First, the thought of waiting for Provincial monies has never even occurred to me, I know that is not going to happen, at least not in the foreseeable future.

As to capital fundraising, we here in Nanaimo, are completely handcuffed by the SPCA Head Office. I had an opportunity, At a sponsored luncheon here in Nanaimo this last Wednesday, to speak to Simon Trevelyan, PROVINCIAL MANAGER, PLANNED GIVING at Head Office.
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He explained to me, that HO. does not allow us to start any capital fundraising campaign ( this I have known all along ), until we can prove that Nanaimo will support the new shelter. HO will then order a professional feasibility study, (more money wasted ) and then have a professional firm launch a capital fundraising campaign at a cost of approximately $150 000 . (If this does not make me spit nails, I don't know what would.)

This kind of planning, I realize, would be required if we were to start in a completely new area where there had never been an SPCA.

However, here we are certain that the people of Nanaimo & District, and most likely of the whole Island, would stand behind us, once they are given to realize the kind of functional, beautiful, and state-of-the-art shelter we would provide, not only for the city, but a shelter, which would also be of use to the whole of Vancouver Island.

And not only this, also, after a very conservative estimate, I am convinced that the new shelter alone will generate sufficient funds to cover the operating costs of the building itself.

I explained all this to Simon Trevelyan, but to no avail.

As far as the Board member sitting on our CAC is concerned, there is no help at all, as this member is solidly behind the BC SPCA Board and CEO.