Water Board and the Shawnigan Focus community newspaper. Running for Area Director is my idea of contributing further to a community to which I owe so much.

Community service as the Area Director for Area B begins for me with attention to the basics. Services that ensure clean and abundant water, efficient transportation, effective public safety, sound management of waste and thoughtful residential and commercial development are the daily bread of a Regional District. These must be provided with diligence but also with concern for their cost in taxes and their affordability for the people who live and work in the area. We need a strong base of public services but their costs need to be kept with reasonable bounds so that normally employed people, young families and senior citizens on reduced incomes are able to live comfortably.

Residential, commercial and industrial development will continue to be a major focus in the life of our community. We need development to accommodate inevitable population growth and to provide the tax base for the services that make life livable. Livability, of course, is not just about volume, but also about quality. I will pay great attention to the planning, zoning and design of our communities so that what we build is both economically sound and environmentally appropriate. This is particularly important for the future of Shawnigan Village, Malahat Village and the part of Area B that lies in Cowichan Station.

Beyond basic services lie the many amenities that make up a well-rounded community. I believe in a vibrant mix of community recreation, arts, culture and celebrations that light up our daily lives. I support the diverse organizations that have grown up to sponsor everything from business development in the Villages, to resident organizations to fund raising walks. I honour the hundreds of volunteers that make such initiatives possible and will support their efforts.

Our community depends on the natural environment of forest, streams, lakes and agricultural land on which our prosperity is ultimately based. I believe that our natural assets need to be managed sustainably for the common good. This will require exceptional attention to stewardship and extensive collaboration within our community. Shawnigan Lake along with its inlet and outlet streams needs attention to retain its water quality and its high value as a source of recreation. The forested upland areas of the watershed need to be managed not just for a necessary forest industry, but also for security of our water supply. I will encourage development of a watershed round table that brings together all of our watershed interests to seek balance. I support the expansion of local agriculture, farmer’s markets and the re-introduction of processing facilities within the region.

Local governance in Area B has to be widely consultative. We do not have a municipal structure that would provide the focal point for our large population. Until such time as the issue of incorporation is decided, the many voices of the community need to be heard directly. I am an active listener and would expect to be in regular contact throughout the community, taking up issues on behalf of people who see things that need to be done. Not everything will fall within the jurisdiction of the Regional District, but as Area Director, I would seek out the places where influence must be brought to bear and advocacy must be advanced.