Duncan, BC - A number of Directors from the CVRD Board attended the annual Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Association (AVICC) convention from April 13 to 15 in Victoria.
The convention brings together elected officials from municipalities and regional districts from across Vancouver Island and the Central and Sunshine Coasts, to discuss emerging issues of importance to coastal communities and to elect the AVICC Board of Directors.
CVRD Director Mary Marcotte is now Past President of AVICC, having served the past year as President. Director Ian Morrison was acclaimed as 2nd Vice President after serving the past year as Director at Large.
Throughout the convention, many issues were discussed and advancements made on topics important to coastal communities such as development of pathways and trails along rural roads, innovative procurement practices to generate enhanced value for communities, cannabis regulations and legislation, abandoned and derelict vessels, responsible shoreline development and the current drug overdose crisis. A number of these topics and others resulted in resolutions that will be forwarded to the Union of BC Municipalities for consideration at its annual convention in September.
Convention delegates received updates from Island Health Authority and Island Corridor Foundation as well a presentation from keynote speaker Charles Montgomery, author of Happy City: Your City, Your Life.
Premier John Horgan attended the convention and spoke to delegates about the provincial government’s current priorities as they relate to coastal communities. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson and Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver also addressed delegates at the convention.
“The AVICC Convention provides an opportunity for community leaders from across our region to come together and learn from each other, exchange ideas and advance regional issues to the provincial level,” states Board Chair Jon Lefebure.