A toilet-paper ribbon was cut and Tofinosa国际传媒檚 Poet Laureate regaled an enthusiastic crowd with her freshly penned sa国际传媒楾he Flush of our Successsa国际传媒� before accompanying a choir for a song that included the words: sa国际传媒淎t last we wonsa国际传媒檛 be surfing, surfing in our poosa国际传媒� parodying The Beach Boys.

Tofino has officially stopped pumping raw wastewater into the ocean.

Community members, politicians and stakeholders gathered to celebrate the townsa国际传媒檚 long-awaited wastewater treatment facility on Aug. 22.

The roughly one-hour celebration MCsa国际传媒檇 by the districtsa国际传媒檚 director of infrastructure and public works Aaron Rodgers wiped away years of missed deadlines, underestimated budget costs and criticism over discharging raw sewage into the ocean.

Back in 2015, the federal government imposed a deadline of 2020 for the town to treat its sewage. That deadline whizzed past and the in 2020 as contractors bid closer to $84 million to build the project.

The district had initially received $40 million from the provincial and federal governments to build what it thought would be a $54 million project with $14 million coming by way of local taxpayers, but the $84 million figure flushed that idea.

The district took several kicks at the can for more funding from their provincial and federal colleagues and managed to secure enough from

That $77.5 budget held true and the district was finally able to celebrate.

sa国际传媒淭hanks for being here on this auspicious occasion to celebrate the opening of Tofinosa国际传媒檚 wastewater treatment plant,sa国际传媒� Rodgers said to loud applause, cheers and whistles. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the districtsa国际传媒檚 pleasure to present a project that is on budget and ahead of schedule.sa国际传媒�

Mid Island - Pacific Rim MLA and Tofinosa国际传媒檚 former mayor Josie Osborne spoke at the event and joked about the formalities of the celebration.

sa国际传媒淚 donsa国际传媒檛 think Isa国际传媒檝e ever seen somebody wearing a tie outside of a wastewater treatment plant,sa国际传媒� she laughed, referencing Rodgerssa国际传媒� suit. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e known Aaron for years and the tie does not come out often, so that just shows the dignity and honour of this occasion.sa国际传媒�

Osborne spoke to the beauty of Tofinosa国际传媒檚 natural surroundings and the importance of solid stewardship within the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nationsa国际传媒檚 traditional territories.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 our privilege to live in this place and anyone whosa国际传媒檚 lived in Tofino for even a minute knows just how important it is to take care of this place and that we have a real responsibility to live up to the stewardship that the Hasa国际传媒檞iih of the Nation have led in this place for millenia,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭he wastewater treatment plant is an absolute cornerstone of that commitment.sa国际传媒�

Osborne was the townsa国际传媒檚 mayor from 2013sa国际传媒�2020 and suggested sa国际传媒渢here are so many storiessa国际传媒� she could tell about the journey leading up to the now fully-functioning facility.

sa国际传媒淚 almost cansa国际传媒檛 believe that this day has arrived. We used to talk about this so much, what it would be like the day that we could proudly announce to the world that we are no longer putting raw wastewater into the beautiful waters of Clayoquot Sound,sa国际传媒� she said as loud applause interrupted her. sa国际传媒淵es. Hooray, hooray, hooray. How many years has it been?...Itsa国际传媒檚 a dream of this community and itsa国际传媒檚 an incredible amount of hard work that it takes to get to a day like today.sa国际传媒�

She expressed gratitude for the many people involved with putting the project together, including local taxpayers.

sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e all part of this and of course part of it too is money. Wesa国际传媒檝e had some difficult conversations as a community about what the cost would be and how that would impact our water and wastewater utility bills and how much debt we were willing to take on as a community to make sure that we were doing the right thing,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 think we made really good decisions and we had amazing support from both the provincial and federal governmentsa国际传媒�This is a real victory and a real accomplishment for this community.sa国际传媒�

She recalled that when she moved to Tofino 26 years ago, there was a shellfish closure near the townsa国际传媒檚 sewage outfall and that closure area grew rapidly through the years.

sa国际传媒淚 am so looking forward to the next few years to see that shellfish closure area grow smaller and smaller and smaller because we know that finally wesa国际传媒檙e doing the right thing. Wesa国际传媒檙e taking care of this breadbasket Clayoquot Sound that sustains us all and Isa国际传媒檓 just so proud of everything that wesa国际传媒檝e managed to do with this project,sa国际传媒� she said.

Tofinosa国际传媒檚 current mayor Dan Law thanked a longlist of contributors to the projectsa国际传媒檚 completion and spoke to the Nuu chah nulth principle that sa国际传媒榓ll things are one.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 so thankful that the Tla-o-qui-aht are willing to share some of their wisdom that they have learned from stewarding these lands for time immemorial,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲hen we care for the environment, we care for each other and we care for generations that will come long after we are gone. Thatsa国际传媒檚 a wonderful thing to share.sa国际传媒�

He acknowledged that the construction of the new facility had brought burdens to residents and businesses.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been really disruptive. Theresa国际传媒檚 been businesses that have had giant holes and construction equipment outside their business for a long time and it seems like theresa国际传媒檚 a lot that we all could complain about, and yet, honestly, Isa国际传媒檝e heard so little complaining,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 part of my job that people complain to me, so feel free, but the complaining that I do hear is always couched with a final clause, sa国际传媒榃ell, it will be over and we know that itsa国际传媒檚 for a good thing.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

He added that the new facilitysa国际传媒檚 construction is a sa国际传媒渇antasticsa国际传媒� triumph for the community, though the success will likely be forgotten as new issues arise.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 hard to explain how fantastic it is because we know that in a year everybodysa国际传媒檚 going to forget about it. The sewage is going to go out mysteriously as it always has. But, we know that what we are doing is amazing,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚t just goes to show to me what a resilient and visionary community that we have. That when we share a goal and we tackle even a most difficult challenge, we do it togethersa国际传媒�Yousa国际传媒檝e shown an amazing amount of support and patience.sa国际传媒�

