In April 2016, the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit (VIMC) opened their doors, and residents began experiencing intrusive levels of noise. The sounds of squealing tires and high-performance vehicles rapidly changing gears as they negotiated the twists and turns of the track were intolerable (to hear recordings of racetrack noise from area residents, please visit our YouTube channel).

 

When people initially complained to the Municipality of North Cowichan (MNC), they were told that VIMC was not subject to any municipal noise bylaws and that nothing could be done about the situation. In response, neighbours came together to form the Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association.

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As we began to investigate the process whereby a racetrack was approved without any public consultation, we discovered that this story was about much more than just noise. We uncovered irregularities in the sale and development of this property involving zoning regulations and potential conflicts of interest. These findings were published in a report, "Approved as a Permitted Use", which was presented to the North Cowichan Committee of the Whole on March 23, 2017 (to download a copy of this report, please click here). 

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VIMC has submitted an application for rezoning that would expand the racetrack to almost triple its current footprint. The expansion will require an amendment to the Official Community Plan and one or more public hearings. Please click here to learn more about this important issue.

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We have prepared a MYTH/FACT sheet that answers common questions about our issues with the track.