Desmond M. Connor

Managing the Community Impacts
of Large Scale Development:

A Participative Approach

Desmond M. Connor

In this case, Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Limited received its principal government approvals to renovate its kraft pulp mill, the oldest on the B.C. coast, and build a paper mill in 1987 The company was then concerned that the construction workers associated with this $1 billion project would disrupt the adjacent community of Gibsons (area population: 7,500) where most of its employees lived.

The central theme of this S.I.A.M. program has thus been on the management of the effects of the construction phase and on the participation of the greater Gibsons community in this process. While the residents had coped with relatively rapid growth in the past, could the community now withstand the influx of an estimated peak of 1150 construction workers and then deal with their subsequent departure?

This report summarizes our work with the company and the community from August 1988 to March 1990, following which we expect to continue our monthly monitoring and liaison program through the remainder of the construction phase to approximately June 1991.

The construction workforce was first projected to reach 1,153 in June 1990, but this was later rescheduled to occur in mid-winter; two-thirds were expected to live on site in two work camps with most spending weekends in the Lower Mainland or beyond. Of the one-third expected to live in the area, about half were already community residents by mid-1988; the camps have a capacity of about 1200 beds.

The challenge to the community was to accommodate a peak population increase of some 10% in early-1990. Following construction, the operating work force is expected to remain about the same size.

There is a strong summer tourism industry and a growing number of retirees and Lower Mainland families seeking to live in the area. Pressures on the ferry and highway systems, accommodation and other community services and facilities were anticipated.

The Town of Gibsons has been involved for two years with a restructuring program which would extend its boundaries, and taxing powers, to include the mill. The company has strong reservations about this prospect because of its tax consequences and has been resisting it locally and through representations to the provincial government. (This political engagement was beyond our terms of reference though it had obvious implications for our subsequent program.)

The federal government was known to be engaged in some studies of aquatic contamination from pulp mills but no reports had been made or were expected when our program commenced. (When it became public later, it was dealt with by the environmental division of the parent company rather than by our program.)

A further objective was to provide accessible opportunities for elected officials, community groups and interested individuals to obtain information and contribute their views in order to develop an impact assessment and management program which would be technically sound, economically attractive, generally understood and accepted by most of those affected by it and would thus be politically viable. The emerging program was thus defined as a Participative Approach to Social Impact Assessment and Management or PASIAM.

1. Scoping and Profiling
   What scope should the program cover, in terms of who are the relevant publics and what are the core issues? Profiling involves the collection of baseline data both qualitative (e.g. values, goals, concerns) and quantitative such as demographics, education, health etc.

2. Projecting
   Estimating what changes will occur in the community, with and without the project over the next five years.

3. Assessing and Managing
   Assessing means identifying who gains, who loses, what is it they gain or lose and how important is it to them. Managing involves working out ways and means to maximize the benefits, minimize the losses and compensate for the unavoidable effects for each segment of the community. Much of this will be accomplished by the actions of individuals, families, organizations and the community as a whole, supplemented as needed by the company and relevant government agencies.

4. Monitoring
   Identifying on a regular basis whether predicted changes are occurring, whether the effects anticipated are taking place and whether the means proposed to manage these effects are, in fact, working. Make revisions as needed with an emphasis on joint responsibility and co-management.

Work Program
Social profiles of the Town of Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast Regional District were prepared in July and August, 1988.

In mid-September, a full page presentation in the Gibsons and Sechelt newspapers answered some key questions about the project and its probable effects on the community, discussed community growth and its management in Gibsons and advertised a forthcoming cablevision program and an Open House. A reply coupon solicited residents' views on the expansion project and their ranking of some potential benefits and issues. Readers were invited to phone the program liaison person, Ms. Sharon McCarthy, with any questions or concerns.

A panel of senior company executives presented an overview of the project and responded to telephone calls during a one-hour cablevision program on September 22; the program was subsequently rebroadcast several times during the following weeks.

