Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  In terms of the costs involved, we have had to hire a staff member specifically to get grants approved. When I became mayor in 2005, we weren't getting any drainage done. We weren't getting any gravel removed from the Fraser River because the municipality did not have the technic

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  Yes, that's been the problem. There's been a little variation in how DFO personnel interpret that language. Also, certain consultants interpret that language far more broadly than was initially meant. If these suggested changes can curb that somewhat, it would be appreciated. Rig

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  The drainage ditches will definitely become overgrown. Again, because we have such a lovely climate, plants grow pretty fast. Weeds grow pretty fast. Reed canarygrass grows faster than anything, and they require cleaning on an annual basis, particularly if we just hand clean. DFO

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  Yes. These are engineered ditches, for the most part.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  I would hope that this would be part of the results of these changes, that they would speed things up. We've recently gone through an improvement of the breakwater on Harrison Lake, with the combination of the two municipalities involved. We had a very difficult job getting app

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  As I pointed out in my opening remarks, we have to keep water tables down in order to maintain productivity. Now, there are areas, primarily for forage crops, that we haven't been draining properly. I predict that they're going to go down at least 50% in their potential productiv

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  Thank you very much. On behalf of the five municipalities from the Upper Fraser Valley of British Columbia—the City of Chilliwack, the District of Hope, the District of Kent, the Fraser Valley Regional District, and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs—I wish to extend our appre