He added that along with federal and provincial funding, the project was also buoyed by funds from the townsa国际传媒檚 tourism sector and fixed roof accommodation providers.

sa国际传媒�(They) have, through the (Municipal Regional District Tax) program, been contributing significant amounts, $400,000 a year, towards this capital project,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just one example of how our tourism sector and larger fixed roof accommodation providers are supporting our community and our environment.sa国际传媒�

He pointed to Courtenay-Alberni MP and former Tofino municipal councillor Gord Johns in the audience and touted his efforts to get federal dollars into the project.

sa国际传媒淎t a crucial time in this project where there was a potential that it would miss windows and have a really difficult time getting forward, Gord Johns stepped up,sa国际传媒� Law said. sa国际传媒淏ecause of Gordsa国际传媒檚 hard work, determination and his advocacy for this community and this project, it was able to get done in an essential window of time.sa国际传媒�

He noted Osborne also stepped up at a crucial time to find provincial funding.

sa国际传媒淛osie took this on personally, she worked behind the scenes incredibly hard,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 am honoured to say that we are so very well represented in Ottawa and Victoria. Without them, this project would have been much, much, much more difficult to get forward.sa国际传媒�

He expressed gratitude to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation for their support and advocacy.

sa国际传媒淚 look forward to working with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation more on major projects. Itsa国际传媒檚 been a joy,sa国际传媒� he said.

Johns spoke next and excitedly proclaimed it was sa国际传媒渁 great day.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚t is so great to be home in Tofino, Tla-o-qui-aht territory, with a big celebration today,sa国际传媒� he said.

Johns recalled being on the townsa国际传媒檚 municipal council in 2008 and talking about the project back then as he pointed to members of district staff who have been working on it since then as well as others who have contributed, including members of the Wastewater Management Committee.

sa国际传媒淵our passion to make sure that wesa国际传媒檙e doing whatsa国际传媒檚 right and our duty to protect the environment, to live up to the teachings and the values of Tla-o-qui-aht and their ancestors and the important role that we play,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭his is just an incredible achievementsa国际传媒�This is the largest investment, not just in the history of Tofino, but all of the history in Tofino put together from the federal government and itsa国际传媒檚 long overdue. We had decades where we couldnsa国际传媒檛 get money, we were just too far from Ottawa where they didnsa国际传媒檛 care and we put a lot of money in the coffers and the banks in Ottawa to help communities across this country have success, so itsa国际传媒檚 our turn on this project so that we can do the responsible thing.sa国际传媒�

He added protecting the oceans and ecosystem is a key priority of the West Coast and its residents and touted Lawsa国际传媒檚 efforts in securing funding from higher levels of government.

sa国际传媒淒an, I cansa国际传媒檛 say enough. There was a lot of silence at the end of a couple of those calls when you were calling me for the size of the money that you were asking for. You came to Ottawa, you pushed hard. You were relentless,sa国际传媒� Johns said. sa国际传媒淵ou got this across the finish line. Without your push and determination, it wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have happened.sa国际传媒�

Rodgers then introduced his boss and district CAO Nyla Attiana who heralded her staffsa国际传媒檚 efforts in getting the project completed.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 difficult to get emotional about wastewater, but I might because Isa国际传媒檓 going to be talking about my staff,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 extremely proud to be standing here today to celebrate this momentous occasion for our region; one that wesa国际传媒檝e been looking forward to for a very long time. This is an important day for many of my staff who have worked diligently and tirelessly on this project.sa国际传媒�

She added the new facility was sa国际传媒渄ecades in the makingsa国际传媒� and many people were integral to its fruition, giving a particular shoutout to North American Construction.

sa国际传媒淣AC, you have been a part of our community, not just working in our community throughout the duration of this project. You have gone above and beyond during emergencies resulting from extreme storms to help us address critical infrastructure challenges to restore services to our community. Those are times that we will forever be grateful for and have become meaningful memories of the project,sa国际传媒� she said.

She reiterated that her staff were exemplary throughout the process.

sa国际传媒淚 have the honour of leading a team of employees that I would describe as hardworking problem solvers, innovators and individuals of extremely high integrity,sa国际传媒� she said, thanking her predecessor, former CAO Bob MacPherson, as well as the townsa国际传媒檚 council for providing the resources necessary for an effective team to grow.

sa国际传媒淥ur success as a local government translates into success for our community. Today is about celebrating this success together,sa国际传媒� she said.

Attiana said the project felt sa国际传媒漵a国际传媒榠nsurmountablesa国际传媒� when it began, but was led through rough waters by project manager Simon Kirkland.

sa国际传媒淪imon has the ability to put a comprehensible box around a very complex project. This is an invaluable skill in a project manager,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淪imon, yousa国际传媒檝e been an exemplary leader on this project. Thank you for looking out for the districtsa国际传媒檚 interests, for the patience in bringing us all along and for your consistent communication throughout the project. You made it look effortless, but I know you will be needing a vacation very, very soon.sa国际传媒�

Kirkland was the eventsa国际传媒檚 final speaker and thanked his project team and the audience for arriving to celebrate the success.

sa国际传媒淎s this plant becomes operational, it officially ends the decades long practice of discharging untreated raw sewage into the Pacific Ocean,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淚n doing so, as all the other speakers have said, wesa国际传媒檙e taking a massive, critical step forward in protecting the unique ecosystems that surround us, helping to set an example and show other communities that are in the same boat here in Canada that it is possible.sa国际传媒