Tag Archives: Gov of BC

Food Security

The Cortes Food Bank at a Critical Crossroad

The Cortes Island Food Bank has met the rapidly expanding need for its services, but says it is time the local, provincial and federal governments stepped up to the plate. Only 110 food hampers were given out in 2022, but since August they have seen at least a threefold increase of demand every month. There were 86 clients in January and 70 in February. Prior to this, the highs for both months was 12. 

“We really knew that the numbers that we were seeing in previous years were not reflecting the level of poverty that exists here.  So we were doing some strategic things to try to increase people’s awareness of the food bank. That was a major reason  why our numbers went up so significantly.  People felt that they could come to us.  They knew it was a safe place to come for support. I think our clients are already dealing with so many challenges in their lives. I encourage anybody listening, if you  could use some help,  just come to us and we’ll get you some food,” explained Beatrix Baxter, one of the Food Bank’s Directors.  

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Fire

Province takes action earlier than ever for what could be a difficult wildfire season

Editor’s note: While there have been small fires on Quadra, Sonora and Read Islands in recent years, there have not been any significant wildfires in our area for decades. More than 330 acres went up in smoke during the Gorge Harbour Fire of 1932, but there has not been any Cortes Island fires more than 25 acres in extent since at least 1950. Half of Quadra Island was consumed in that island’s 1925 fire. Environmental scientist Ruth Waldick believes the great clearcuts in the Interior of BC made it possible for megafires to consume that area and they will not occur in the islands. Others fear that as droughts become more frequent and severe, our area may once again experience a megafire.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The province is preparing, earlier than ever, for what could be a challenging wildfire season with above-average fall and winter temperatures predicted to continue, leading to persistent drought and a lack of snowpack accumulation.

“It is no secret that we did not accumulate the snowpack that we were hoping for in main parts of the province,” said Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “While we all hope to get more rain in the months ahead, we are taking action now to prepare for what could be a very challenging season.”

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Forests

The Quadra Project – The Log Exporting Business

In response to Quadra Islanders’ concerns about the amount of our Island’s logs that are exported internationally rather than being processed in British Columbia, Mosaic sent an explanatory website link (https://www.mosaicforests.com/about-our-business#servinglocal). This link attempts to justify the exports, but it also reveals the wider social and economic strategy that guides Mosaic’s behaviour and its logging practices on both Quadra and elsewhere. It makes informative reading.

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Health

Medical detox coming to Campbell River

Greater Campbell River has one of highest rates of drug related deaths in BC.

The first community-based medical detox north of Nanaimo will be opening in Campbell River this Fall. Island Health secured a location at 731 Nicholas Road near the North Island Hospital – Campbell River campus. 

“This is a really exciting addition to Campbell River.  When people living with addiction reach out and make that brave choice of getting the services that they need, we’d need to be able to meet them where they are and with the services that they need right away. This is a new six bed medical detox that the community has been asking  for,” explained  Michele Babchuk, MLA for North Island and a resident of Campbell River. 

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Housing

Community Meeting for Cortes Zoning Bylaw Update

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Around 60 people turned out for the Strathcona Regional District’s (SRD) zoning bylaw meeting in Mansons Hall at 1 PM on Wednesday, March 6. 

The meeting went very differently from how the SRD planned it. There was to have been a short presentation, after which participants were to have gathered around two maps and put sticky dots on the properties where the bylaws should be changed to allow for greater densification. Instead, this was a community conversation.

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