They have their treaty lands and money to invest. They foresee thousands of homes, mega-malls and port-related industries, all delivering economic rewards for the Tsawwassen First Nation and its members. But this appealing vision seems increasingly blurred, possibly less bright.
They promised Metro Vancouver 4,000 new homes by 2041, yet recently forecast: "In the coming years TFN expects more than 800 homes to be built." They have agreements with two major shopping mall developers. One is advertising for lessees, but I find no report identifying either anchors or tenants. The other makes no mention of TFN in his website's list of projects and I find no advertising.
Houses, mega-malls and industries all require utility services. Among the essential services that TFN must provide to support their anticipated developments are sanitary sewers.
Their small sewer plant is a topof-the-line tertiary plant. "Tertiary" refers to the plant's three sequential processes that yield effluent of the highest purity. Discharging effluent between TFN's inner and outer dikes was permissible under federal regulations when the plant was built, but provincial regulations now apply and the discharge should be out in deep water. Perhaps most worrisome, the plant has limited or no capacity to service additional demand.
TFN and B.C. Ferries will together connect to Delta's sewer. Delta agrees to share with them, but TFN's share will be for only five years and their maximum flow rate is limited to 17 litres/second. That equals only five per cent of Tsawwassen's estimated 2012 maximum rate.
Based upon a consultant's estimate of Delta's peak 2041 wetweather sewer demand, Delta's engineering staff reported: "... there is no reserve capacity available for Tsawwassen First Nation's long term sewage needs." Council unanimously endorsed the report and directed that copies be sent to TFN and others.
Hopefully a shift in demand peak, or an affordable upgrade of Delta's system, can accommodate limited TFN ongoing needs because the alternatives may be prohibitively expensive.
Metro Vancouver's Lions Gate and Iona primary sewage plants need to be upgraded to provide secondary treatment. The cost is estimated to be $1.4 billion. To avoid massive utility tax increases for homeowners and businesses, pressure is on senior governments to help with funding. TFN may find this an inopportune time to seek help in replacing or supplementing an otherwise adequate plant solely to enable their economic ventures.
Would anyone invest in a house, mega-mall or industrial facility without assurance of continuous sewer service? TFN must provide long-term utility certainty; otherwise their economic development aspirations will surely be dashed.
Should TFN conclude that it cannot provide the services their advertised developments demand, they should figure out what they might practically achieve with the resources, services and support available to them. It seems to me the most rewarding solution might be achieved through cooperation with Delta. TFN should not overlook the beneficial or detrimental impact of their development on Delta if they need Delta's support.
The outcome may be more modest, but hopefully it will be both rewarding and achievable. I wish them success.
