What Other Cities Are Teaching Me About Ours
Hello Friends and Neighbours,
I hope these rain-filled spring days have offered you a bit of time to rest, regroup, and begin planning for the busy summer ahead. The weather hasn’t kept me from my usual “around town” walks, and as I make my way down 12th, along the beach, and through Southlands, I’ve noticed how the soft rain seems to bring out some of the most vivid scents—yarrow, lupine, and all the wild green things that make this place feel like home. Even the blackbirds seem to be in good spirits, turning sections of my route into a little symphony. I hope you’re all finding your own ways to enjoy the season and soak up the beauty blooming all around us.
In my last update, I committed to diving deeper into our Official Community Plan (OCP) and understanding how we got to where we are today. That journey has led me to look beyond our city borders, knowing full well that the challenges we’re facing here in Delta—outdated models of public funding, growing pains, and questions of long-term planning—aren’t unique to us. What has stood out to me, though, is the way other municipalities are choosing to respond. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are better models, more transparent conversations, and stronger commitments to the people being affected most.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Councillor Daniel Fontaine of New Westminster. You may have seen his name in a recent Vancouver Sun article where he spoke out about his community’s crumbling infrastructure and the underfunding of essential services. Our conversation was both frustrating and hopeful—we shared a lot of the same concerns, but we also found common ground in our belief that politics should be rooted in duty, openness, and respect. It was refreshing to meet someone in office who isn’t afraid to speak candidly and act boldly. In a time when our cities, provinces, and countries are grappling with complex challenges, we simply can’t afford more politicians who are more worried about their careers than the people they serve. What we need is leadership that puts families, local businesses, and long-term sustainability first.
On that note, I’ve been following developments in Burnaby around Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs) and Development Cost Charges (DCCs)—the fees developers are supposed to pay to support public infrastructure and community amenities. In theory, these charges help fund everything from parks and libraries to sewage systems. But what’s happening now is that developers are saying they can’t meet the timelines for payment, and municipalities are warning that the financial burden could shift to taxpayers. Burnaby’s council has begun exploring reforms and shared their thoughts with other municipalities, including ours. Disappointingly, although this correspondence was tabled at our last council meeting, it wasn’t raised by a single member of our council. All I can say is that we seem far far far behind the ball on dealing with this incredibly pressing issue. We need to get our heads out of the sand, and start figuring out who's going to pay for the rapid growth we are expecting to see in the very near future, before it falls squarely on the tax payer.
There are more thoughts re: Bill 15, but I'll have more information regarding that bill in the upcoming week or so!
Until then, thank you—as always—for the inspiration, energy, and wisdom you all bring to this community. You remind me every day why I care so deeply about this work. I hope we have a chance to gather again soon. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out—sometimes Facebook messages get filtered (or get pushed down), so please feel welcome to email me directly at alex@deltavoices.ca
Wishing you all a safe, restful, and joyful long weekend. I’ll see you around town.
Alex