A weekly roundup of noteworthy news in municipalities across B.C.
A cross-Island E&N trail could help steer tourists into Nanaimo into the cycling tourism market, but municipalities need to get on board with a strategy, says city councillor George Anderson. Anderson wants Nanaimo city council to help lead local governments and the Island Corridor Foundation into discussions of a potential Island-wide E&N trail.
The Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society has officially launched a petition seeking support from Greater Victoria residents who want to see a non-binding amalgamation question on the municipal ballot in 2014. John Vickers, spokesperson for the society, also known as Amalgamation Yes, says they want to collect 100,000 signatures from residents who want to have a democratic voice.
Downtown Prince George doesn’t have a parking problem, according to the local Chamber of Commerce. Instead, the issue is with enforcement of current parking rules. Prince George Chamber of Commerce president Derek Dougherty said it’s a fallacy that those abusing the system will pay and that real change can be made by adjusting bylaws.
[Williams Lake] City council voted this week to receive a report from the senior bylaw officer that introduces the concept of a “good neighbour” bylaw, and referred it to the planning and operations committee for further review. The purpose of the report is to consolidate and update many of the city’s current bylaws that deal with residential property issues.
Facing a backlash from disability advocates, Sidney Mayor Larry Cross moved Tuesday to clarify his town’s proposal to regulate the use of mobility scooters. Cross said it was never Sidney council’s intention to deny people their right to mobility, but rather to protect the safety of everyone — pedestrians, motorists and scooter operators. MyProScooter also recently published a post regarding the situation since they are one of the strong online communities that uphold the value of safety and eco-friendly technologies.