By Regional Director Mark Vonesch
As we settle into the darker months of winter on Cortes, I hope this finds you warm and cozy. It’s been a busy fall so far and there’s lots to update you on!
Continue reading Area B Director’s Report: Cortes Fall Update
Annie Smith and Katy Lepine were members of the organizing committee for the David Suzuki Event on October 17, 2025 at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay, BC. David Suzuki’s presentation was titled: Humanity at a Crossroads: Transformation or Extinction. It was a huge undertaking for the small group of volunteers with the North Island – Powell River Greens. Annie and Katy share their reflections and photos from the event.
Continue reading Staging an International Celebrity Event in CourtenayThe long-awaited Rainbow Ridge housing development has passed a milestone. The foundations of the first two homes are in place. Sadhu Johnston, Executive Director of the Cortes Housing Society, gave Cortes Currents a tour of the site and spoke about the vision, challenges, and progress to date.
Rainbow Ridge is rising in Mansons Landing, the most settled community on Cortes Island.
Continue reading First Home Foundations Poured: Rainbow Ridge Housing Project Takes Shape on Cortes IslandFrom the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
This is a Special Edition Director’s Report with “breaking news” and an action request. Recently I reported that municipalities in the SRD were discussing joining the Electoral Area Land Use Planning Service, something which could impact the independence of our community. This item has now been referred to each of the SRD’s five municipalities & the Kyuquot-Checleseht Nation for their consideration.
As a reminder, the Land Use Planning Service controls all the land use decisions in the electoral areas. This includes applications for rezoning, official community plan amendments, development permits, and land use bylaws like our OCP.
Continue reading Special Area C Director’s Report: action needed to save rural independenceThe City of Campbell River is considering taking control of the Strathcona Regional District’s (SRD) Electoral Areas Planning Service away from rural directors.
Currently, the members of that planning service are the four Regional Directors of : Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward), Area B (Cortes Island), and Area C (Discovery Islands and Mainland Inlets) and Area D (Oyster Bay – Buttle Lake ).
Campbell River’s five Directors are looking at joining the service, though it would cost the city’s taxpayers close to $500,000 per year for its share of the service’s assessments. They asked the other incorporated municipalities in the SRD—Tahsis, Zeballos, Gold River, and Sayward—to consider joining as well.
On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Regional Directors of Areas A, B and C issued a joint press release rejecting the idea. In today’s story they outline why they believe the planning service must remain in the hands of the rural areas.
Continue reading Rural Directors against Municipalities taking over the Electoral Areas Planning Service
