North Cowichan mayor and councillors:
I read in the local paper that you are considering a ban and/or restrictions on backyard burning and woodstove use.
I have several questions and concerns regarding this issue.
1. When and how are the citizens who are going to be impacted by this decision supposed to have a say? I have attended council meetings in the past where the issue of air quality has been discussed. Spokespersons for the pro side of restrictions have spoken, but I had not chance to offer rebuttal due to council requirements for speakers to be registered in advance. I supposed up until now, I felt council would consider the rural nature of the district and make reasonable decisions, so I stayed silent.
2. If the proposed restrictions (as reported in the newspaper) are enacted, they could put undue hardship and have a negative financial impact on a large portion of residents in the district. If residents are prevented from burning any backyard debris, the only option is to haul it to Bings Creek. If residents do not own a vehicle capable of hauling the debris, they would have to pay someone to remove it for them.
3. Many residents use woodstoves for their primary heat or to reduce the cost of alternative heat sources. If they are restricted from the use of woodstoves, this would also create a negative financial impact if they are forced to revert to an alternative heat source. In the event of prolonged periods of restrictions, the cost could be substantial. And what happens if the woodstove is your only source of heat?
4. Many residents, myself included, are on fixed incomes and are seniors trying to stay in our own homes. Every year costs continue to outpace the small increases to our incomes. Every year all levels of government, government departments and agencies continue to take more and more money out of our pockets. Add in the increased costs of day to day living and there is little or no money left over. And now this council wants to add to those costs. This is basically another form of taxation and it is discriminatory.
5. I am not opposed to helping improve the air quality in the district but why should I, and other similar residents, shoulder the resultant financial burden ourselves? If council chooses to enact the proposed regulations for the good of all, then all should help pay. After all, many taxpayers pay for programs and services that they do not or cannot make use of.
If additional restrictions are felt necessary to replace or enhance the current regulations, I hope you would consider the following suggestion.
Provide a municipal debris removal program funded by all taxpayers. There could be trucks or industrial wood chippers on the same routes as garbage pickup for a set period of time every four to six months. Residents could notify the municipality if they have debris and be given a date for service. As for woodstoves, I have not suggestions other than increased education on clean burning methods.
Barry Kimble
North Cowichan
