Accomplishments

The Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative Accomplishments to February 2021

The Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative (COIAI) is going into its ninth year since its implementation. The members of the Steering Committee recently took some time to reflect on their achievements over this time period. It was gratifying to recognize that a lot of positive outcomes have been realized. Some of these wins include:

  • Enduring for 9 years
  • Having Steering Committee members, who meet enthusiastically, participate readily and have formed a strong team. A Terms of Reference was developed with Strategic Direction that is reviewed and revised annually.
  • The development of a COIAI website: evcnpvoice.com
  • Starting a dialogue around the hiring requirements of Elk Valley Resources and other businesses for local youth to consider while opening doors to employment opportunities
  • Starting a dialogue on the benefits of acquiring additional post-secondary education opportunities within the Elk Valley
  • Supporting Interior Health awareness and following the status of the recruitment of a surgeon for the Elk Valley
  • Created connections for communities to come together such as: the College of the Rockies and Elk River Alliance partnering to offer summer watershed camps, Elk River Alliance and the Elkford ATV club working together to accomplish more during the annual Shoreline Clean Up, Elk Valley Resources and the Elk River Alliance teaming up to offer educational components to Elk Valley students during Mining Week each year.
  • Being acknowledged by Elk Valley Resources regarding what is important to communities in the present and long term
  • Supporting community safety awareness:
    • In November 2019 the Committee expressed concern about the temporary bridge at Lizard Creek while road construction was taking place: camber led toward the ditch, poor lighting, insufficient warning lead, concrete barriers did not start soon enough in either direction and the former road yellow line was not painted over and it led straight to a concrete barrier. The Committee agreed that this concern would be brought to Fernie Mayor Qualizzaby Sharon Strom. Mayor Qualizza called a meeting with City of Fernie reps, Communities of Interest Advisory rep Sharon Strom, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) reps and reps from Mainroad. The concerns were outlined and at the end of the meeting, MOTI and Mainroad committed to rectifying the safety issues.
  • Formation of the Elk Valley Child Care Advisory Initiative under the umbrella of the COIAI which in itself has:
    • Developed a Terms of Reference
    • Successfully applied for a grant from Columbia Basin Trust to complete a Childcare Barriers and Opportunities Survey for the Elk Valley which concluded with a report containing recommendations to mitigate childcare issues
    • Analyzed the recommendations based on their value vs ease to create a roadmap of actions
    • Drafted a Charter to assist with the management of the Project
    • Created an awareness of specific childcare needs for each Elk Valley community
    • Received a request from the consultant who was hired to do the survey, to allow her to write an article based on the findings for submission to the International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies. Her article was accepted by the Journal and can be found at  http://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/ijcyfs/index
    • Created Facebook a page for each of Elkford, Sparwood and Fernie for parents in need of or able to provide childcare to network
    • Seen licensed in-home facilities in each of Elkford and Fernie open as well at the expansion of an existing licensed facility in Sparwood
    • Successfully applying for a grant from the BC Rural Dividend Project funds to hire a consultant to develop a centralized childcare resource package for Elk Valley parents
  • Formation of the Health Care Task Group under the umbrella of the COIAI – investigating project development for senior housing in Elkford. UPDATE: The meetings led to the formation of the Elkford Housing Society as its own entity to focus on senior. As of February 2021, land in Elkford has been donated by Elk Valley Resources for a 22 unit senior housing complex, with funding from BC Housing and others. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2021
  • Formation of the Closure Task Group under the umbrella of the COIA – inform future mine site closure planning processes in the Elk Valley and throughout Elk Valley Resources operations