What’s your occupation? (Current and/or past)
FCPA-FCA, Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC, Retired.
How long have you lived on Bowen?
27 years.
Who inspires you? (Real or fictional)
My family.
Please list any current and/or past committees or organizations you've been a part of in your career.
I have only listed the local government related committee and organizations and Bowen related community involvement for a full list please refer to my website alison4council.com
Member of Bowen Island Council since Dec 4, 1999
Currently Bowen Island Council Member on: Community Center Select Steering Committee; Community Economic Development Committee; Emergency Program Executive Committee; Finance Advisory Committee; Fire Hall Facilities Steering Committee, Chair; Recreation and Community Services Commission; Snug Cove Sewer System Advisory Committee; Bowen Bay, BlueWater, Eagle Cliff, Hood Point, King Edward Bay, Tunstall Bay Water System Local Advisory Committees, Council Liaison
Previously a member of: Transportation Advisory Committee; Ferry Advisory Committee; Human Resources Committee; Economic Development Committee; North Shore Substance Abuse Working Group; Affordable Housing Working Group; Steering Committee for the Housing Needs Assessment and Affordable Housing Strategy; Budgeting Policies and Procedures Task Force that developed the BIM budget and financial decision making guidelines and policies - Water Management Commission, Snug Cove Master Plan and Transportation Working Groups
Islands Trust: Municipal Trustee, 2002-2011, 2014–2018 (did not seek re-election in 2011 but was reappointed as trustee in April 2014 when a vacancy occurred); Financial Planning Committee member and vice chair, 2014-2018, member from 2002 -2011, and Chair from 2008-2011; Member of Select Committee to Review Victoria Office Location; Member of the Governance Task Force, 2006-2008; Presented with Islands Trust Chair at UBCM 2013 Clinic on Derelict and Abandoned Vessels; Panelist at the AVICC Conference session on BC Ferries
Metro Vancouver Regional District: Alternate Director 2008-2011; Parks Committee 2009; Small Communities Policing Task Force 2005-2006
Translink Mayors Council: 2018-present as permanent designate, alternate for 2011-2018
Union of BC Municipalities: Executive Committee member for 2015 and 2016 serving on the Community Economic Development, Healthy Communities and Community Safety Committees
Bowen Community Involvement
I am currently a NERP, Neighbourhood Emergency Response Person. My past Bowen community involvement includes: Steering Committee for People Plants & Places Tour; Tourism Bowen Island Board; First Credit Union’s Bowen Branch Advisory Committee; Vice-chair, Bowen Island Parks and Recreation Commission; Vice-chair, Restructure Committee, studied becoming a Municipality; Board member and Secretary of the Bowen Island Golf Association.
What are your (non-housing) related priorities for the next four years?
Completion of the Community Center; the Park at Cape Roger Curtis; ensuring that we are prepared for the implications of climate change and that our crown lands are protected as they are our watersheds, recreation areas; stewardship of Bowen’s assets, looking after what we have, the built infrastructure, our natural capital and the people of Bowen which means health care and diversity of housing; transportation, ferry issues and active transportation; a vibrant Bowen economy and last but not least fiscal responsibility, finding a balance between demand and taxpayer ability to pay.
How would you tackle the issue of affordable/rental housing on Bowen? And, Bowen will be doing a full review of short-term rental policies next year, do you have any early thoughts on this specifically (ie. Should short-term rentals continue to be allowed in secondary suites)
Applications that create rental housing should get priority processing. Continue to work with BIRCH on their affordable rental housing project for Lot 3 and with BC Housing. Explore options with the respondents to the request for proposals for lot 1. Encourage proposals that provide housing diversity. Consider the need for visitor accommodation in the policy review. I believe rules to restrict residential guest accommodation (RGA) in secondary suites would not apply to RGA’s that were operating with a business license when the rules changed as long as they continued to operate. The restriction would only prohibit new RGA’s.
Property taxes are set for a double digit increase next year. What will your fiscal approach be re: what municipal financial obligations are passed on to property owners?
BIM has a policy document “Guiding Principles for Planning and Budget Decision Making” which should be followed. Property taxation is the main source of BIM revenue, property value taxes, parcel taxes and local service taxes. Parcel taxes are used to fund services. Fees can be charged for services but the Community Charter is clear, the amount of the fee is only to recover the cost of providing the service. The utilities (water and sewer) are local service areas and our Guiding Principles state that utilities will be operated on a self-funded basis. Other sources of revenue are federal and provincial grants for capital and special projects.
Assuming the land sale goes through, how will you advocate Bowen gets the best result from the proposed Cape Roger Curtis park?
Council will need to ensure that all their concerns and the community concerns are identified so they can be addressed. Council needs to speak with one voice in negotiating with Metro Vancouver. That means, as has been done with other rezoning applications, agreeing on the amenities that would like to see provided as part of the rezoning and development of the park as well as addressing the concerns identified and discussing operational conditions. Some initial thoughts on amenities would be contributions to the MUP, a shuttle service, a passenger ferry.
What will your approach to tourism on Bowen be, and how would you strike a balance between the tourism economy and issues that arise from it (ferry capacity, increased strain on island services such as emergency, etc.)
Visitors have always been a part of Bowen. The Tourism Plan should be reviewed and updated. Tourism Bowen operates the visitor centre and their priority is managing the visitors to Bowen. Tourism marketing should focus on the shoulder seasons. Data needs to be gathered on ferry use, 2020 and 2021 were Covid years, people were not out and about and now they are plus the population increase. We should try again to get the MRDT tax approved by the province for Bowen which means getting the support of the accommodation providers. We need BC Ferries to fund more hours for a ferry marshalling person.
Bowen’s population rose by 600 in the past 5 years, and could pass 5,000 by the next census in four years. What is your opinion on continued population growth on the island, and the best ways to manage it?
Some of the recent population increase may be Covid related with people making their second home their main home. Our OCP vision refers to a community characterized by a population diverse in age, income and lifestyles. To achieve this we need more diverse forms of housing than we have now as well as affordable housing. Workers need to be able to live on island where they work; empty nesters want to downsize; seniors and families need appropriate housing. Developments should be encouraged that provide housing that is other than the single family home on a large lot, such as townhouses, duplexes, smaller lots.
Water, sewage and roads will need major amounts of work in the upcoming years. What will your approach to our infrastructure be to avoid surprise or rising costs?
My priority in this area is to ensure that a full asset management plan is prepared as it is a key part of managing our infrastructure and budgeting for future expenditures. This is priority C1 in Island Plan 2022. Part of developing the plan is assessing the condition of the assets. The data has been collected for some classes of assets such as the culverts but not all asset classes. Work has been done on plans for some of the utilities. A grant application has been submitted for funding to hire a consultant to assist with preparing the full plan.
What is your position on the Bowen election Islands Trust referendum, and how do you want to see Bowen’s relationship with Islands Trust change (or not) during the next term, keeping in mind the group has applied to the provincial government for a full review of its operations.
I think the issue is not about opposition to the preserve and protect mandate but more about the amount of money that the Bowen taxpayers send to the Islands Trust. People ask what services or value does Bowen get in return for the $323,000 sent in 2022 ($67,000 in 2000) to the IT? Trust costs are allocated by legislation on the proportion of assessed value, is there another way? The legislated mandate is to preserve and protect for the residents of the islands and all of BC. Assets acquired by the Islands Trust Conservancy belong to the province. Yet the province only contributes $180,000 to Trust operations.
And for fun, if you could pick a new animal to add to Bowen’s mascot roster, which would it be and why?
Owl represents wisdom.
Contact:
alison4council.com
alison4council@gmail.com
