In my last newsletter of 2022 I highlighted a number of initiatives that I will be working with my colleagues in the provincial government, community leaders, and constituents from Saanich North and the Islands in 2023.
This is not an exhaustive list. If you see any glaring omissions, let me know at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca.
Agriculture & Food
- Support for agricultural businesses to increase production on the Saanich Peninsula and Southern Gulf Islands.
- Investments to increase the capacity for food processing and preservation.
Children & Family Development
- Assess Adults with Eating Disorders program on Southern Vancouver Island.
Child Care
- Explain to the public the childcare system the government is creating.
- Clarity to private, for-profit, childcare providers on whether government supports their business model.
- Increase the number of Early Childhood Educators trained.
Citizens’ Services
- Increased support for “last mile” broadband connections on Southern Gulf Islands.
- Address the obstacles for Indigenous people to name their children culturally appropriate names in their own language.
- Reduce/eliminate fees/obstacles on Freedom of Information requests.
Education & Child Care
- Increased overall funding for public education including support for unfunded inflationary pressures.
- Funding support for school boats in school district #64 (Gulf Islands).
- Road safety of children at Keating Elementary School.
- Resources to improve air quality to reduce illness transmission.
Emergency Management & Climate Readiness
- Wildfire fuel reduction and increased public safety on Southern Gulf Islands and the Saanich Peninsula.
- Coordinate with Parks Canada to secure a third access to Magic Lake Estates on Pender Island.
- Work with community leaders and citizens on the Southern Gulf Islands to increase emergency preparedness.
Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
- Improve the public notification process for new and existing mine applications.
- Decision on application to expand quarry operation at Bamberton by Malahat Investment Corporation.
Environment & Climate Change Strategy
- Address the application of biosolids at the Hartland Landfill.
- Update the Environmental Assessment Act to close the loophole that allows operators to expand quarries incrementally without having to undergo an environmental assessment.
- Decision on application for an environmental assessment by Saanich Inlet Protection Society on quarry expansion application by Malahat Investment Corporation.
Forests
- Expedite the full implementation of the Old Growth Strategic Review
- Work with Mayne Island community and Tsartlip First Nation to address fallow deer.
- Address administrative backlog on decisions for foreshore applications for personal docks etc.
- Decision on application to expand water lease at Bamberton by Malahat Investment Corporation.
Health
- Increased access to team-based, primary healthcare through community health centres.
- Increase resources for nurses to address shortages and improve the quality of workplace for nurses and other staff in local hospitals.
- Work closely with non-profit healthcare societies on the Southern Gulf Islands to ensure they are receiving quality team-based healthcare that meets the needs of the communities.
- Increase capacity of ambulance services throughout the riding.
Housing
- Work collaboratively with local governments to assess housing needs and identify solutions.
- Work proactively with Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Island communities to explore creative housing solutions, including non-market, and supportive housing.
- Expand non-market housing options throughout the riding.
Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation
- Continue to work in a good way to create productive, mutually beneficial partnerships between local First Nations communities and local/provincial government(s).
- Support initiatives to transform the fiscal framework for urban Indigenous communities.
- Develop tools that assist with inter-Nation relationship building, cooperation, and coordination.
Jobs, Economic Recovery & Innovation
- Recapitalization of the Island Coastal Economic Trust.
- Work with the municipal governments on the Saanich Peninsula to ensure the industrial/commercial areas are meeting and exceeding their potential.
- Work with government to ensure local businesses have access to InBC funds.
Mental Health & Addictions
- Work with service providers on Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands to address fragmentation of services.
- Increased support for harm reduction services on Salt Spring Island.
- Increased support for the youth mental health services on the Saanich Peninsula.
Municipal Affairs
- Proactively collaborate with communities to address governance fragmentation on the Southern Gulf Islands.
- Address request for governance review at Magic Lake on Pender Island.
- Increased funding support for libraries.
Public Safety & Solicitor General
- Increase policing resources on Salt Spring/Southern Gulf Island detachments.
- Implement all the recommendations of the Police Act Review committee.
- Consider resources for a Peer Assisted Care Team on Salt Spring Island.
Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport
- Work with tourism leaders, businesses and Cabinet colleagues to better support tourism opportunities across the riding.
Transportation & Infrastructure
- Expedite program to develop a RapidBus system and supporting neighbourhood transit network on the Saanich Peninsula.
- Build active transportation infrastructure to improve road safety on the Fulford/Ganges corridor.
- Increased budget for road maintenance and line painting across the riding.
- Work with BC Ferries to increase ferry service, decrease service disruption, and improve customer communication.
Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship
- Develop a Coastal Protection Act to better protect and conserve the sensitive marine environment surrounding the Southern Gulf Islands.
- Actively advocate for the removal of short/long-term anchoring sites used by the Port of Vancouver for large transport carriers in the Southern Gulf Islands.
- Actively work with the federal government and across provincial ministries to enforce illegal mooring, works, and remove derelict/abandoned vessels.
- Engage the Minister of Forests regarding COP15 biodiversity commitments to address invasive species, specifically the fallow deer (Mayne/Sidney Islands) and marine species that arrive via ballast from international shipping.
Happy New Year Adam. You’re amazing! Thank you for the summary. You are such a dedicated MLA.
All the best,
Sharon Glynn