Tag Archives: Cortes Island Seniors Society

Community

Communitas: how the Cortes Foundation doubled the money for this year’s Grants in Aid

In this morning’s interview Manda Aufochs Gillespie, Executive Director of the Cortes Island Community Foundation, discusses a fund called Communitas and explains how the Cortes Foundation doubled the money for this year’s Grant in Aid.

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Housing

First Home Foundations Poured: Rainbow Ridge Housing Project Takes Shape on Cortes Island

The 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. 

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Housing

Mid August 2025 Housing Update from Rainbow Ridge

Mark Lombard from the Cortes Housing Society recently gave an update on progress at the Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing Project.

“At this point we’re well along the way of building a community building with an office for the housing society. It’ll have: 

  • a utility space that has controls for the water systems and filtration to send water to all the homes. 
  • the controls for the battery and solar system that will provide backup power for the water and sewer for the buildings.
  • a laundry room that’ll serve the women’s shelter and other people on the south end who need it. 
  • a guest bedroom that people who live in the seniors village or at Rainbow Ridge will be able to rent for a modest price per night. 
  • a lounge area with a kitchenette that people can have a little birthday dinner or a card game, or if the Housing Society board wants to meet, there’ll be a big table that can be used for that.”

“We’re putting the siding on right now, and working on the interior finishing.”

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Community, Politics

Coming to Cortes & Quadra:  SRD Poverty Reduction Plan

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) received a $147,700 grant from the Union of BC Municipalities to prepare a region-wide poverty reduction plan. They will be holding meetings in Campbell River, Tahsis, Gold River, Cortes Island, Quadra Island and Zeballos at the end of the month. 

“Our plans are only as good as the information we receive and we really, really want to be able to address poverty in a holistic, honest and earnest way. We can’t do that without the community. So we really need you guys to come out and to talk to us. Give us your thoughts, all of your ideas, your criticisms, your comments,  your questions. Whatever you need us to know, because all of that feeds into the plan, and it makes it more robust, and just everything we do is going to help alleviate poverty in the region as a whole,” explained Meredith Starkey, Manager of Parks and Planning at the SRD.” 

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Community, Parks

Opening of the Rainbow Ridge Trail System

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Close to 200 people gathered in the Village Commons, in Mansons Landing, to celebrate the opening of the new Rainbow Ridge Trail System. There were 177 ticket stubs for the door prize and some people wandered in after that. As it was a hot summer’s day, most of them clung to shade beneath trees, awnings and the main tent. 

Rose and Brenda Hanson, from the Klahoose First Nation, opened the ceremony.

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