Municipality of North CowichanAgricultural Advisory Committee
AGENDA
Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 8:45 a.m.Municipal Hall - Committee Room
Pages
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Recommendation:That the Committee approve the agenda as circulated [or as amended].
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES 2 - 4
Recommendation:That the Committee adopt the minutes of the meeting held on November 22, 2016.
4. BUSINESS
4.1 Agriculture Town Hall Meeting FeedbackPurpose: To receive a presentation summarizing comments from the farmingcommunity about drainage, and discuss options to address the feedback.
4.2 Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan Funding Strategy 5 - 8Purpose: As requested by the Committee on Nov 22, to revisit the fundingstrategy following the Agriculture Town Hall meeting.
4.3 Cowichan Agricultural Adaptation Working Group Appointment 9 - 10Purpose: To discuss the request for a producer representative fromthe Committee to join the Working Group on a regular basis.
Recommendation:That the Committee appoint _____________ as its representative to theCowichan Agricultural Adaptation Working Group.
4.4 2017 Meeting SchedulePurpose: To review the proposed 2017 scheduled dates [Mar 28, May 30, Sept 19& Nov 28].
4.5 Committee Member TrainingPurpose: To discuss the need for instructions about the Committee Members'role.
5. NEW BUSINESS
6. ADJOURNMENT
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Municipality of North Cowichan
Agricultural Advisory Committee
MINUTES
November 22, 2016, 8:45 a.m.
Municipal Hall - Committee Room
Members Present Councillor Maeve Maguire, Chair
Nicole Strutynski
Victor Vesely
DeLisa Lewis
Members Absent Andy Johnston
Jennifer Woike
Amanda Poelman
Staff Present Dave Devana, Chief Administrative Officer
Kyle Young, Assistant Manager of Planning & Subdivision
Kristy Convery, Records & Information Management Assistant
Natasha Horsman, Community Planning Coordinator
Others Present Derek Masselink, Regional Agrologist
Amy Melmock, Regional Economic Development Manager
1. CALL TO ORDER
There being a quorum present, the Chair called the meeting to order at 8:47 a.m.
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
It was moved and seconded:
That the Committee approve the agenda as amended to add:
1. 5.1 Training; and
2. 5.2 Groundwater Licensing.
CARRIED
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
It was moved and seconded:
That the Committee adopt the minutes of the meeting held on September 20, 2016.
CARRIED
4. BUSINESS
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November 22, 2016 - Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes
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4.1 Presentation - Amy Melmock, Regional Economic Development Manager
The Committee heard from Amy Melmock, the Cowichan Valley Regional District's new
Regional Economic Development Manager, regarding agricultural related subjects that
she plans to focus time on in her new role. An area of key interest to the Committee was
the need for meaningful extension services in the Cowichan Valley (e.g. the application of
scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer
education). The Committee heard that the Regional Economic Development Manager
would like to see more collaboration and partnerships with neighbouring municipalities
to help leverage future provincial and federal grant funding.
4.2 Presentation - Samantha Charlton, Climate Action Initiative
The Committee heard from Samantha Charlton, Project Coordinator, Regional
Adaptation Program, BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative, who provided an
update regarding two agricultural climate change adaptation projects in the Cowichan
Valley: 1) Cowichan Drought Alert System (pilot project), and 2) Livestock Relocation and
Management Plan. The Committee noted that the working group that oversees the
implementation of the Cowichan Regional Adaptation Strategies currently meets two
times per year. The Project Coordinator would like to have a producer representative
from the Agricultural Advisory Committee join the group on a regular basis.
4.3 Town Hall Meeting
The Committee heard from the Community Planning Coordinator about the proposed
agenda for the Agriculture Town Hall meeting on November 28, 2016 pertaining to
drainage issues that affect the farming community. The Committee discussed how to
best present the objectives of the Official Community Plan and the Bonsall Creek
Watershed Management Plan in order to keep the focus of the town hall meeting within
the scope of Municipal policies.
4.4 Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan
The Committee reviewed the November 17, 2016 report, and heard from the Assistant
Manager of Planning and Subdivision about his proposed 5-year funding strategy to
implement the Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan's priority actions.
