From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
This report includes news of the SRD investigating land for housing in Heriot Bay and other decisions of interest made at the January meeting of the SRD Board. Let’s jump in.
All posts by News Release
Area B Directors Report: grant in aid, incorporation, taxes, ferries, Vice Chair, & zoning bylaw
By Regional Director Mark Vonesch
I hope this finds you well and excited for 2026. There is so much happening in Cortes local government and I want to give you an update on some of the issues I’ve been working on.
Continue reading Area B Directors Report: grant in aid, incorporation, taxes, ferries, Vice Chair, & zoning bylaw
Area C Director’s Report: OCP next steps + healthcare advocacy
From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
A warm hello this frosty January.
I trust you are rejuvenated after the festive break and energized for a wonderful 2026 (I am). This report brings news about the next steps in our Official Community Plan process (there are upcoming meetings on Quadra & Read Islands) and healthcare advocacy.
Continue reading Area C Director’s Report: OCP next steps + healthcare advocacy
Mark Carney: ‘Principled and pragmatic, Canada’s path forward’ (Full Text)
republished from the Prime Minister of Canada website
Full text of the speech Prime Minister Mark Carney gave at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, in Davos Switzerland, On January 20, 2026.
Thank you, Larry.
It’s a pleasure – and a duty – to be with you tonight in this pivotal moment that Canada and the world are going through.
Tonight, I’ll talk about a rupture in the world order, the end of a pleasant fiction, and the beginning of a harsh reality where geopolitics – where the large, main power – is submitted to no limits, no constraints.
Continue reading Mark Carney: ‘Principled and pragmatic, Canada’s path forward’ (Full Text)
Area B Director’s Report: Should we explore the idea of incorporation?
By Regional Director Mark Vonesch
Currently all of Cortes Island’s local government services and decision making comes from the Strathcona Regional District (SRD). As your Regional Director, I share the decision making for most of our services with thirteen other Directors on the SRD Board.
Local government decisions impacting Cortes Island are currently decided by people who do not live on our island and a lot of you have approached me with the idea of having more local governance control.
In September I asked the SRD Board to support a motion to have staff create a report on the process for communities wanting to consider incorporation. That report can be found here:
https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDBoard/Open/BRD/22-Oct-25/20251009-Community-Incorporation-Overview.pdf