Tag Archives: Bernie Amell

Water

Small island community launches big effort to develop water security

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Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As a landscape architect specializing in wetland restoration, Bernie Amell knows how water moves across the landscape. 

However, he has had a crash course in drought after Amell and his wife moved to their Quadra Island agricultural acreage on B.C.’s so-called “Wet Coast” three years ago. 

“We arrived in 2021, in the ‘heat dome’ summer, and the shallow well dried up,” said Amell, a member of Quadra Island’s Climate Action Network (I-CAN).

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Politics

Elizabeth May comes to Campbell River: Why Greens matter

Green Party leader Elizabeth May flew in from Ottawa on Saturday, May 6. She was the feature speaker at the North Island – Powell River Electoral District Association (EDA) AGM at the Maritime Heritage Centre in Campbell River. Around 60 people from Campbell River, Comox, Powell River, Port McNeil, Quadra Island and Cortes Island were in attendance.  

This is an edited transcript of her speech, and a couple of excerpts from the subsequent remarks made by local Green Party candidate Jessica Wegg.

Continue reading Elizabeth May comes to Campbell River: Why Greens matter →
Water

Harvesting Rainwater on Cortes and Quadra Islands 

There have been many droughts in Vancouver Island’s history. A University of Victoria study of tree ring data found that some were worse than anything in modern records, but also predicted a mega-drought is coming. This year’s wet Spring may make a difference, but there have been reports of wells running dry every summer since 2014. Consequently, increasing numbers of people throughout the Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, Quadra and Cortes Islands have turned to rainwater harvesting.

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Water

Environmental design: learning to work with the natural water balance

In a previous interview, Bernie Amell said that development could take place in a manner that respects  the natural water balance. Amell is a co-owner of the environmental design firm Source2Source and a recognized authority in the design of constructed wetlands for water treatment, and in the restoration of streams and riparian habitats. He has presented his work at national and international water management professional conferences. One of his firm’s projects received national recognition from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects last year. Amell lives on Quadra Island and in today’s interview, he talks about learning to work with the natural water balance.

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Development, Housing

Public Meetings for two large Quadra Island developments deferred

How our local government works

Public meetings for two controversial Quadra Island real estate developments have been deferred until this April, 2022, because of concerns about meeting in-person during a pandemic. 

The public meeting for the proposed Gowland Harbour Views development was scheduled for January 18th, 2022, and the rezoning meeting for Quadra Links Golf Course was to have occurred the following day.

With less than a week to go, at the January 12th SRD Board meeting, Quadra Island Regional Director Jim Abram, said, “I have two items of business that are very timely. We need to deal with them today at this meeting because we have scheduled two public hearings in the next week.” 

Continue reading Public Meetings for two large Quadra Island developments deferred →