Delta Mayor George Harvie’s request for longer-term leases on submerged water lots to create more certainty for development has been rejected by the province.
Nathan Cullen, minister for Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, wrote to the mayor recently listing many factors that affect long-term decisions on water lots.
Cullen said in a July 17 letter to Harvie the lower Fraser River estuary is a complex system, with issues such as dredging and that the area is of high importance to First Nations, when it comes to land title, climate change, archaeology and impacts from previous use.
As well, the government has heard from First Nations that offering long-term leases can affect a First Nation’s ability to exercise its future rights.
Giving up long-term control of submerged lots can limit the tools available for navigation, economic development and environmental management, Cullen said.
Given the value of the lower Fraser River estuary, the ministry, “works to ensure decisions regarding the use of this are considered in a manner that supports economic activity, environmental sustainability and reconciliation with First Nations,” said Cullen.
As well, leases that stretch beyond 30 years start to look like straight forward land ownership, he said.
The issue has influenced development of Delta’s riverfront for several years. In 2017, made a submission to the Union of B.C. Municipalities on the issue with the city saying that the inability to have longer term leases will limit redevelopment on the Ladner waterfront.
Without long-term tenure, the Delta-owned properties at the Seven Seas site in Ladner, which was put up for sale with the hopes of encouraging redevelopment, wasn’t an attractive place to invest.
Harvie wrote to the provincial government this April, asking that the province find a way of creating long-term certainty for lease holders on water lots that would encourage investment.
“Such conditions have not only stifled waterfront development proposals, but have also placed undue strain on local government efforts towards community revitalization,” Harvie wrote.
Harvie said that he commended the government for engaging with First Nations, “However, amidst these positive strides, the need for an expedited tenure replacement process that balances the interests of all stakeholders — providing long-term certainty for leaseholders, facilitating waterfront development, and honouring First Nations consultations — remains pressing,” Harvie said.
Harvie also notes without long-term water lot leases, float-home owners can’t secure affordable financing.
However, Cullen replied that float homes are not considered part of the solutions to address housing needs because of environmental and dredging issues.
