Following the October 15 Municipal Elections, CREST welcomed the following new Directors:

• Don Brown (View Royal)
• Chris Graham (Central Saanich)
• Sharie Epp (Metchosin)
• Irene McConkey  (North Saanich)
• Kimberley Guiry  (Langford)
• Heather Edward (BC Ambulance)
• Matt Dell (Victoria) 

CREST wishes to acknowledge the following Directors who are no longer with CREST. Their dedication to public safety services in the Capital Region is greatly appreciated.

• Lillian Szpak (Langford), 18 years of service
• Kyara Kahakauwila (Metchosin), 12 years of service
• David Screech (View Royal)
• Murray Weisenberger (North Saanich)
• Sharmarke Dubow (Victoria)
• Niall Paltier (Central Saanich)

Board Chair Tim Morrison (Esquimalt) and Vice Chair Karel Roessingh (Highlands) were re-elected to their current positions on the Board in November.

See full Board of Directors

Rogers Communications (Rogers) is extending their cellular network to the Pacific Rim along Highway 14 between Sooke and Port Renfrew, and the CREST network is joining them. CREST has entered into a co-location agreement with Rogers to place CREST equipment on a number of new towers. 

This means enhanced first responder network coverage along this well-travelled corridor from Shirley to Port Renfrew, good news for Port Renfrew Fire, RCMP and BC Ambulance.

“I want to commend CREST on the system working without interruption in the Juan de Fuca (JdF) Electoral Area during the last storm, when there were extended power outages throughout the region. The CREST system was fully operational. We had no idea there were issues.”

Director Grant, Juan de Fuca (JdF) Electoral Area

The JdF Electoral Area encompasses the southwest coast of Vancouver Island from the community of East Sooke to Port Renfrew.

As the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Director, Mike Hicks spearheaded support to bring CREST’s P25 digital network to the Pacific Rim, a rugged rural area that presented challenges for emergency response communications. 

Mike was hugely supportive and a public champion of CREST. We wish him well in his retirement.

The new CREST digital network will soon stretch from Otter Point to Port Renfrew making life safer for the public, for emergency responders and for visitors to this popular recreation corridor.  Thank you, Mike from all of us at CREST.

By the end of 2022, several dozen security officers of the Legislative Assembly will be part of the CREST public safety network that supports and connects all emergency organizations in the Capital Region. 

CREST network’s digital technology, interoperability and enhanced audio features, and encryption capabilities will strengthen performance and safety in the legislative precinct of the provincial capital.

Photograph used with permission from Destination Greater Victoria.