DISTRICT OF TOFINO JOINT LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN COMMITTEE. Notice is hereby given of the following:

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1 DISTRICT OF TOFINO JOINT LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN COMMITTEE Notice is hereby given of the following: Optional tour of proposed WWTP sites: February 22, 2016 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM (Meet at Municipal Office at 12:50 PM) JLWMAC Meeting: February 22, 2016 at 2:30 PM, Council Chamber, Municipal Office Page AGENDA 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER 1.1 Opening Remarks 2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Minutes of the Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Meeting held November 24, 2015 Recommendation: THAT the minutes of the Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Meeting held November 24, 2015 be adopted. JLWMAC - 24 Nov Minutes 4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES 5. DELEGATIONS 6. CORRESPONDENCE 7. PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION 7.1 Shortlist of Wastewater Treatment Plan Sites (Opus DaytonKnight) Criteria for Site Selection Advantages/Disadvantages 7.2 Working Group Discussions Group discussions - Likes/Dislikes of Proposed Sites One Member from each group to share views with whole Committee 7.3 Selection of Sites for Further Consideration Exercise: Each Member Ranks Proposed Sites Review Results and Further Refinement of Selections Recommendation to Steering Committee for further assessment by Opus DaytonKnight February 22, 2016 Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Agenda Page 1 of 11

2 Draft Communications Plan (JLWMAC Chair) LWMP Communications Plan Revised 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.1 Treatment Plant Tour MINUTE QUESTION PERIOD 10. ADJOURNMENT February 22, 2016 Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Agenda Page 2 of 11

3 JOINT LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN COMMITTEE DISTRICT OF TOFINO November 24, 2015 at 3:00 PM Council Chamber MINUTES PRESENT: ABSENT: Josie Osborne, Chair Councillor Greg Blanchette, Alternate Bob MacPherson, Chief Administrative Officer Nyla Attiana, Manager of Financial Services Representative of Public Works and Building Inspection Representative of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Jennifer Dart, Representative of Business Groups Eileen Floody, Representative of Environmental Groups James Costello, Representative of Generators of Large Liquid Waste Juliette Van Vliet, Tofino Resident Representative Ryan Orr, Tofino Resident Representative Representative of the ACRD, Representative of Parks Canada, Representative of MoE, Representative of Local Fisheries Interests (vacant seat) 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chair Josie Osborne called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m. 2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Moved and Seconded by Bob MacPherson/Juliette Van Vliet THAT the November 24, 2015 Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee agenda be adopted. CARRIED 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES 3.1 Minutes of the Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Meeting held June 25, 2015 Moved and Seconded by James Costello/Juliette Van Vliet THAT the minutes of the Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Meeting held June 25, 2015 be adopted. CARRIED 4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES None 5. DELEGATIONS None 6. CORRESPONDENCE None November 24, 2015 Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Minutes Page 1 of 3 Page 3 of 11

4 7. REPORTS Jen Dart joined the meeting at 3:33 p.m. 7.1 Presentation from Opus DaytonKnight Ltd. Bob MacPherson introduced Al Gibb, Rodger Warren and Aline Bennett of Opus DaytonKnight Ltd. Al Gibb delivered a presentation regarding Opus DaytonKnight Ltd. and the scope of the consultants' work plan. Aline Bennett explained the liquid waste management planning process, and the Committee took part in a short exercise to identify key components of the communications plan. Feedback from Committee members regarding communication included: multiple-media messaging: use of radio, letters, newspaper and social media educational campaigns at school outreach to multiple business sectors communication to the public about the constraints of the process, i.e. deadlines and statutory requirements Aline Bennett presented the next steps and process for site selection. Nyla Attiana left the meeting at 4:10 p.m. and returned at 4:55 p.m. Jen Dart left the meeting at 4:43 p.m. 7.2 Treatment Plant Tour The Committee was unanimous in expressing interest in visiting liquid waste management facilities on Vancouver Island and existing Tofino infrastructure. The Committee planned to meet again in January, James Costello left the meeting at 4:53 p.m. 8. NEW BUSINESS None MINUTE QUESTION PERIOD None. 10. ADJOURNMENT CERTIFIED CORRECT: Moved and Seconded by Eileen Floody/Nyla Attiana THAT the meeting be adjourned at 4:59 p.m. CARRIED Mayor Osborne, Chair November 24, 2015 Bob MacPherson, Recording Secretary Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Minutes Page 2 of 3 Page 4 of 11

