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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
March 29, 2005 | |
Author: |
Piet Rutgers | |
Phone No.: |
604-257-8463 | |
RTS No.: |
05010 | |
CC File No.: |
4101 | |
Meeting Date: |
April 12, 2005 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
General Manager of Park Board and the General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
GVRD Mosquito Control Administrative and Coordination Service |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the City of Vancouver supports the establishment of a Mosquito Control Administration and Coordination Service within the GVRD.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council approves City's participation in GVRD service functions.
BACKGROUND
During the last several years the threat of the West Nile Virus has led many GVRD municipalities including Vancouver to undertake mosquito monitoring programs and prepare contingency plans to deal with the likely arrival of the West Nile Virus in the region. Provincially, the BC Centre for Disease control and the various health authorities are responsible for coordinating efforts to deal with this potential health threat.
Municipalities as significant owners of land and infrastructure have the responsibility for taking steps that reduce the presence of potentially disease transmitting mosquitoes. During the last few years the Park Board and Engineering Services have undertaken surveillance and monitoring programs that have identified catch basins and some ditches, ponds and semi permanent water bodies as locations, where potential disease transmitters reside.
Contingency plans have also been drawn up to apply larvicides to catch basins and selected water bodies, if necessary.
Regionally, municipalities have come together with the GVRD to formulate common approaches to surveillance, monitoring, source reduction, treatment and communication.
DISCUSSION
The GVRD Board has recently considered a report that would formalize the District's coordinating role. Specifically the GVRD approved the following:
1. That the GVRD Board direct staff to prepare a mosquito management service function establishing by-law and circulate to municipalities for their approval.
2. That the GVRD Board authorize the Chair to request that it be reviewed by the municipalities expeditiously for consent prior to being brought forward to the next session of the Board.
3. That the GVRD Board endorse the GVRD's participation in the formulation of coordinated communications with the Regional Health Authorities which involves the establishment of a budget to undertake the work program as described in this report and the implementation of the work program undertaken by communication specialists working closely with the REAC WNV Regional Work Group.
4. That the GVRD Board approve the establishment of a budget of $120,000 from general government reserves for the implementation of this work in anticipation of the establishment of a service function.
The new service function essentially formalizes the role that the GVRD has played in the last couple of years. The proposed function will be that "of coordination and administration of mosquito control activities, including, without limiting the foregoing, the development of preparedness and communications plans for mosquito control".
To establish a new service function, each municipality must approve its participation in the new function through a two step process.
Step 1 involves indicating the willingness to participate and step 2 involves endorsing the proposed GVRD by-law, which lists all participating municipalities.
Step 1 is the subject of this report, while step 2 would be the subject of future report.
CONCLUSION
West Nile Virus is a potential health threat, which can be most effectively addressed through a regionally coordinated effort. This report recommends Council support the establishment of a new Mosquito Central Administration and Coordination function at the GVRD.
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