While only two projects have been cancelled so far, a significant number are on hold. Strathcona Regional District staff are monitoring the financial situation closely. Their preliminary report on the financial impacts of COVID 19 within the electoral areas suggests there will be a budget surplus “primarily due to staff vacancies, layoffs, and related travel and training costs.

Cortes Island (Area B)

“Electoral Area B is expected to primarily be impacted in the Parks function, with a projected savings due to the Parks Manager and Planner position vacancies. Additionally, there will be a small amount of savings due to reduced travel to the area.”

Proceeding: 

• $45,000 Cortes Fire Equipment Replacement 
• $13,979 for improvements to Kw’as Park.

Delayed:

• Improvements to the Cortes Trails Network-  $55,923

Cancelled:

• The $40,000 Kw’as Bridge replacement.

Discovery Islands-Mainland Inlets  (Area C)

“Electoral Area C will mainly be impacted through the Parks Function and is expected to be underspent. Area C was expected to put more resources towards capital planning for its wharves infrastructure however, those capital projects were affected by the onset of COVlD-19 and will provide some additional savings in the operating budget.“

The following items are proceeding: 

• Marine Outfall Improvements – $300.00
• Granite Bay Boatramp Improvements – $20,000
• Blenkin Park Trail Improvements – $25,000
• Q-Cove Village Trail System – $42,533
• Read Island Property Acquisition  – $57,490
• QI Hall Seismic Upgrades – $86,907

The following items are on hold: 

• Blenkin Park Playground – $100,000
• Hoskyn Wharf Extension – $100,000

The following items are delayed:

• Surge Narrows Wharf Upgrades – $50,000 
• Owen Bay Wharf Upgrades – $450,000 
• Port Neville Wharf Upgrades – $900,00

Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake (Area D)

“Electoral Area D will be is expected to underspend its overall budget in 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19. In addition to any savings in the Parks function, staff expect additional savings related to the Building Inspection function. Projected 2020 building inspection revenue 2020-2024 FINANCIAL PLAN has not been revised due to the unknown timeline of the current pandemic measures. While there has been an initial decline in building inspection activity, it is anticipated to be temporary and expected that near normal levels will resume by the end of the year.” 

Proceeding: 

• Oyster River Parking Lot Expansion – $25,000 
• Salmon Point Trail Head Development – $30,000 
• Mitlenatch Slide Replacement – $40,000 

Delayed: 

• Craig Rd Pressure Zone Upgrade – $100,000 
• Water Supply Connection Improvements – $530,000 
• Water Main Replacement – $1,000,000 
• Hagel Park Greenway North/Stone Creek Trail – $51,654 
• Bus Shelter Replacement – $20,000

Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward (Area A) 

Electoral Area A services consist mostly of essential services and administrative functions, which are not expected to experience any direct material financial impacts aside from the share of Electoral Area savings. 

Delayed:

• Kyuquot Community Hall Design – $50,000 
• Sayward Valley Community Hall Kitchen – $100,000 
• The Sayward Valley cleanup event scheduled for April 2020 was cancelled, and it is not clear at this time if it will be deferred to later in the year; although cost savings would be minimal due to the new contractor not charging SAD for the event, instead offering it as a community service.

Top photo credit: Sunset on Granite Bay, Quadra Island by A. Davey via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)