Politics

Area C Director’s Report: financial plan adopted + more

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Hello,
Tendrils of spring are visible in our lengthening days and the songbird choir is beginning to assemble… I’m grateful winter is in the rearview mirror. This report shares news from the February Board meeting where the 2026-2029 Financial Plan was finalized, another sure sign spring is around the corner!

Financial Plan Adapted

The 2026 Financial Plan has been adopted by the Board and despite inflationary pressures, the Plan balances affordability with sustainable service delivery. The SRD tax impact to the average home in Area C (Quadra, Discovery Islands & Mainland Inlets) is a decrease of $1.
The average residential assessment change across the Strathcona region was 2.4%. In Area C the average residential property value increased by 1.9%: the average residential property value in Area C is $667,627 for 2026.

Regional district finances are organized into individual Services, often described as ‘silos’. Each service has its own budget, funded by the areas that have chosen to participate, and every service has its own revenues and expenses, ensuring transparency among participating jurisdictions. The 2026 Financial Plan can be viewed at srd.ca/financial-planning. It shares a lot of interesting statistical information, revenue & expenses for each service, along with service details and goals for 2026.

Workforce Housing

One of the regional initiatives in the Financial Plan is the Workforce Housing project, which has already broken ground and is anticipated to be completed in 2026. Workforce Housing, which is being built on the Campbell River Hospital campus, is the first project to be funded through the Regional Housing Service. It will offer 20 workforce housing rental suites and is intended to help attract and retain healthcare professionals, something which has been challenging in a region with a critical housing shortage. A project construction milestone was recently reached, learn more here

Area C Parks

Closer to home, there are 17 community parks in Electoral Area C, and the Area C Parks Service has set a solid list of goals for 2026. These goals as set out in the Financial Plan include:

  • completing refurbishment of the Surge Narrows and Owen Bay wharves (federally funded as part of the divestment process);
  • commencing construction on the Surge Narrows Marine Revitalization Project (funded through a federal grant and Canada Community Building fund);
  • completion of the Granite Bay Shoreline Restoration project & continued refurbishment of the Granite Bay wharf (wharf works are grant funded);
  • completion of Blenkin Park playground equipment replacement (grant funded);
  • continued planning and development of beach access sites, and
  • planning and design work for active transportation projects.

Check out the Financial Plan at the link above for details on all the services of the SRD and Area C.

Marine Debris Response

There are many folks in Area C who dedicate time to cleaning beaches and marine debris who may be particularly interested in this. Recently the Board received correspondence from Greenways Land Trust exposing gaps in senior government policy and funding mechanisms for marine debris emergencies and highlighting two recent industrial tire events at Shelter Bay and Stories Creek as examples.

In support of the Trust’s request, the Board supported the motion I put forward and resolved to write to the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Water, Land & Resource Stewardship, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Transport Canada requesting clarity on jurisdictional responsibility for non-hydrocarbon debris removal in the intertidal zone and affirming the Board’s support for the Clean Coasts Act. While answers may be a long time coming and point in different directions, I’m pleased the Board was willing to move this forward and seek support from other coastal regional districts for a joint resolution at UBCM.

Connect


Thanks for reading! You’re welcome to connect with me with questions or concerns: email RMawhinney@srd.ca, or call 250.203.2468. Visit srd.ca/government/agendas-minutes to keep up to date on SRD governance happenings. Visit RobynMawhinney.ca for links to helpful community resources and ‘back issues’ of Director Reports.

Until next time,
Respectfully,
Robyn Mawhinney

Images in this Report are from a recent adventure to Cortes Island (aka Area B). The manzanita was in bloom, the flourishing arbutus once again captured my heart, and Mansons Landing Provincial Park is a true jewel.