Times Colonist - letter to editor from Brian Burchill March 20th 2016

Re: “Let’s get Victoria sewage treatment plant done,” comment, March 15.

Over the 40-plus years that the Capital Regional District’s existing sewage treatment system has been operating, Victoria’s tourism industry has grown dramatically. Bill Lewis gives no evidence that the existing system has in any way curtailed the influx of tourists to Victoria.

To the contrary, he reports to us that during the past three years, while the local sewage issue has been prominent in the news, Victoria’s tourism grew for three consecutive years, culminating in the industry’s strongest year. Even tens of millions invested in new tourism infrastructure. He has made a very clear case that the existing system is an irrelevant factor when travellers decide to choose Victoria as a destination.

The lack of effect of our existing system on tourism is highlighted by the fact that the significant number of visitors who arrive by ships docking at Ogden Point and in the Inner Harbour, are oblivious to the fact that the ship they are on just passed over or between the two long, deep-sea outfalls of our system.

Oblivious because the system is so effective at treating that Victoria actually doesn’t have a sewage problem. The only problem Victoria has is people trying to promote the false notion that Victoria has a sewage problem.

Brian Burchill

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