**Committee of the Whole – December 9, 2025

What Residents Need to Know**

The Village scheduled a morning COW meeting packed with major decisions — including three Master Plans that shape the next 20+ years of infrastructure spending. These plans contain serious warnings about Harrison’s sewer, storm, and water systems, but the public hasn’t been given a proper chance to review any of it.

This isn’t routine business. This is a high-impact meeting that sets the direction for millions in future costs, growth limits, and infrastructure capacity.

1. What’s on the Table

Dike Upgrade Project Update

Consultants presenting new information. No public report attached. Residents still have no clear explanation of seepage risks, funding gaps, or timelines.

Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Sewer Master Plans

Staff recommend Council adopt all three immediately.
These plans identify aging pipes, capacity limits, high I&I, missing storm mains, and millions in required upgrades.

Additional Capital Requests

Paving on several streets
Crosswalk & sidewalk on Miami River Drive
Accessible boardwalk at Rendall Park
Ramp repairs at the beach walkway
Solar lighting and hydrants on McCombs

No funding strategy is included.

2. What the Master Plans Actually Show

A. Sanitary Sewer System

High inflow & infiltration (I&I) — among the highest in the Lower Mainland.
Lift Stations LS1, LS3, and LS6 become overloaded during major rainfall.
Key sewer trunks on Cedar, Lillooet, and Hot Springs Road are undersized.
Past sewer backups (Old Settler Pub) confirm the system is strained.
Wastewater Treatment Plant already exceeds its permitted flows during storms.
Identified sewer upgrades exceed $6 million, not including WWTP expansion.

B. Water System

Fire flow limits in several areas.
Aging pipes requiring replacement.
Growth outpaces existing network capacity in peak demand periods.
System-wide upgrades mandatory for OCP density increases.

C. Storm Sewer System

Entire sections of the village have no storm mains at all.
Stormwater is likely entering the sewer system, driving up I&I.
Hot Springs Road north of Alder has no storm drainage infrastructure.
Significant flooding vulnerabilities remain unaddressed.

3. Why This COW Meeting Matters

This meeting quietly determines how much Harrison will spend on basic infrastructure — and how much growth the systems can realistically support.
Residents deserve to understand these impacts before Council locks the village into long-term commitments.

The Master Plans reveal:

Infrastructure deficiencies that contradict what staff have told residents.
Major unbudgeted costs with no public explanation.
Capacity limits that directly affect zoning, density, development, and safety.

Yet Council is being asked to adopt everything in one sitting, with no public engagement or financial roadmap.

4. Red Flags Residents Should Know

🔴 Red Flag #1 — Rushed Adoption of Three Major Plans

No public consultation. No summary reports. No plain-language explanation.
Council is expected to approve 20+ years of spending in one morning.

🔴 Red Flag #2 — Sewer System Over Capacity but Not Publicly Admitted

Lift stations overrun during storms, high I&I, undersized mains, and WWTP exceedances — none of this has been communicated to residents.

🔴 Red Flag #3 — Missing Storm Drains Feeding Sewer Problems

Whole neighbourhoods have no storm infrastructure, forcing rainwater into the sewer system and increasing overflow risks.

🔴 Red Flag #4 — Infrastructure Costs Not Disclosed to the Public

Millions in planned and unplanned upgrades, but no financial plan, no grant strategy, no discussion of rate or tax impacts.

🔴 Red Flag #5 — Dike Project Update With No Public Documentation

Given the seepage issues and safety implications, failing to release supporting engineering reports is unacceptable.

🔴 Red Flag #6 — Growth Assumptions Lowered to Make Capacity Look Better

The Sanitary Plan artificially reduces Harrison Hot Springs Resort loads by 60% in forecasting — masking future constraints.

🔴 Red Flag #7 — Capital Add-Ons With No Costing

Paving, sidewalks, boardwalk work, solar lighting, and hydrants are all added without a funding explanation.

5. Why This Matters for Every Resident

These decisions affect:

Taxes
Utility rates
Safety
Flood protection
Infrastructure failures
Development approvals
Neighbourhood density
Long-term village planning

When major plans with major price tags are adopted with minimal scrutiny, the public pays the price later.