5 November 24, 2015 Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee Minutes Page 3 of 3 Page 5 of 11

6 1.0 PURPOSE: DISTRICT OF TOFINO LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN - COMMUNICATIONS PLAN The purpose of this Communications Plan is to identify and communicate with the District of Tofino s target audiences about providing secondary treatment for wastewater discharges. The District has chosen to inform its audiences through the completion of a Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) Stage 3 process, as prescribed by the Ministry of Environment s Interim Guidelines for Preparing Liquid Waste Management Plans (2011). 1.1 The Communications Plan will: Promote LWMP and wastewater treatment plant benefits as they relate to the applicable goals of District s Official Community Plan (OCP) Describe how decisions are being made and how they will be communicated Assist the Steering Committee and the Joint Liquid Waste Management Advisory Committee (JLWMAC) to ensure the LWMP falls within legislative requirements Provide a mechanism to communicate questions and concerns to the JLWMAC and Steering Committee Gather feedback on engineering, environmental and receiving environment monitoring studies Identify planned disturbances and efforts to minimize those impacts to the community Provide a contact list, major deliverables and timelines of the LWMP Stage 3 Throughout Stage 3, the Communications Plan will be updated as needed by the Steering Committee (consisting of District of Tofino Council) with recommendations from the JLWMAC. Each revision will consider the purpose and audience identified in the Communications Plan. The LWMP Stage 3 includes an extensive consultation process. 2.0 COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES: Effective communication is essential to the success of the LWMP and subsequent implementation of the wastewater collection upgrades and treatment plant construction. All communication activity with our audiences will be conducted using the following principles: All communications shall be clear, non-technical, open, and effective and allow for a two-way dialogue of information. The tone of communications shall be consistent, honest, positive and accurate. Page 6 of 11

7 All communications shall have built-in flexibility to enable plans and messages to develop as the LWMP evolves. 3.0 BACKGROUND: The District of Tofino operates two Municipal Collection Systems that discharge effluent through two outfalls located in close proximity to each other in Duffin Passage between the north-west tip of the Esowista Peninsula and Felice Island. The discharge of comminutor-treated (preliminary quality) wastewater is authorized by BC Ministry of Environment (MOE) under PE-4303 and PE The District received approval by the province for the LWMP, Stage 1 in 1999 and Stage 2 in Stage 3 was completed in 2006, however the report was returned to the District to address gaps associated with meeting legislative requirements, assessment on commercial discharges, infiltration and inflow issues, completion of environmental impact studies and inclusion of additional partners on the wastewater collection system. A LWMP is a powerful document which derives its authority from the BC Environmental Management Act. The District s assessment of its wastewater effluent characteristics under the federal government s Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) indicates the need for the District to construct a secondary wastewater treatment facility no later than To fulfill the obligation to senior levels of government the District will complete their LWMP - Stage 3 Report as described by the BC Ministry of Environment s Interim Guidelines For Preparing Liquid Waste Management Plans (July 2011). It is the District s intent to have the completed Stage 3 Report sent to the provincial Minister of Environment for approval by March of Applications for government funding assistance to construct a secondary treatment system will also occur at the completion of the LWMP process. It is a priority of the District to have a secondary treatment system constructed and in operation by December 2020 to meet the WSER. To assist in the public and First Nations consultation process, the District has formed the JLWMAC. The JLWMAC provides recommendations to Council, as Committee of the Whole, who will represent the Steering Committee for the Stage 3 plan development. 4.0 AUDIENCE: The primary objective of the Communications Plan is to inform and to receive feedback from the residents of Tofino, referred to as internal stakeholders. Internal stakeholders would include members of the Steering Committee, JLWMAC, Tofino Chamber of Commerce, local community groups, the Alberni- Clayoquot Regional District, Parks Canada. Page 7 of 11

