Letters

I think it’s time that the Peninsula News Review gave us, the residents of North Saanich, a bit of credit for electing our mayor and council.

I would like to thank Brett Smyth for the years of public service that he provided the people of North Saanich as a councillor.

I enjoyed reading Bailey Moreton’s article on freighter traffic off Vancouver Island as the subject is one that is of a lot of interest to residents in the Gulf Islands.

In the March 2 Peninsula News we read under Our View about the shocking situation of child poverty in B.C. and Canada.

If it’s true that REITs (real estate investment trusts) now control up to 40 per cent of B.C.’s rental stock, with last year’s gift from the NDP who removed rental restrictions on 55-plus condominiums, how long will it be before they have even more control? And if it’s true that a tiny apartment in Victoria can cost $1,900 these days, where on earth are renters going to live?

Plastics are ubiquitous in our modern world and are used in everything from packaging to construction materials. While plastics have brought many benefits to society, such as convenience and cost-effectiveness, they also have negative impacts on the environment.

Instead of throwing cash around like there is no tomorrow, might our Premier David Eby consider directing some of the supposed surplus on reopening or resurrecting mental facilities similar to the old Riverview or Essondale of the ’60s through ’80s?

In response to the letter ”In defence of Sidney council’s consultative process” in the March 23 Peninsula News Review: I was at the Feb. 13 meeting you speak of, and had feelings of my own about the way certain council members addressed speakers who utilized the ‘public participation period’ to bring up their concerns for the proposed development. I have since brought these concerns up with our mayor in a one-on-one meeting. I applaud the letter writer from March 2 for speaking up.

Thank you Saanich News for continuing to publish letters from citizens exposing the many fronts on which developers and certain councillors are working to turn Saanich into Vancouver-lite. They are working hand-in-hand to bypass OCPs and LAPs in order to build overpriced condos and townhomes that are unaffordable for ordinary Saanich families.

As most citizens know, there is a delicate balance between supporting change and preserving the status quo.