Updates & Issues

I spend a lot of time reading Council reports, plans and financial documents. This is where I’ll take a closer look at some of the issues facing Cumberland, explain what the Village’s own information shows, and share my perspective on the choices ahead. Some of these pieces have also appeared on the Facebook group Cumberland Matters.

Growth Is Not Automatically a Financial Solution

Bevan could broaden Cumberland's tax base, but development also creates infrastructure that future taxpayers have to maintain and replace. I looked at the Village's own fiscal analysis to see how the numbers compare.

Should Cumberland Help Pay for Courtenay’s Pool?

Courtenay has chosen replacement of the Memorial Outdoor Pool at Lewis Park, and the CVRD is now studying whether the project should be funded regionally. What does this mean for Cumberland?

What Happens When Cumberland Passes 5,000 People?

Cumberland is approaching the 5,000-person threshold that could significantly increase the Village’s policing costs. I looked at what that change could mean for local taxes, service levels and why planning for it now matters.

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We’ve Bought the Land. Now Show Us the Plan.

Cumberland is gradually assembling two major civic blocks around Dunsmuir Avenue. The latest purchase makes sense as a land acquisition. The bigger question is what we are actually building toward, what we intend to preserve, and how a Village already facing major infrastructure and asset-renewal costs will eventually pay for it.

Perseverance Creek: It’s More Than a Washed-Out Bridge

January’s flood did more than badly damage the Hai Gai trail bridge. It pushed Perseverance Creek into a new path across a low-lying landscape containing wetlands, a disc golf course, historic sites and one of Cumberland’s drinking-water wells.

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