It was moved and seconded:
That the Committee recommend that Council support, in principle, the 5-year Bonsall
Creek Watershed Management Plan funding strategy as proposed in the Assistant
Manager of Planning and Subdivision's November 17, 2016 report, and revisit the
funding strategy after the November 28, 2016 Agriculture Town Hall meeting.
CARRIED
5. NEW BUSINESS
5.1 Training
The Committee heard from Councilor Maguire regarding feedback she has heard from
some committee members from other Municipal advisory committees recently. She
expressed concern that some committee members are not feeling empowered and
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November 22, 2016 - Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes
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asked Committee members to think about it over the next few weeks and to let her know
if they have any concerns or feel there is a need for further Committee member training.
5.2 Groundwater Licensing
The Committee heard from the Assistant Manager of Planning and Subdivision regarding
information he recently received about the Water Sustainability Act’s new regulations
coming into effect, which include licensing requirements for non-domestic groundwater
users. The Committee was urged to be aware of the nearing deadlines in relation to
application fees and to spread the word amongst the agricultural community as best
they can. Committee members, staff and outside representatives present at the meeting
offered to assist in spreading the word through their related mediums.
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting ended at 11:16 a.m.
________________________________ ________________________________
Signed by
Chair or Member Presiding
Certified by
Recording Secretary
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Report
7030 Trans-Canada Highway | Box 278 | Duncan, BC V9L 3X4
Ph 250.746.3100 Fax 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca
Date November 17, 2016 Prospero No. PL000260
To Council
From Kyle Young, Assistant Manager of Planning and Subdivision Endorsed:
Subject Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan – Funding Strategy (2017-2021)
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to present a 5-year funding strategy to implement the priority actions in
the Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan (BCWMP) to Council for information and consideration.
Background
Council supported the BCWMP in June 2016 and requested that staff prepare a report on a funding
strategy to implement the plan. While this strategy is specific to the Bonsall Creek watershed, some of
the projects undertaken will serve as pilots for other drainage and watershed management initiatives
across North Cowichan. Below is a list of the 12 priority actions identified in the BCWMP, including
estimated costs to complete each project (as detailed in the plan):
Project / Action Estimated Cost
Create a hydrological model $50,000
Create a Watershed Stakeholder Group N/A
Develop in-stream flow requirements $50,000
Establish suitable metrics for forest cover Honoraria, cost of preparing planting areas and
planting trees, dependent on forestation needs
Generate past and present terrain elevation maps Dependent on data availability and mapping
requirements
Measure and monitor water level and turbidity
~$6,000 for 12 trubidity sensors (one in each
major stream reach)
Costs for installation and ongoing maintenance
(estimated to be $4,000 / year for site visits and
lab tests)
Monitor water quantity and quality
Cost of site investigation @ 1 hour / site using
meters, used in conjunction with water level
loggers. Assume $4,000 / year
Strengthen government-NGO-First Nations
Partnerships N/A
Survey creeks, establish health benchmarks $5,000 to develop checklist
$50,000 for stream survey
Create consideration in Municipal budget for
watershed management N/A
Provide agricultural water storage for drought-
prone areas N/A
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7030 Trans-Canada Highway | Box 278 | Duncan, BC V9L 3X4
Ph 250.746.3100 Fax 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca
Establish a single point of contact for in-stream
work requests N/A
Total: ~$161,000 plus $8,000 for water level, quantity
and quality monitoring
Funding
The Municipal Agriculture Reserve Fund (ARF) currently contains $105,000, with an additional $30,000
for 2017 ($30,000 allocated to the ARF annually). It is also anticipated that an additional $50,000 will be
added by 2017 as a result of a successful ALR exclusion application. This means that the total amount
in the ARF could be $185,000 in 2017, a portion of which could be used to fund BCWMP actions that
would result in a benefit to agriculture in the watershed. With a Council endorsed plan in place, the
Municipality is also better positioned to access external funding sources and resource assistance, which
could include:
Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC
Ducks Unlimited, Pacific Salmon Foundation and other NGOs
Provincial and Federal Ministries (e.g. Ministry of Environment water sampling)
Industry
Halalt First Nation
Land Owners
Many of the actions in the plan have broad benefits that are not limited to one objective, which means
that money and resources can be allocated in such a way that will fulfil multiple management actions.
