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TNRD’S COMMUNITY VISION:
“To be the best region in British Columbia to live, work and play. We place high value on environmental, economic and social sustainability, uphold measures to create safe, diverse, affordable communities, and support continuing business investment.”

Message From the Chair

Within the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, 2010 was one of new beginnings and continued optimism. While the global recession now appears to be in our rear view mirror, it’s still left a lasting impression on citizens, one of financial prudence and caution over burgeoning prosperity.

However this didn’t mean the TNRD took a backseat in 2010. We welcomed a brand new Mountain Resort Municipality, the first of its kind in B.C., a new library to help better serve our residents, and two major Official Community Plans. And one of these OCP’s we partnered with another regional district. Meanwhile we continued our implementation of the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan, which included securing three sites for Eco-Depots – new and improved ways of recycling and waste management which help us decrease our carbon footprint. We also completed millions of dollars in upgrades to our utilities services to help bring cleaner water to our residents, and continued to help support internet service providers in their quest to bring broadband connectivity to every corner of the region.

Our goals and accomplishments are as diverse as the region’s geography, from the rugged mountains and pristine waterfalls in the Wells Gray area to the arid deserts that stretches through the heart of the TNRD. We saw it all in 2010, and once again are looking forward to 2011 with the same fervour and positive attitude. Sun Peaks became the province’s first ever Mountain Resort Municipality in March, ushering in a new era of lifestyle living at the skiing and snowboarding destination. This major undertaking required much work by various departments within the TNRD, and the municipality also elected its first mayor, Al Raine, who is now the TNRD Sun Peaks Board director.

With the continued implementation of the TNRD Solid Waste Management Plan, adopted back in 2008, the regional district continued to lead the charge in recycling and waste reduction. Waste disposal has gone down substantially thanks partly to TNRD initiatives such as worm composting, electronic waste drop-off events, increased awareness and curbside recycling services that started up last year in Chase, Blue River, Savona and Cherry Creek.

The TNRD’s Environmental Health Services department also initiated a number of new product stewardships in 2010 to help further educate residents and offer more environmentally friendly alternatives for waste disposal. This year also saw the development of a ground-breaking initiative that was tested at select TNRD landfills. A Passive Landfill Gas Oxidation System was piloted in the region, and the initiative helps greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at closed landfills. For more information about this new eco-initiative, see Page 20 of this Corporate Annual Report.

Three new eco-depots in Barriere, Clearwater and the South Thompson, also took large steps towards completion in 2010. These Eco-Depots will replace aging landfills and close unneeded transfer stations. More than $9.5 million was obtained through provincial and federal grants for the development of these Eco-Depots. Solar panels have already been installed at select transfer stations in the region and will be a staple of the three new Eco-Depots once they are completed in 2011-12.

A Water Systems and Sustainability Strategy was adopted by the Board in 2010 in order to achieve long-term financial stability for the 11 systems in play and shift costs to a more user-based approach. Six water and sewer system upgrades were completed in 2010 totalling $2 million and seven.