Sustainability Report Marine References: 2011

In  the Sustainability Report of MEASC to Council of 2011: ( This report has been shelved by council ), The following recommendations were made:

Recommendations from Sustainability 2011 Report:

Metchosin’s existing shoreline slopes development permit area, large lots and low density zoning have helped to reduce development impacts along coastlines, and have protected marine coastal habitat and its ability to store and sequester carbon.

Metchosin will help achieve sustainability and resiliency in its coastal areas by implementing the following:

  • Lobby senior governments to recognize that municipalities are often the first to notice problems along their marine coasts and municipalities need the authority to protect these ecosystems;
  • Consider zoning all marine shorelines in Metchosin as a development permit area in order to protect their natural values;
  •  Establish a program to document and monitor coastal resources, including eel-grass and kelp beds, and forage fish habitat, with the goal of ensuring no net loss of those resources;
  • Identify and map areas important to forage fish and consider a method of restricting beach fires and other damaging activities in these areas at times of the year which are sensitive for forage fish.
  • Emergency Preparedness Program – know who to contact, how, when where, why and in what circumstances
  • Produce a pamphlet and  to help educate both .the public, and land \owners with property bordering on the shoreline, of the sensitivity of coastal ecosystems, in order to reduce harmful impacts on coastal ecosystems.
  • Post essential messages from and distribute Transport Canada’s boaters guide at key locations to educate public.