Delta is standing its ground against the regional district over the Tsawwassen First Nation's servicing conundrum.
Much to the chagrin of local officials, the board of the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District recently approved a resolution that essentially asks Delta to enter into an interim five-year sewer agreement with the TFN.
The First Nation has massive growth plans on several fronts, including a pair of shopping malls where site preparation is well underway.
However, the TFN does not have the infrastructure to serve that growth. It's been a long-standing issue, one that's prompted Delta to repeatedly insist it does not have the capacity to service the TFN's growth.
"It would be unwise for Delta to pursue any sewer agreement with the Tsawwassen First Nation on an interim basis," said Delta CAO George Harvie, warning, "I can't see how we could shut the pipe off.
I don't see us having that ability."
Harvie noted the municipality entered into an interim agreement to partially extend sewer service only to the TFN's existing housing, but had no intention of extending it further, let alone becoming the long-term solution to the TFN's growth.
Mayor Lois Jackson agreed, saying officials with the regional district "don't get it or just don't want to get it" when it comes to Metro Vancouver having to provide servicing for the TFN.
A staff report to council notes the limited interim agreement Delta agreed to almost three years ago for the TFN's current homes has never been executed, so that agreement should be scrapped. Council approved that recommendation.
As far as the TFN wanting an interim deal to service its growth, as well as a long-term deal, the report notes, "We remain very concerned that Metro Vancouver's solution to providing sewer services to Tsawwassen First Nation will be to use Delta's sanitary sewer force main without providing Delta's taxpayers with sufficient recovery of the force main's costs. Such a solution would also impact Delta's autonomy and the ability to plan for the future of South Delta, the Tilbury industrial area and Boundary Bay Airport as outlined in Delta's Official Community Plan."
Council agreed that Delta wouldn't participate in any discussions between the TFN and the region as well as not sign an interim agreement.
Last fall, the TFN, which several months earlier became members of the region's sewer district though provincial legislation, offered to pay for Delta's sewer infrastructure, an offer considered far too low and soundly rejected.
The proposal would have seen Metro Vancouver take over responsibility for the sewer force main, which extends from the B.C.
Ferries terminal to Annacis Island, from the Delta and allow TFN to immediately connect to the line.
"We believe that this proposal benefits all three parties and that it also meets the essence of regional government as a cooperative partnership between equal members," Chief Bryce Williams told Jackson in a letter outlining the proposal.
Jackson said Delta should retain autonomy over its infrastructure. She said she told the sewage district directors that when Delta needed a sewer pipe to service Tsawwassen years ago, nothing was forthcoming from the regional district, so the municipality built its own.
"It is our own, I would think they'd get that... I have said when all this started that if we were to go ahead with such an (interim agreement) undertaking, we'd be totally on the hook, even though we don't have the capacity and we said that over and over again."
An engineering consultant's report last fall noted Delta's sanitary force main and pumping system is predicted to have adequate capacity to meet peak demand, but does not have spare capacity to meet the TFN's demands.
