Helpful Contact Information
Road maintenance, pot holes, snow and ice, and public area/roadside dead animal and garbage removal: EMCON (contractor) Area Manager Jesse (cell) 778-679-4063 or main 24 hr BC phone line 1-866-353-3136 or email bca1admin@emconservices.ca Emcon will only remove dead animals if they are on the roadside allowance. For roadside garbage removal, note that Emcon’s service area ends at Saanich, around where the fire sign is near the Hartland entrance. For removal in Saanich – past Durrance Lake towards Wallace – report online Saanich Report a Problem or call 250-475-1775
HELPFUL ROAD RULES – Snow: the plow won’t go through if cars are crowding Mark Lane. Vehicles must have all 4 wheels OFF the pavement. If you park at the road when it snows, do all your cars need to be available? Could you get by with just one to leave more room? WP Rd is plowed with a more readily available plow, and then we may have to wait a bit for the smaller plow for Mark Lane.
Visitors/Workers: Please remind all your drivers to park off the pavement and reduce speed to protect walkers, kids, pets and wildlife. It is more difficult than you think to see oncoming cars when backing out of our driveways. Please slow down.
Pan-insula Disposal Garbage Pickup – Fee based garbage service picked up weekly on Thursdays. Note that our rates are understandably higher than the more populous city rates that are posted on their website. Our thanks go out to Pan-insula for their support of our Fire Dept with residential rate service. Auto-tippable bin required: 250-544-1466 paninsuladisposal.ca
Residents are requested not to put out garbage for pickup until pickup day to minimize bear attractants. The BC Wildlife Act requires that garbage must be locked and secured if stored outside. If you subscribe to garbage pickup, you must unlock your garbage on pickup day as pickup is automated and it slows service and delays traffic if the driver needs to get out to unlock your bin. See bear smart information.
Burning Regulations and Permits – Check the fire hall Hazard Board for updates. Instructions, rules and forms are at www.willispoint.ca/wpvfd/burning-permits
Fire 911 Police 911 Sidney RCMP (non-emergency 250-656-3931)
CRD Board Director Al Wickheim, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, directorjdf@crd.bc.ca (also on our Facebook group) 250-642-1500
MLA Saanich South Lana Popham, NDP, Minister of Agriculture and Food, lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca 250-479-4154
MP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke Stephanie McLean, Liberal, Secretary of State, Seniors, stephanie.mclean@parl.gc.ca 250-244-9988
EVENTS AND INFORMATION – see the Pointer newsletter in Spring and Fall, the Community Hall sign, the Willis Point Bulletin Board Facebook page, the mailbox bulletin boards, and this website. Your Pointer newsletter also lists community contact information.
About Willis Point
Willis Point is part of a CRD district, the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, which includes SW coastal areas such as Otter Point to Port Renfrew, East Sooke, Malahat, Discovery and Chatham Islands and Saltspring Island. Our elected CRD Director (4 year term), Al Wickheim, helps us navigate CRD for the grants and services that we need.
Unlike Saanich or Highlands, Willis Point isn’t in a municipality with a Mayor. We don’t have the same service governance or budget, for example, our roads are maintained by BC Ministry of Transport, rather than through municipal taxes. Municipal taxes are usually much higher than ours. Speed limits are also set by Min of Transport, rather than a municipality and so we can’t compare speed limits between our neighbourhood and Brentwood Bay, for example.
What is the Willis Point Community Association?
The WPCA is a non-profit volunteer organization whose primary purposes are: “To determine democratically the wishes of the residents of [Willis Point] and accordingly to take appropriate action to preserve or improve the amenities of [Willis Point].” Membership is open to residents, property owners and tenants: contact membership@willispoint.ca. Members have voting privileges at the AGM and special meetings.
The WPCA Executive has nine volunteer (unpaid) Directors, eight are elected by WP community members, and holds an AGM for community input in the Fall. We sponsor community events, like happy hours, that promote community and serve to:
- Air diverse opinions held by Pointers about the community and amenities
- Raise funds through donations and events to pay for amenities, services, safety needs
Fire Protection and Recreation Commission, Firefighter’s Association, Fire Department – The WP Fire Protection & Recreation Facilities Commission (Fire and Rec), oversees the operation of the Volunteer Fire Department (WPVFD), funds the trucks and equipment, and manages the Community Hall and grounds. The Commissioners volunteer their time and are appointed by the CRD. The WP Volunteer Firefighter’s Association (FFA) runs Fire Department social and practice events, and applies for grants for small equipment and gear. The Fire and Rec Commission can’t apply for grants – their budget mainly comes from our taxes. Community fundraising for amenities and volunteer work keeps our taxes lower.
The CRD publishes the minutes of the Fire and Recreation Commission meetings.
How do we raise other funds and achieve things? – Volunteers take the time to search and apply for grants, many are from the CRD. CRD grants are supported by our JdF Director. Funded projects still need to be managed by a community volunteer. Our organizations (Fire and Rec, WPVFD and FFA, WPCA) and residents take on projects and tasks: Hall facility upgrades, cleaning, painting, courts, playground and outdoor improvements and equipment, grounds cleanup, lighting, sound and media system, classes, etc. For example, a volunteer puts out the garbage, changes lightbulbs, empties the playground bin, cuts the grass, fixes things, or oversees a contractor hired to do a larger project. Consider lending your expertise, labour, equipment, materials. Like all volunteer organizations we depend on our members to guide us and to volunteer. Please feel free to ask questions, speak at the AGM or the monthly Executive meetings, or contact the Executive at any time.
WP Official Community Plan (OCP) – The OCP Bylaw 3027 is published by the CRD. It covers general land use zoning regulations (e.g. home-based business, secondary suites, setbacks, parking, etc). The OCP is currently being revised.
Thank you to the many volunteers who give so much of their time to make this community such a great place to live.