An Open House in Gibsons took place on September 28 to provide residents with an opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions to senior company staff about the project. A planning workshop took place on October 1 to enable 10-12 representatives from tourism, education, housing, recreation, business and health to identify their concerns and work with senior company managers to resolve them.

Results
The social profiles provided a systematic understanding of the community of Gibsons and area, together with the larger regional district. The capacity of the community to temporarily accommodate part of the construction workforce was established; perceived benefits and concerns were noted for later testing in newspaper and Open House response coupons. Existing ferry and traffic pressures, likely to be increased by the expansion project, were documented.

The 29 newspaper and 32 Open House responses indicated that 79% supported the expansion, 13% were undecided, 3% were opposed and 5% did not reply to this question. In rating perceived benefits, half rated highly the prospect of fewer people on welfare and unemployment assistance while one third rated highly both the short term economic boost from the project and the additional facilities and services which would result.

When asked to rate perceived issues generated by the project, two-thirds gave a high rating to environmental concerns and excessive demands on ferry and highway traffic capabilities; next in priority were fears about more crime, lawlessness and stress, then the anticipated higher cost of living and housing concerns. One-third of the respondents were business people and tourism operators, a quarter were retirees and only two were mill employees.

The Open House was visited by 80 people following a preview lunch for elected representatives.

Major topics at the planning workshop, following an overview by the company president, Mr. Bill Hughes, were impacts on the local labour force, the nature and recruitment of the construction workforce, and ferry and highway traffic problems.

Calls to the program liaison person were followed up promptly by phone or personal visit during October and subsequently. Particular attention was needed for the neighbourhood of Dogpatch, some 18 families living in the shadow of the mill.

Work Program
On November 29, a one and one half page announcement appeared in both the Gibsons and Sechelt newspapers. Separate articles summarized the 61 responses to the previous phase, outlined what Gibsons would be like in 1991 with and without the expansion, reviewed recent changes in the community, outlined the PASIAM program and noted six community issues and what was being done to resolve them. A reply coupon invited public views on the projection of future changes in Gibsons. A 30 page technical report was prepared and distributed to planners and community libraries for those interested in further details about community response and the projections.

A second Open House was held on December 6 to provide a further opportunity for direct communication between community residents and senior company officials.

Telephoned questions and concerns continued to be responded to promptly.

Results
Response to the newspaper advertisement and at the Open House was lower than in the first phase -- 6 newspaper coupons and 16 checklists from the Open House which was attended by some 30 people. From conversations with residents, the low response rate appears to be due to several factors -- the expansion program itself is an ongoing reality; it is currently imposing no major problems on the community; this program does not address major environmental concerns, like the recent closure of shellfish harvesting imposed by Environment Canada. These concerns are of central importance to many residents.

Note -- the following data reflect the views of the interested residents who took the time to respond, but are not a random sample and cannot be said to reflect the views of the whole community.

With regard to projections of Gibsons in 1991 with and without the expansion, three-quarters of those with an opinion agreed with the situation forecast; two-thirds of those with an opinion believed that Gibsons would be able to absorb and service the additional people during the construction period. Post-construction concerns raised by respondents centred mainly on economic impacts on business, tourism and housing with a downturn in the economy, but some saw few difficulties with proper advance planning.

Current and forthcoming issues raised through these responses and other community contacts were identified as: general environmental concerns and when reductions in emissions and effluent would occur; dioxins and their impact on the environment; a general understanding of how the mill operates and the main steps in the expansion program; the construction camp, including how it operates and the numbers of workers present during the week and on weekends; plans for construction shutdown and how the community could participate in planning for this process.

A short report on the above activities was prepared in January and distributed to key people, planners, and the media and placed in community libraries. Another planning workshop originally scheduled for this phase was omitted because there appeared to be no major divisions in the community about projections for Gibsons to 1991.