For example, planting riparian vegetation and tree cover along the stream banks in conjunction with in-
stream works to remove sediments will have immediate agricultural drainage benefits but will also
result in long-term invasive species management, help control erosion and reduce the frequency and
degree of in-stream works needed in the future. Similarly, surveying the creeks will identify problem
drainage area for targeted in-stream works by land owners or the Municipality but will also highlight
opportunities for fish habitat restoration and ecological enhancement.
The table below represents a preliminary 5-year funding strategy for the BCWMP based on the actions
listed in the plan. The ARF is identified as a funding source only for those projects that would benefit
agriculture. Where a project has benefits for both agriculture and other values, the ARF covers a
portion of project costs. The remaining money would need to come from either a new Municipal
budget source or a grant from one or more of the partners identified above. Staff are looking for grant
opportunities on a continual basis.
An agriculture and drainage town hall meeting is scheduled for November 28, the purpose of which is
to hear from the agricultural community about the drainage issues they are facing (i.e. more focused
and in more detail than the BCWMP engagement process) and what role they see the Municipality
taking on to address those issues. Following the town hall meeting, the funding strategy may need to
change depending on the specific issues brought up at the meeting. It is anticipated that potential sites
for water quality / quanity meters and stream enhancement works will be identified by participants.
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7030 Trans-Canada Highway | Box 278 | Duncan, BC V9L 3X4
Ph 250.746.3100 Fax 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca
Year Projects Total ARF
Additional
Funds
Needed
Year 1 (2017)
Sedimentation maintenance ($5,000)
Multi-year Water Sustainability Act authorisation
($5,000)
Water sampling and testing ($15,000)
Vegetation management (tree planting), bank
stabilisation and fencing ($5,000)
Establish watershed stakeholder group (N/A)
$30,000 $25,000 $5,000
Year 2 (2018)
Water sampling and testing ($8,000)
Vegetation management (tree planting), bank
stabilisation and fencing ($5,000)
Creek survey ($55,000)
Update Municipal information on agricultural
initiatives in North Cowichan (N/A)
$68,000 $60,000 $8,000
Year 3 (2019)
Sedimentation maintenance ($5,000)
Water sampling and testing ($8,000)
Vegetation management (tree planting), bank
stabilisation and fencing ($5,000)
In-stream work (drainage and fish passage
opportunities ($10,000)
Stream cleanout in stream section near Tsussie
reserve ($2,000)
$30,000 $20,000 $10,000
Year 4 (2020)
Hydrological model ($50,000)
Water sampling and testing ($8,000)
Vegetation management (tree planting), bank
stabilisation and fencing ($5,000)
$63,000 $30,000 $33,000
Year 5 (2021)
Sedimentation maintenance ($5,000)
Water sampling and testing ($8,000)
Vegetation management (tree planting), bank
stabilisation and fencing ($5,000)
$18,000 $10,000 $8,000
Total: $209,000 $145,000 $64,000
Discussion
Staff is investigating the possibility of a multi-year authorisation for ‘works in and about a stream’ under
the Water Sustainability Act, as there are recent examples of local governments that have been
successful with this (e.g. City of Chilliwack, City of Abbotsford and Fraser Valley Regional District).
Additional discussions will be needed with Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
to determine the extent and degree to which more comprehensive approvals can be obtained. This
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7030 Trans-Canada Highway | Box 278 | Duncan, BC V9L 3X4
Ph 250.746.3100 Fax 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca
could help avoid the need for many, individual applications to the Province, which would streamline the
notification/approval process.
Implications
This funding strategy is provided for general guidance only and will evolve depending on the outcome
of the town hall meeting, input from the Agricultural Advisory Committee and as external funding
opportunities arise. A number of the BCWMP management actions have significant financial costs and
in some cases annual (or ongoing) funding requirements. However, many of the management actions
can be completed with relatively small financial implications. Implementation of the BCWMP will
consider both the ‘on-the-ground’ projects as well as those projects aimed at gathering more
information about the watershed. The planning process highlighted that there are still significant gaps
in our technical knowledge of the watershed’s characteristics, and there is a need for a better
understanding of the underlying issues so that resources can be allocated efficiently (e.g. surveys,
monitoring, modelling).
Recommendation
That Council support, in principle, the 5-year Bonsall Creek Watershed Management Plan funding
strategy, and revisit the plan after the agriculture and drainage town hall meeting on November 28,
2016.
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