All posts by Guest Post

Housing

Burnaby: Higher fines may be coming for short-term rentals

Editor’s note: An increasing number of communities are enacting regulations around short term rentals. Cortes Island has a 3% tax on short term rentals. Some residents need the revenue that STRs provide in order to survive, but 63% of the respondents to the Cortes Island Housing Survey said people should only operate short term rentals on land that includes their primary residence (I.E. – no off island owners). 21% voted against this.

Lubna El Elaimy, Burnaby Beacon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

During the special committee of council’s meeting on Dec. 6, committee members voted to send a letter to the attorney general and minister of municipal affairs to increase the maximum daily penalties under the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act (LGBNEA) for owners of short-term rental (STR) accommodations. 

Continue reading Burnaby: Higher fines may be coming for short-term rentals →
Indigenous Nations, Transportation

First Nations Climate Initiative signs green shipping corridor agreement

Editor’s note: another sign that communities are beginning to take climate change more seriously.

By Seth Forward, Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

More than 11,000 kilometres away from Northwest B.C., the West Green Shipping Corridor agreement was signed on Dec. 6 by the First Nations Climate Initiative (FNCI), a group comprising Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla, Nisga’a and Haisla. 

The North Coast group attended the COP 28 (Conference of the Parties) conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Other signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) included Canada and the Port of Prince Rupert, along with ports in the UAE, South Korea and Japan. The FNCI says it would like to see the Port of Prince Rupert become a pioneer in decarbonizing its operations. 

Continue reading First Nations Climate Initiative signs green shipping corridor agreement →
Transportation

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River on strike

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River went on strike Friday morning citing wages as the key reason for the job action.

While this shuts down public transportation for tens of thousands of people, the union and employer agreed to keep operating the HandyDART buses for people with disabilities.

Continue reading Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River on strike →
Housing, Water

Sechelt Council backs water conservation for new development

Editors note: In response to recurring water issues, a 36 unit development to the south of our broadcast area adopts conservation measures.

By Jordan Copp, Coast Reporter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Sechelt council adopted the rezoning of Lot 5 Tower Road (Silver Valley Homes) and endorsed water conservation measures, to be built into the development permit stage at its Dec 6 meeting.

The development proposes 36 units of a mix of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes with variation from studios to three-bedroom units. 

Recognizing that committing to new developments means committing the Coast’s increasingly scarce water reserves, the conservation measures will be added to the development permit conditions, and would be secured by a covenant when the development permit is approved, Ian Holl, development planning manager explained.

Continue reading Sechelt Council backs water conservation for new development →
Environment

New funding expands Project Watershed’s vision for coastal restoration

Editor’s note: The subject of marine restoration is of importance and Cortes Currents has FM listeners in the area between Oyster Bay and Fanny Bay.

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Recent funding boosts will allow the Comox Valley Project Watershed Society to implement an expanded vision for the restoration of marine habitats from Oyster Bay to Fanny Bay.

Project Watershed will receive $1.5 million through the Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund. The funding will be given out over the next four years and will support the restoration and enhancement of local marine systems. The group will work to restore tidal marshes, eelgrass beds, kelp forests and critical salmon habitat.

Alongside this, Project Watershed will be receiving some funding from BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (SRIF), which is set to be announced later this week.

Continue reading New funding expands Project Watershed’s vision for coastal restoration →