Another short report on "The Construction Workforce and the Community" was prepared and distributed to the same parties in February. Major sections included: workforce composition (N = 324); student enrolment in the schools from the construction force (32 more); the rising proportion of workers not in camp for the weekend (from 73% of the 250 in camp in early January to 88% at the end of the month); use of health services (20 construction workers used the clinics in Gibsons or the hospital in Sechelt in a four month period).

Work Program
Initially, planning workshops to assess the issues and deal with them were planned for eight groupings of residents -- tourism operators, families with small children and single parents, health officials, seniors, small business, safety officials, recreation and environmental concerns. Having reviewed the level of interest of these segments of the community, only two workshops were held.

A Business and Tourism Workshop was held on April 8 with 11 participants. On April 11, 13 representatives participated in a Health and Safety Workshop. In both, the workshop commenced with an overview of the expansion project by company president Mr. Bill Hughes, then, after a question and answer period, participants identified key issues in their fields and subsequently the group applied a problem-solving process to most of the issues. Detailed minutes were prepared and distributed.

The first of a series of company newsletters, titled: "The Mill and the Environment", was produced and distributed by householder mail to all residents in late April. Major topics, based on residents earlier requests, included emission and effluent reduction and their timing, dioxins and furans and the names and phone numbers of company and government officials who can provide further information on these matters. The newsletter featured a colour photograph of an artist's rendering of the completed plant and a reply-paid postcard asking readers assessment and comments on the company's environmental upgrading program.

A one-hour cablevision program on "The Mill and the Environment", previously advertised in area newspapers, was aired on May 11; panelists included federal and provincial environmental specialists as well as senior company officials. The phone-in segment of the program was active; the program was later rebroadcast several times.

During the last two weeks in May, four afternoon bus tours of the site took residents from a central location in Gibsons to the mill to see the expansion project for themselves and talk with company staff about mill operations. Tours for high school students were planned for the fall.

An informal telephone survey was conducted of a number of seniors and families with small children to identify their concerns.

Ongoing monitoring, liaison and responses to telephone requests occurred throughout this period. A short report was prepared describing the above activities and distributed to key people, planners, the media and to area libraries.

Results
The Business and Tourism workshop identified a number of concerns -- impacts of construction workers on Gibsons way of life, ferry traffic, employment of local residents, recreation, local economic benefits and pressure on local services.

Later, in a problem-solving exercise on each issue, a number of initiatives were suggested by the participants. e.g. the Economic Development Commission can foster local opportunities; the company will investigate the use of local travel services; West Howe Sound Recreation may be a vehicle to accept company assistance to upgrade baseball fields; the company agreed to approach B.C. Ferries to improve the ferry unloading process; the company is continuing to explore ways to reduce the pressure of additional traffic on the ferries; the company has revised its work program so that the peak employment will occur in December 1989 rather than June 1990 in the middle of the tourism season; cooperation between restaurant and pub owners/managers and the RCMP is minimizing disruptive behaviour; a monthly newsletter from the Chamber of Commerce will publicise community services and facilities and encourage acceptable behaviour by visiting workers.

The Health and Safety workshop expressed concerns about the safety of site facilities, the availability of ambulances, the impact of peak employment on health and safety facilities and services and the potential increase in traffic hazards. To help solve these problems, a number of suggestions were made: e.g. better signage near the Langdale school to advise trucks of steep grades; community support for another ambulance attendant and more resources for the RCMP; physical training facilities at the camp are being improved which should reduce pressure on community facilities; Langdale Elementary school has facilities which they will trade access to for the provision of needed equipment; a joint approach was proposed to complete the baseball field for Cliff Giker Park; an evening shuttle service was proposed from the camp to Gibsons pubs and return. In all, some 16 action steps were identified.

Presentations were made to the students in three local schools on the mill expansion and its implications for the community.

Some 70 postcards were mailed back from the newsletter -- half were dissatisfied with the company's environmental upgrading program, a quarter were satisfied and a quarter were undecided. Many respondents expressed concern about the mill's past performance, the effects on Howe Sound, and the greater use of recycled and unbleached paper.

