Politics

Strathcona Gardens – How Many Dollars Count as a Meaningful Voice?

Originally published in the Bird’s Eye

Two communities, both alike in ocean views, in fair Strathcona where we lay our scene. From ancient boundary disputes to new taxation, where civic math… wait a second, this doesn’t add up. 

I’ve been debating whether to include this story since April 29. Is it relevant? Is it journalism? Is it just my own feelings getting tangled up in local politics? Or is it representation for the people that were there? Heart and ego occasionally arrive wearing the same outfit. You know I’m telling the story.

April 29, 2026 12:27 p.m. – Your Editor arrives at the SRD building. Air cast, cane, very little sleep, and even less snacks. Outside, an impressive number of Quadra folks and friends gathered with their handmade signs, chants at the ready.

Then the front doors swing open. “Is there any media here?” a staffer shouts out.

Startled, I raised my hand. “It’s me. I’m the media.”

She ushers me inside, and somehow word spreads through the lobby before I’m even fully through the doors. The room erupts. Not polite applause either. A full Quadra hoot and holler. The kind that rattles windows and probably violates at least one noise bylaw.

I’m no stranger to entering a room that’s hollering, but it took me a few seconds to realize they were cheering for me. For the person there to witness and record what was about to unfold. For the writer who has spent months untangling procedural knots, translating legislation into Quadr-ease, and asking increasingly annoying questions into the void. Had I stayed in that lobby another ten seconds, there would have been tears.

Instead, onward I went through the raucous crowd. Straight from the roar of Quadra into a boardroom so silent it felt vacuum sealed. Confused faces turned toward the commotion as I hobbled in behind the staffer like I’d chosen door number three and the goat was driving the car.

Reader, I mean this sincerely: I briefly felt like a civic princess. Things I learned in rapid succession are that there are media chairs, one had been magically saved for me, and the people on the other side of the red velvet rope separating us did not seem to find my grand entrance nearly as fun as I had. Two out of three ain’t bad.

In the days afterward, I kept thinking about that cheer. It became a strange kind of emotional safety blanket. A reminder to keep researching. Keep writing. Keep pushing. Keep asking the questions people actually want answered.

So if you were one of the folks hollering in that lobby: thank you. It’s an honour to represent something that elicits such a response. You nearly took your Editor out emotionally before the meeting even started.

Now then. On to the non-Melissa’d version of the events surrounding what was referred to as a tax grab until offense was taken, words were retracted, and “forcing Quadra to pay for something” remained…  

On April 29, after more than three hours of other agenda items, the SRD board voted 7-6 to give Bylaw No. 643 all three readings. This is the amendment bylaw that would formally add Quadra Island to the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre service area — meaning Quadra residents would begin contributing taxes toward the facility.

The board selected Option C for how costs would be split: Campbell River pays based on 100% of property assessments, Electoral Area D at 90%, and Quadra at 80%. What does that actually mean for your wallet? The SRD calculates it at $62.75 per $100,000 of your home’s assessed value. A home assessed at $500,000 would mean roughly $314 per year. A $1,000,000 home would mean $628. Every year. The SRD’s own documents use an “average” Quadra residence to arrive at $446 — but on an island where property values vary enormously, your number will be your number.

If the bylaw is ultimately approved, the community vote — called assent voting, which is simply BC’s formal term for a referendum on a local government decision — is planned to happen alongside the October 2026 municipal elections. The SRD’s current plan is for Quadra, Campbell River, and Electoral Area D to all vote together in one combined pool. Campbell River and Area D together represent a population of over 40,000. Quadra’s is approximately 2,500. 

The board selected an option that affects cost contributions for all three areas — Campbell River and Area D would both see reductions as Quadra’s contribution offsets their share, while Quadra would take on an entirely new tax line. Under BC legislation, any amendment affecting all participating areas triggers a vote across all of them. There is no requirement that an area’s costs must increase to trigger that vote. In researching this article, the Bird’s Eye was unable to find a single precedent of a BC regional district area voting against a reduction to their taxes.  

When Director Mawhinney argued this would dilute Quadra’s voice by a ratio of 20 to 1, effectively removing the chance for a “meaningful voice.” SRD Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) David Leitch replied: “I’m not going to debate what a meaningful voice is, but when you’re amending a bylaw that has an effect on all three areas, it stands to reason that all three areas have a vote on it.”

