From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
May Day was such fun! Lovely weather, parading moon beams, star goddesses and black holes, May Pole ribbon dances, picnic lunches and races… huge gratitude to the many hands who shaped and created this community building event! This report focuses on our Area C Official Community Plan, what’s next in that process, and a Strathcona Gardens Service update.
Official Community Plan process
The series of OCP meetings this spring has been informative, with Islanders sharing their visions and concerns on many different topics. We’ve discussed settlement areas & housing; agriculture & aquaculture; tourism, home occupations, & economic development; water & waste; and more. SRD Planners have been listening carefully and taking many notes at the in-person OCP meetings on Quadra, Read, & Sonora Islands.
SRD staff are compiling all the community contributions into ‘What We Heard’ reports which are available to read at srd.ca/area-c-ocp. If you have thoughts or input on OCP topics, you’re welcome to send them by email to [email protected] or call 250-830-6718 to reach the Planning department.
Upcoming OCP discussions
There are three further in-person OCP community discussion scheduled, one on Quadra and two at Surge Narrows.
Upcoming at the Quadra Island Community Centre at 6pm:
June 24 — Silviculture, Energy, Natural Resources, Industrial Areas
Upcoming at the Surge Narrows Bunk House at 1:00 pm:
June 3 — Transportation, Wharves & Moorage, Trails & Parks
July 8 –- Silviculture & Forestry
Owen Bay
Recently SRD staff and I were invited to Owen Bay on Sonora Island for an OCP discussion and walking tour. It was valuable to learn about the challenges and opportunities from folks living off-grid in this ocean-accessible-only, connected community. Huge thanks to Owen Bay community members for the tour and the delicious lunch.
Representatives of other remote Area C communities are invited to connect with myself or [email protected] to discuss a potential community OCP meeting if it may be of interest.
ICSP a guiding OCP document
In 2023 the Area C Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) was adopted by the SRD Board. The ICSP established a long-term vision and goals for Area C and it guides the development of the Official Community Plan.
The ICSP’s vision is Area C is a beautiful coastal area of high ecological diversity and unique communities working to protect the natural environment, mitigate climate change, maintain their rural character and community vitality, and meet diverse community needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Next OCP steps
SRD Planning staff are using the community input they’ve gathered at community discussions and meetings with community groups to craft draft policies and objectives. These drafts will be shared with our communities (likely fall 2026) along with maps for further community input; as well, an OCP workbook will be mailed to all remote residents.
Following this engagement further revisions will be made before the updated draft is formally referred to First Nations and government agencies. Then a draft will be presented to the Board for first and second readings, following which a formal Public Hearing will happen before the Board considers final adoption, likely in 2027.
Strathcona Gardens Service update
Since the April 29 Board meeting, I’ve had an opportunity to meet with the Inspector of Municipalities and provincial Municipal Affairs staff to discuss the very real concerns of Quadra Island residents being taxed for the Strathcona Gardens service and associated debt they had no voice in approving.
The Inspector of Municipalities informed me that they are looking closely at Bylaw 643 and that the volume of concerned correspondence they’ve received has played a part in this. Municipal Affairs staff mentioned that they have read the hundreds of letters from Quadra residents and will reply once they have more information, as they want to send appropriate responses. There was no timeline shared as to when their decision would be finalized.
Connect
You’re welcome to connect with me with questions or concerns: email [email protected], or call 250.203.2468. Visit RobynMawhinney.ca for links to helpful community resources and ‘back issues’ of Director Reports. Visit srd.ca/government/agendas-minutes to keep up to date on SRD governance happenings.
Until next time,
Respectfully,
Robyn Mawhinney
Social sharing :)Previous reports & online resources
Images in this report are from my recent visit to Owen Bay, Sonora Island for a walking tour and OCP meeting. The recently completed new wharf; Sonora Island honey for sale — behind a secure electric fence to keep it safe from bears; the ‘Owen Bay Blockbuster’, lending dvds & more; tidal island in Owen Bay; rainbow honeybee homes as we gathered for lunch in a beautiful garden.