The cablevision program, with its environmental focus, attracted more telephone calls than the first such program; the presence of government as well as company officials provided greater credibility for the responses.

A total of 98 people took the four bus tours and were generally appreciative of the opportunity to see the construction site and talk with company officials about a wide range of topics from mill operations to environmental issues.

Calls to a number of seniors indicated that they had not noticed any major impacts by the expansion project on the community and were not much concerned by it. Similarly, families with small children were not much concerned about the project, though some asked about school enrolment, especially by Japanese students who would tax the limited ESL staff.

Work Program
A regular monthly monitoring report commenced in June, 1989, in order to: log recent events and activities relevant for the expansion project; record the views of community participants on the positive and negative effects of the project on the community; and note proposed activities by community organizations, the company and other parties. This short report is being distributed to key people, planners, the media and area libraries.

The establishment of a Monitoring Committee proposed in the initial program was deferred due to the delicate relationship between the company and the Town of Gibsons Council over the restructuring issue.

Results
The first monitoring report, for example, indicated that:

1. a constructive meeting took place between senior company officials and Gibsons Council, following the absence of positive communication for some months.

2. the company surveyed construction workers on their preferences on four ways to improve transportation. There was strong endorsement for an additional ferry sailing from Vancouver at 5.30 a.m. on Monday mornings. The company has arranged for this additional ferry on a trial basis for a month; the general public may use these additional sailings also.

3. an additional off-loading lane at the Langdale terminal has speeded the unloading process, though the roads remain heavily used.

4. improvements in recreational facilities are being actively pursued.

5. a planning firm is conducting a study of housing in the area to determine the extent to which the expansion program is responsible for the current shortage of accommodation and, in any case, what steps can be taken to improve the situation.

6. the company is arranging for the transportation of workers to and from Gibsons during weekday evenings on a trial basis.

These monthly reports have dealt with a series of traffic issues, housing pressures, school enrolments and similar concerns. In fact, the construction labour force peaked in early 1990 at 1,600 workers and is currently beginning to decline though the amount of accommodation available for tourists during the coming summer remains to be seen.

While the monitoring and liaison phase will continue for the next two years, the program completed to date appears to have met most of its objectives. The emphasis was on community involvement and participation in all stages of the program, particularly in identifying and dealing with community concerns. The budget from July 1988 to April 1990 totals $100,000.

Positive working relationships have been established with a number of community organizations so that the impacts of the expansion project on the community are being cooperatively managed so as to maximize community benefits.

Some community concerns remain:

• Relationships between Gibsons Council and the company was impaired by the recent controversy over municipal restructuring and the potential inclusion of the mill within the Town for tax purposes. This situation was expected to improve following a referendum but this was cancelled due to disagreements between the Mayor and Council and the provincial government. Subsequent regular meetings between the municipality and the company have laid the foundation for negotiations through which the company may underwrite some recreational facilities for the community.

• The closure of commercial and non-commercial shell fishing in Howe Sound by Environment Canada in November of 1988 created a major concern for residents and visitors. Intensive studies have been undertaken and the situation is being reassessed periodically; information is being made available on the results and on the new technology being implemented by the company. e.g. the elimination of dioxins from mill effluent by the use of chlorine dioxide.

• The Minister of the Environment has recently laid charges against a mill at the head of Howe Sound for its effluent discharges.

As far as the social impacts of the expansion program on Gibsons and area are concerned, it appears that the program put in place has enabled the company and the community to jointly manage the principal impacts for the benefit of both.

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DESMOND M. CONNOR "Improving the Practice of Public Consultation" 407-5332 Sayward Hill Crescent, Victoria, BC, V8Y 2H8 Voice: 250-658-1323                     Fax: 250-658-8110 connor@connor.bc.ca           www.connor.bc.ca

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