Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne will take the municipality’s second seat at the Sunshine Coast Regional Disrict (SCRD) board table.
Sechelt and the SCRD have been preparing for the change since Sechelt’s population came in at over 10,000 in the 2016 census, which meant that under the provincial legislation that sets out the rules for regional districts, Sechelt went from a voting strength of five to six.
The Community Charter also says no single regional district director can control more than five votes, hence the need for a second Sechelt director.
Milne announced at the Oct. 18 council meeting that he intended to put himself forward for that second seat, with Coun. Alice Lutes as his alternate, for the remainder of the term. Council voted unanimously in favour.
Sechelt’s other SCRD director position, currently held by Coun. Darren Inkster, will continue to rotate every six months or so.
“This is good news for the District of Sechelt,” said Milne. “It will now be two votes out of nine [for Sechelt] on most SCRD board issues that are on the table and our financial weighted vote will remain fairly similar to what it is now.”
Milne also pointed out that despite Sechelt’s extra seat, the SCRD remains the only regional district in the province in which the rural areas outvote and outnumber the two municipalities.
“It adds interesting complexities,” he said.
