Latest news with #communityplanning
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Wanderers Block focus of meeting at Halifax City Hall Wednesday
Atlantic Watch A report regarding the possible future of the space will be presented to the Community Planning Committee Wednesday morning.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Northern Colorado county warns lack of road, bridge repair funding could cause budget to "go off a cliff in 2027"
Funding for maintenance of bridges and roads not keeping up with inflation in Larimer County Funding for maintenance of bridges and roads not keeping up with inflation in Larimer County Funding for maintenance of bridges and roads not keeping up with inflation in Larimer County One of the fastest-growing regions in Colorado is Northern Colorado, and Larimer County is the most populous of that part of the state. With so many people moving to the area and the continuous rise in inflation, officials with Larimer County are warning residents now that there is a pending shortfall when it comes to the county's budget for maintaining bridges and county roadways. A road in Larimer County. CBS Larimer County is larger in landmass than two states, and is home to more than 1,000 miles of county roads. That does not include roadways maintained by municipalities. The county is also responsible for maintaining 421 bridges, with more than 50 of them being deemed as needing repairs or replacement in the near future. However, the county's annual budget of $7 million for roadwork and bridge repair is expected to be far short of what they project they will need by 2027. "A lot of people work and recreate in different places (in the county). They go up to the foothills and back, and those are county roads," said Lesli Ellis, community planning infrastructure resources director for Larimer County. "We've had a lot of growth in the community. We have seen costs go up about 50% in the last five years for capital projects, infrastructure, and road projects." While the cost of maintaining roads and bridges has increased, the amount of money residents throughout Larimer County contribute to the transportation department has remained stagnant. According to Larimer County, residents who own a home valued at $600,000 only pay 75 cents per month toward road and bridge maintenance, an amount which the county officials say is not enough to continue upkeep of rural roads and bridges. Larimer County Road 5. CBS "So that is kind of a surprising thing to people. They pay a lot of property taxes on their house. It is kind of surprising that after it goes all the places it goes, there is not a lot of money going for road and bridge," Ellis said. "Without (additional) funding, we can fund about a quarter of the work we need to do in the community." County officials project that the annual budget needed for projects in the next three years will exceed $28 million. However, without voter approval for additional taxes or another outlet to gain more funding, Ellis said three-quarters of the necessary projects will be left unattended. "Without any increases and without any changes, we are starting to see (the transportation budget) diminish and go off a cliff in 2027," Ellis said. The county has been working for months now to not only explore options for correcting the trajectory but also to educate the public about the possibility of needing to increase taxes in order to address the projected shortfall. The county already has a list of more than 500 projects that need attention. A drone shot over Larimer County. CBS The county has created a website in which the details of the projected shortfall are further detailed, and proposed cuts are also highlighted. "(The current budget compared to the cost of maintenance) just doesn't match up. We have a widening gap," Ellis said.
CTV News
17-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Vancouver Island's View Royal pushes for a slower approach to growth
Vancouver Island's View Royal community has seen a surge in traffic in recent years. View Royal is sandwiched between the larger Vancouver Island communities of Colwood, Langford and Saanich. It has a much smaller population than all of its closest neighbours, with around 13,500 residents. Sid Tobias, the Mayor of View Royal, refers to the town as a 'modern bedroom community.' It is quaint and surrounded by nature, yet most commuters in the southern region of Vancouver Island travel through it every day. 'Admittedly we're the nexus for connecting the core with the West Shore and up island,' said Tobias. 'You have to go through View Royal.' Concerns have risen in recent years over the increased traffic brought on by the island's growing population. Tobias says the View Royal council are determining how to manage such growth without upsetting the municipality's locals, with a focus on proper planning and ample public consultation. The council is currently working on a new community plan, dubbed View Royal 2025 – Our Future View, that will create a path to guide the town's growth and development over the next 25 years. 'The other thing that goes hand-in-hand with that is how do you get growth to pay for growth,' said Tobias. Mayor and council have been vocal when it comes to concerns regarding the province's housing targets, noting how there are fears taxpayers will heavily subsidize the cost of municipal infrastructure to service all those additional units of housing that the province is mandating. Now council has penned a letter to the province of B.C. stating its opposition to Bills 15 and 7, which would essentially take final decision-making out of the hands of municipal councils. 'I have grave concerns about both of these bills as that it isolates decision making to within cabinet without engagement,' said Tobias. Within the borders of View Royal, natural beauty is found throughout, with scenic spots like Portage Inlet and Thetis Lake Park. The small municipality isn't known for having a downtown core. It is a topic that has come up for discussion around the council table, said Tobias. 'The question is, do we need a downtown core in View Royal or do we need we need neighbourhood centers?' So far, View Royal has landed on the latter. Rebecca McGuire is the co-owner of The Nest Café along the Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal. Two years ago she embarked on a venture with a friend, re-opening the shuttered business. She says business has been excellent, with many loyal customers. 'You feel part of a community when you come here,' said McGuire. 'Absolutely it was the best decision. I wake-up every day so thankful that I'm here, and that I get to do this.' In 2024, The Globe and Mail ranked View Royal as the number one place for entrepreneurs to live in all of Canada, describing how the town's vibrant community and strong economy makes it the ideal location for business owners and their families to settle.
CBC
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Gwich'in council leaders say Town of Inuvik excluding them from community decisions
The president of the Nihtat Gwich'in Council in Inuvik, N.W.T., said he wants to see more effort from the Town of Inuvik when it comes to including the Gwich'in leadership in decision making in the community. Inuvik lies in the Gwich'in Settlement Area and the Nihtat Gwich'in Council is part of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. Kelly McLeod, president of the Nihtat Gwich'in Council, said he has concerns with the way the municipality lays out its community plan and zoning. He said because Inuvik is in Gwich'in territory, his council should have more involvement in the town planning process. "We've been dealing with a number of important issues and over the past few months it's escalated — and we hope the Town of Inuvik changes its position on these matters," said McLeod. "Inuvik is a very diverse and multicultural community. It is a shared community, but we are rights-holders, we're not just stakeholders." McLeod says the Town of Inuvik has not been properly respecting the rights of Gwich'in. 'Negative energy never does anything,' mayor says Inuvik Mayor Peter Clarkson said he wants to improve communication with McLeod and the Nihtat Gwich'in Council, saying he wishes it "wasn't so negative." "Negative energy never does anything for a community. We need to come together and work together as an entire community and that's where everyone comes together and works as an equal partner," said Clarkson. In December, the town launched a new initiative to bring stakeholders in the community together to inform each other of what is happening. The Inuvik Leadership Council group started meeting in December 2024 and is composed of town representatives, local Indigenous governments, and MLAs. Clarkson said all levels of Indigenous and non-Indigenous leadership get input into the community. Nihtat is part of the Inuvik Leadership Council and McLeod has attended a couple of its meetings since it was launched in December. But he also wants more clarity about roles and responsibilities before Nihtat signs on to the group's memorandum of agreement. The mayor sent a letter on behalf of the town to Nihtat on Thursday, saying Nihtat's position was "disappointing." Clarkson also suggests that Nihtat leaders had misunderstood the purpose and nature of the Inuvik Leadership Council, which he said is about "sharing information and working together on common issues or concerns and supporting each other." McLeod says the issue is about reconciliation. "With respect to reconciliation, it's not just a word — it's a commitment. We are more than happy to sit at the tables and have the tough discussions we need to have," he said.
