2019 AGM focuses on Legal Rights of Waterfront Owners
PROW’s 2019 Annual General Meeting was held at the Mary Winspear Centre on May 22. Nearly 60 members and guests attended, including North Saanich Mayor Geoff Orr and Councillors Heather Gartshore, Patricia Pearson, Brett Smyth, Celia Stock and Murray Weisenberger.
The new executive was acclaimed:
President – David Tonken
Treasurer – Steve Heddle
Secretary – Peter Kerr
Membership – Ted Izard
Directors at Large – Brian Goodman, Dorothy Hartshorne, Alex Hyndman, Keith Routely, Carolyn Stout
After the President’s and Treasurer’s Reports, and an update from Brian Goodman on Firesmart activities, featured speaker Del Elgersma of Beacon Law spoke on the topic of “The legal right of waterfront owners to protect their properties from erosion.” Del reviewed the 2018 court case “Fonseca vs Islands Trust” which upheld riparian rights to construct seawalls in BC.
A summary of this case, and its implications for waterfront owners, is available here:
The Common Law Right to Protect Waterfront Land from Erosion