The gallery — packed with Quadra residents who had waited through more than three hours of other business — grew restless as the afternoon wore on. Requests to move the Strathcona Gardens item earlier in the agenda were refused. When one resident spoke out during debate, Chair Baker warned that any further disruptions would result in clearance through the RCMP. One attendee responded: “It’s going to be a long meeting — because I’ll tell you now, after she is escorted out, there’ll be another one of us that will do the same thing.” Another called out: “Mark my words, that is not equitable. You’re not representing your citizens.”

At 3:36pm the Chair called a recess. When the meeting reconvened at 3:52pm, five of the six directors who had been voting against the measure were absent from chambers. Discussion continued without them. They returned before the final votes were called.

Director Mawhinney moved an amendment to have each area vote separately — giving Quadra its own count, with its own result. It was defeated 7-4. Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch, who voted against the bylaw, put it plainly: “Aren’t we a governing body that makes decisions based on information?” Of the 626 Quadra residents who responded to Director Mawhinney’s survey, 87% said they never or rarely use the facility. 

I feel like this shouldn’t have to be said, but if Strathcona Gardens is a place your family loves and you’re genuinely excited about what’s being built there — that’s not a bad thing and no one should try to guilt you for that. The conversation happening isn’t about boycotting. It’s the fact that islanders deserve a fair, transparent process and the same level of say that Campbell River and Area D had in the decade of planning and financial decisions that created this obligation — which is, for all intents and purposes, permanent.

Bylaw 643 has now passed three readings and is likely to land on the Inspector’s desk any day now. We have officially entered the next phase. The Inspector examines whether the appropriate consents and approvals were obtained in accordance with BC legislation — and the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs has the authority to order that Quadra votes separately from Campbell River and Area D. Both fall under the same ministry. If you have concerns about the consultation, the fairness, or the legal questions that have been raised, this is the window to say so directly to the people with the power to act on it.

In response to detailed questions about the Inspector review process and the Minister’s authority over the assent vote, a Ministry spokesperson confirmed on May 1 that they could not get ahead of the process with local governments, that the Inspector is being given time to review recent events, and that the Ministry may have more to say in the coming weeks and months.

What Does a Family Pool Day from Quadra Actually Cost?

For many families, “going to the pool” can mean tossing towels in the car and heading across town for a few hours. 

For Quadra residents, it’s often an entirely different logistical and financial equation.

Let’s break down a fairly typical Saturday outing for a family of four (two adults, two children) travelling from Heriot Bay to Strathcona Gardens: 

Ferry Costs Using current Experience Card discounted fares for one vehicle and four passengers round-trip: Estimated total: ~$30–38 Without an Experience Card, the cost would be higher.

Pool Admission Current Strathcona Gardens family swim admission: $15

Food Fast Food Option: ~$40–60 Sit-Down Restaurant Option: ~$80–130+

Fuel Costs At approximately $2/L: ~$12–20

Estimated Total Cost Budget-Conscious Day Trip: ~$97–133 More Typical Full Family Outing: ~$140–203+

Not included: extra snacks, ferry lineup unpredictability, summer sailing congestion, parking, or incidental spending.

Time Commitment Drive to ferry: 12 min | Ferry wait: 5–60+ min | Crossing: ~10 min | Drive to pool: 5 min | Pool time: 1.5–3 hrs | Meal: 45–90 min | Return trip: ~45 min+

A family pool outing from Quadra can easily become a 4–7+ hour commitment and a $100–200+ day. 

Now, let’s remain reasonable, we all have tasks that must be done in town, and we love to do as many as possible in one trip. Not every trip will be focused entirely on using these facilities. But the simple fact that if going to the pool/rink is on your list, this is a pretty average scenario, and that is important math. 

Since launching two weeks ago, the Bird’s Eye letter generator has been used more than 500 times — and it’s just been updated at thebirdseye.ca/strathcona-gardens with an option to indicate if this is your second submission and why the increased urgency. If you’ve already written, please write again. This is exactly the moment those letters were made for.

Quadra, you already know how to make noise. Now let’s keep making sure the right people hear it.

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