Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The federal Liberals are sending mixed messages about their climate commitments after a recent combination of harsh words and generous gifts for the oil and gas industry.
Continue reading Mixed messages: Carney Liberals pledge money for LNG while bridling against industry demands
The energy team of Ecotrust Canada will be visiting Quadra and Cortes Islands next week. They are part of a registered charity which works primarily in rural and remote areas and helps guide people through the process of doing energy retrofits, installing heat pumps, new windows and solar panels. They will be giving free workshops at 2:00 and 6:30 in the Quadra Community Centre on Monday, February 17 and at the same times in Mansons Hall on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
“The upcoming workshops are to introduce residents to our Home Energy Savings Program. We’re offering a one on one support service, often called a concierge service. So once you register for our program, you’ll get an email from me asking very basic information about your home, like the age of your home, the heating system you have etc. After that, you will receive a phone call from me and we’ll go through more questions about your home. You explain what your desires are, what challenges you’re experiencing around your energy bill, and then I can help guide you toward the right rebates and the right renovations, or retrofits, so that you can achieve that goal,” explained Michael Anthony Lutfy, the program manager for our area.
Continue reading Coming Feb 17&18: Free Ecotrust Canada Workshops On Energy Retrofits
Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Trump’s tariff threat provides convenient cover to accelerate the expansion of fossil fuels and raises alarm bells about First Nations rights tied to mining, say critics.
The B.C. government announced it is fast-tracking an “initial” mix of 18 energy, mining and fossil fuel projects, valued at $20 billion, that have business cases still needing government permits or approval.
It’s a bid to diversify trade markets so B.C. is never again exposed “to the whims of one person in the White House,” Premier David Eby said this week.
Continue reading Trump tariff threat a Trojan horse for B.C.’s fossil fuelsClose to 50 people turned up at Mansons Hall on January 24, for an update on the construction coming or already underway in the downtown Mansons area. The Cortes Housing Society, Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA), Cortes Island Community Foundation and Cortes Island Pickleball Society were on hand to describe what’s taking place at Rainbow Ridge, the multipurpose courts and the Village Commons.
Regional Director Mark Vonesch exclaimed, “The big news here on Cortes is that the Housing Society is going to start building houses this year.”
Sandra Wood, who’s been at the heart of the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project from the beginning, added, “It’s exciting to finally get shovels in the ground. We feel like we’ve been shovel ready for years.”
Manda Aufochs Gillespie, from the Cortes Island Foundation, described another focus of the meeting “More and more, it’s clear that the Village Commons is really this whole area and all the things that we gather in the heart of Mansons to do.”
Continue reading Construction coming to the (Many) Common Areas of Mansons Landing
Another wind project is under consideration in our region. A Quebec based renewable energy company hopes to build a 200 megawatt (MW) wind farm 4 kilometres south of Sayward. Boralex has applied to the BC government for an investigative license to build the proposed Sitka Wind Project on crown land.
Continue reading Proposed Wind Project for Sayward
