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Tuesday, October 15, 2013
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From left, Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins, MP John Duncan — who was minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada when this work began — and Stz’uminus First Nation Chief John Elliott cut the ribbon to celebrate the completion of water and sewer infrastructure at Oyster Bay Reserve at Oyster Sto’Lo Road. The completion of the water and sewer connection means that planned development on the reserve can begin. LINDSAY CHUNG
Water, sewer connection to Oyster Bay complete Lindsay Chung THE CHRONICLE
Last August, MP John Duncan came to Stz’uminus First Nation to announce nearly $1.5 million in federal funding from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) to extend water and sewer services from Ladysmith. Last week, Duncan was back in the area, this time to celebrate the completion of that work. Duncan, Stz’uminus First Nation Chief John Elliott and Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins stood on the Stz’uminus Oyster Bay Reserve at Oyster Sto’Lo Road beside the Ivy Green Husky Wednesday, Oct. 9 and cut a ribbon to celebrate the completion of water and sewer infrastructure for Oyster Bay. “Your communities have much to be proud of,” said Duncan. Water and sewer services at Oyster Bay
will make way for proposed development in the area, and will also secure a safe water source for the Stz’uminus community currently residing at Oyster Bay. Elliott expressed gratitude to everyone who has worked together on this project and explained that the completion of water and sewer “will help make an economy and build the local area.” “It’s all about working together and making sure that we do this building of the local area together,” he said, calling this “the start of where we are going for our future.” Calling the day of the ribbon cutting “a significant milestone between those two communities,” Hutchins noted that the Town of Ladysmith and Stz’uminus First Nation signed a renewed Community Accord in May 2012 and followed that up with a Memorandum of Understanding. “Today, we’re actually celebrating the first real physical manifestation of that
work,” he said. “We’re actually physically, the infrastructure in place, development finally, connecting our two communities of Oyster Bay can begin, according to a together in a meaningful way through press release. water and sewer. This is about the joint Duncan was serving as the Minister of communities. This is going to allow the AANDC during the construction of the Stz’uminus First Nation to do something water and wastewater infrastructure at pretty powerful on this site. In turn, it’s Oyster Bay, and he “was a huge support going to allow the Town of Ladysmith, in for this project in securing a significant partnership with Stz’uminus First Nation, funding deal from AANDC, which proto provide a better water supply, a health- vided Stz’uminus First Nation with nearly ier water supply, to the community.” $1.5 million in August 2012,” according to “It’s a huge milestone for us. It’s good for the CSDC. both communities, and I’m thankful to be With this infrastructure complete, wapart of it,” he added. “I’m sorry it’s tak- ter will soon flow from the Town of en so long. The next stages will go a lot Ladysmith to Oyster Bay. Development quicker; we’ve finally figured out how to at Oyster Bay will be underway within work together, and we have some pretty the next 12 months, according to the exciting things coming.” CSDC. Water and sewer connection has been The planned Oyster Bay Development one of the top priorities for Coast Sal- includes residential housing, commercial ish Development Corporation (CSDC) space, resorts and lodging, marina and — the economic development agency of waterfront development, and seniors-orithe Stz’uminus First Nation — and, with ented living on 99 hectares of land.
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