North Cowichan’s council voted at its meeting on Feb. 6 to reverse its decision to deny a request from a veteran and a long-time resident of the municipality who now lives in Duncan to pay the lower resident rate for two grave plots in the veterans’ section of Mountain View Cemetery.
Council decided at its meeting on Jan. 15 to turn down the request from Allan Waddy after staff indicated that granting it would open North Cowichan up to similar requests from non-residents that could see reduced revenue for the upkeep of the cemetery, among other concerns.
But Mayor Rob Douglas brought the matter back to the meeting on Feb. 5 after reflecting on the decision. He said he would suggest that rather than denying Waddy’s request, council could consider updating the bylaw to allow Waddy and his wife to buy two plots at the municipally owned and operated cemetery at the resident rate of $1,429 each for the grave plots, rather than the non-resident rate of $3,157 each.
“It’s easy to lose sight of how a smaller amount of money can make such a big difference in a person’s life,” Douglas said. “We’re talking about seniors here on fixed incomes and for them to be able to pay the lower resident rate with today’s high cost of living could make a real difference for them.”
Waddy said in a letter to council that, other than the years he spent serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, he has spent most of his life in North Cowichan while paying municipal taxes.
He said that his mother became ill in 2016 and, in support of her failing health, he and his wife bought her home in neighbouring Duncan and that is their current residence. Waddy said that his mother, who died in 2019, is interred along with his father who is also a veteran in the veteran’s section at Mountain View Cemetery, and his wife’s mother and brother are also interred in the cemetery.
“As a veteran and long-time resident of North Cowichan, I would very much like, when the time comes, to be interred with my wife in the veterans’ section of Mountain View Cemetery,” Waddy said in his letter to council.
Douglas said at the meeting on Feb. 5 that the intent of the fee structure at the cemetery is that if a person has lived in the municipality for many years and contributed to the tax base, it only makes sense that they would get a discount at the cemetery as opposed to people who live in other communities and pay taxes there.
He said what makes Waddy’s situation unique is that he has been a long-time resident of North Cowichan and spent a good part of his life in the municipality.
“(Waddy) is also a 25-year veteran and his application was endorsed by the Legion branch,” Douglas said.
“I’ve discussed this with staff and I think we should take another look and adjust the bylaw only for veterans who are long-time residents of North Cowichan.”
Council decided unanimously for staff to change the bylaw to have resident rates at the cemetery apply to eligible veterans that have previously lived and/or paid property taxes in North Cowichan.