8 Internal stakeholders would also include industrial and commercial operations such as motels, hotels, the brewery and fish processing. External stakeholders include people whose permanent residence is outside the Tofino core wastewater collection area, and provincial and federal levels of government including the Ministry of Environment, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Ministry of Community Sports and Cultural Development, etc. Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations are understood to be rights-holders and will be engaged as such as the Liquid Management Plan develops. Communications with consultants are not covered under this plan. 5.0 COMMUNICATION TOOLS: The Communications Plan will take a multi-tiered approach to communications. Examples of communications tools and methods to be used include the following: 5.1 Resident Relations and Media Contact: Process Governed by 2 Committees: Steering Committee - made up of Council. Advisory Committee - made up of stakeholders Mayor Josie Osborne is chair of the JLWMAC and will also be the designated contact in the event the project attracts media interest. Mayor Osborne s contact information is provided in the Contact List below. 5.2 Website: A dedicated project webpage will be created within the District s website at The webpage will include information pertaining to the LWMP process, legislative requirements, site maps, notices to residents and a Q&A section. Information on the webpage will be reviewed monthly and updated as needed. 5.3 Social Media The District will use its social media channels to distribute information about the progress of the LWMP. At present this includes: District Facebook Page Mayor s Facebook Page Twitter 5.4 Notices to Residents: Mail-out notices to our stakeholders can be distributed describing the major activities of the LWMP project. Stakeholders who may be affected by the Page 8 of 11

9 construction activities be contacted by the administration office of the District of Tofino and feedback will be provided to the JLWMAC. This may be achieved by using mail inserts for quarterly utility bills or tax notices. 5.5 Open Houses and Town Hall Meetings: The JLWMAC will provide opportunity for internal and external stakeholders to gain knowledge of the project at public information meetings, open houses and Town Hall meetings. District staff and elected officials will be available to meet with community groups about the LWMP as warranted. 5.6 Feedback Forms Feedback forms will be used to gather community comments. These will be in paper and electronic form. 5.6 External Stakeholders: The JLWMAC will maintain ongoing communications with external stakeholders identified on the contact list below by way of meetings, conference calls and onsite inspections. Copies of minutes will be provided to all external government stakeholders. 6.0 APPROACHES TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION: Opportunities for input from and to the internal and external stakeholders will be provided during Phase 1, 2 and 3. The Steering Committee and JLWMAC will incorporate feedback gained from the consultation and amend the LWMP process where necessary. 6.1 Phase 1 Consultation Phase 1 is about identifying the site options. At the end of Phase 1, the JLWMAC will recommend, with the Steering Committee approval, two to three sites to advance to Phase 2 for detailed costing and evaluation. During Phase 1, information regarding the LWMP process and the options under consideration will go on the webpage. A feedback form will be created to record stakeholders comments. The Mayor will be the primary media contact and Chief Administrative Officer will be the secondary media contacts for the LWMP. Page 9 of 11

10 All comments provided will be recorded and presented to the Committees for their consideration as part of the LWMP process. Correspondence addressed to Mayor and Council on this issue (outside of feedback forms) to be placed on COW and JLWMAC agendas for consideration rather than placed on regular Council agendas. 6.2 Phase 2 Consultation Phase 2 is about examining the options in detail and results in the selection of a preferred option to advance to Phase 3. A similar approach to Phase 1 will be adopted, where information describing the site options and other LWMP components are made available to the community and feedback is invited to help inform the decision making process. Modifications to the Communication Plan and LWMP process may be made based on feedback from Phase Phase 3 Consultation In Phase 3, the final site option and detailed funding and implementation schedules are developed prior to sending the Stage 3 report to the Ministry of Environment for approval. In addition to the consultation approach used in Phases 1 and 2, the District will host an open house or town hall meeting to present the completion of the LWMP process and obtain final input from the stakeholders. Once the JLWMC believes that there is an acceptable level of community support, the JLWMAC will make recommendation to the Steering Committee and Council for their endorsement prior to submission to the Ministry of Environment for approval. 7.0 CONSULTATION TIMELINE: Phase 1 LWMP information on website January 2016 Committee review and feedback End of March 2016 Stakeholder review period End of April 2016 Phase 2 Committee review and recommendation End of June 2016 Stakeholder review period End of July 2016 Phase 3 Committee review and feedback December 2017 Stakeholder review period End of February 2017 Page 10 of 11

11 8.0 CONTACT LIST: Organization/Role Contact Person Contact information Page 11 of 11