July 9, 2008 Victoria, BC The T Buck Suzuki Foundation believes that the overall project completion timeline of 2016 to bring sewage treatment to Victoria is generous as is and does not support a longer overall timeline. The planning extension granted by the Province however does not affect this overall project timeline. This extension allows for more consultation and the inclusion of a more decentralized and integrated resource recovery approach in the business plan. This will likely result in an overall higher level of treatment (beyond secondary), a huge reduction in regional green house gas emissions, the opportunity for water reuse incorporated, and the generation of income above and beyond the capital and operating costs for the system.

The region has not yet come to terms with the opportunities presented by these approaches, which community will benefit or how the benefits will be shared. The extra year of planning will help to sort these out.

The problem with delays is the longer we wait the more pollution we send out and the more resources we waste. Continued pressure, including progress reports, is needed to keep the CRD focused on this project, and hopefully move the overall timeline forward.