Tag Archives: Campbell River

Community

Immigration in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Discovery Islands

On the surface, one might ask how relevant an article about immigration is to people living in the Discovery Islands. The vast majority of us either came from more urban parts of British Columbia, and/or are the descendants of an earlier wave of immigrants. Many non-Indigenous Cortesians trace their roots back to the era when most immigrants were ‘British,’ European or from the United States. There are undoubtedly many reasons why this predominantly ‘white’ population is now found in more rural areas. Some of us are the descendants of the first settlers in this area, others sought a more rural lifestyle and many moved here because of real estate values. 

According to Statistics Canada, a new wave of immigration has become the principal driver of our nation’s population growth. 

Continue reading Immigration in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Discovery Islands →
Housing, Poverty

‘Where do people go?’: Over 1,600 homeless in Victoria far surpasses shelter space

Editor’s note: Betweenuary Jan 10 and 18, 20 – 70 people sought respite from the freezing temperatures in Campbell River’s Warming Centre every night.

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

Victoria, BC – When the cold weather snap brought record breaking temperatures through British Columbia, Victoria’s dropped to as low as -10 with a wind chill of -20 – a cold front that the unhoused population was not prepared for.

Continue reading ‘Where do people go?’: Over 1,600 homeless in Victoria far surpasses shelter space →
Indigenous Nations History, Water

How the WE Wai Kai/ ICAN Water Security Team Partnership came into being

The We Wai Kai Nation wanted to find out more about their water resources on Quadra Island when the ICAN water security team approached them about a possible partnership. 

“I wanted to find out  how much water we have? Where is it coming from? We want to know if the water’s good on Quadra, and protect those watersheds. We want to map out where everything is and get educational pieces out there about our drinking water – ‘don’t be polluting this area!’” explained Jason Price, Director of Lands for the We Wai Kai First Nation.

Continue reading How the WE Wai Kai/ ICAN Water Security Team Partnership came into being →
Transportation

Four fully electric BC Ferries vessels scheduled for 2027

BC Ferries (BCF) is expanding its number of Island Class hybrid-electric vessels, with four more contracted to Damen Shipyards Group (Damen) as per their Jan. 16 press release.

While the six Island Class ships currently operating on various routes across the province use both electric and diesel power, the future ships are designed to run solely on battery, with the diesel engine as a fail-safe.

Two routes are slated to receive a pair of the future ships to operate the respective connections in tandem: Nanaimo-Gabriola and Campbell River-Quadra (Quathiaski Cove). Currently older versions of Island Class vessels operate on these routes. In contrast, the newest ships will be built to run powered solely by rapid-charging technology that will be constructed at the terminals to coincide with the 2027 deployment. The Island Class electrification project is estimated to reduce emissions by 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent.

Continue reading Four fully electric BC Ferries vessels scheduled for 2027 →
Animals

Conservation Officer Meets Cortes Island Residents

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Conservation Officer Jillian Bjarnason came to Cortes on Saturday, January 13, 2024. 

“I was invited over to do some public outreach, mostly pertaining to human-wildlife conflict. There’s a population of wolves on the island  and sometimes there’s some encounters with people. I’m just really excited to be able to get to meet folks that live here, chat with them and provide education and how to co-exist,” she explained. 

Continue reading Conservation Officer Meets Cortes Island Residents →