Politics

Cortes Island Grant-In-Aid Projects Approved

$28,500 does not go far when there are 13 applicants. The applications for Cortes Island’s Grant-in-Aid budget were more than twice that amount this year. When he presented a list of recommendations to the SRD Board, Regional Director Mark Vonesch also handed in a report that listed all of the projects that did not make the final list. 

A committee of Cortes residents volunteered their time for the difficult task of choosing which which projects to recommend.

Among the rejected projects were: 

  • $5,000 for a Woman’s Festival to be put on by the Cortes Island Women’s Resource Centre, 
  • $5,000 to complete the Natural Burial Project for the Death Caring Collective 
  • $3,000 for a Living Dragon Sculpture at the Cortes Island School. 

So was $5,000 for the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) to set up a ride sharing and ride hailing program on Cortes Island. 

Kate Maddigan, the Economic Development Officer for CCEDA, emailed, “The Grant-in-Aid jury approved only 30% of funding toward environment projects, and rejected CCEDA’s, which was the only climate-related proposal submitted.  Apparently CCEDA’s application scored low on the question ‘Are you excited about this application?’  My reaction: what’s not to like?   CCEDA’s project ‘Ride-Hailing & Ride-Sharing Development on Cortes Island’ would have offered better passenger transportation options on Cortes, meeting 2 out of 4 recommendations of the recent Cortes Passenger Transportation Study (which cost $23,000 to complete, informed by lots of public engagement).  Not only climate-related, the project hit many additional community wellness points, including health and wellness, youth, seniors, reducing social isolation, access to food and medical appointments, addresses poverty and helps the local visitor economy.” 

A list of applications – courtesy SRD staff report

The list of recommended projects that Director Vonesch brought to the Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) consisted of: 

  • $6,000 to the Friends of Cortes Island to assist with the Dillon Creek Wetland Enhancement Program. 
  • $5,000 to the Cortes Radio Society to assist with the Cortes Island Resonance Project.
  • $3,000, Linnaea Farm Society to assist with the Environment Art for Children program. 
  • $4,500 to the Cortes Community Health Association to assist with after school youth programming;
  • $4,000 to the Cortes Island School Parent Advisory Council to assist with the accessible hot lunch program;
  • $2,500 to the Cortes Museum and Archives Society to assist with “From the Ground Up” exhibition; and
  • $3,500 to the Cortes Island Academy Society to assist with the Folk U/Cortes Literacy programming.

Some of the SRD Board had questions. 

Regional Director Gerald Whalley remembered Linnaea Farm being found ineligible for a previous grant. 

Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch replied, “They weren’t eligible for a gas tax grant, I think a heat pump application.” 

(Which is something totally separate from Grants-in-Aid.) 

However Leitch had reservations about the idea of  providing funding to the Cortes Island School’s Parent Advisory Council for a hot lunch program.

Director Vonesch replied, “The provincial government doesn’t provide accessible hot lunch program. It’s been identified as a need that would help some Cortes students improve their education.”  

When the Board finally voted, all of the recommended projects were unanimously approved.

Top image credit: Hanks Beach – courtesy SRD website

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