GROWTH
GROWTH — PAY FOR WHAT FOLLOWS.
Esquimalt needs housing, investment and a strong local economy. But growth should do more than add buildings. It should help us repair damaged land, make better use of overlooked spaces and secure opportunities that may disappear if we fail to plan ahead.
Creative foresight means looking beyond the proposal immediately in front of us. Where could land be reclaimed or restored? Which future connections should be protected? Could facilities, infrastructure or public spaces serve more than one purpose? What will become difficult or unaffordable if we wait?
Growth also creates lasting demands on infrastructure, public services, public safety, parks and municipal operations. Council should understand those consequences before making the decision, determine who will pay and coordinate development with municipal capacity. Growth should leave Esquimalt stronger, more connected and better prepared for what comes next.
GROWTH ISSUES
Growth
Plan for possibilities that will be lost if we wait.
Identify strategic land, future connections, shared facilities and public benefits before development makes them impractical or unaffordable.
Growth
Turn damaged or overlooked land into community value.
Explore safe remediation and productive reuse of contaminated, degraded or underused land, including ecological restoration and waterfront access.
Growth
New development should help fund what it requires.
Use lawful development-finance tools so existing taxpayers are not left with avoidable growth-related infrastructure and amenity costs.
Growth
Coordinate growth with the systems that support it.
Plan water, sewer, drainage, roads, parks, public safety and municipal services before existing systems reach their limits.
CONNECTED DECISIONS
CONNECTED DECISIONS
Growth must be coordinated with housing, community planning, public investment and the systems residents rely on.