Tag Archives: Cortes Medical Clinic

Terminal Upgrade Plan: BC Ferries Consults Cortes Residents

Originally published April 28, 2024

BC Ferries intends to upgrade their Heriot Bay and Whaletown terminals to accommodate new, higher-capacity “Island Class” ferries with the potential for all-electric operation. The construction project, scheduled for 2026, will necessitate closure of these docks and ramps — a serious logistical problem for BCF and for island residents.

On April 27th, 2024, BC Ferries hosted a two-hour open house at Mansons Hall from 12:30 to 2:30 pm, asking for community feedback and suggestions on their early draft plan for this disruptive project. The event was attended by more than 50 Cortes residents over the two-hour period; for those who were unable to attend, the online comment period remains open until May 6th.

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The Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery 2022 season

The Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery’s 2022 Season kicks off at 6 PM on Friday, July 1, with Jane Newman’s solo exhibit ‘Ordinary Magic.’

This is also the first season in which the gallery has a manager. 

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Province-wide doctors shortage in BC reaches Cortes Island

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

A shortage of family doctors in British Columbia is not only affecting cities, but has spread to rural areas. Nearly a million people are without a family doctor in the province, according to a BC Family Doctors press release April 20.

The Cortes Island Community Health Association operates a clinic—open on weekdays—providing the island’s 1,000 year round residents and visitors with primary health care. So far, there has only been one week this spring when a physician wasn’t on duty.

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COVID retreating in North Vancouver Island

While the numbers have reached heights not seen since the beginning of this year across the province, COVID is retreating in North Vancouver Island.

On March 1st, there were 71 active cases; yesterday Island Health reported 17

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Cortes Island ‘opioid crisis’ as seen by two medical professionals

This program was funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative

According to a recent report from the BC coroners service, there have been 30 suspected illicit drug overdose deaths in the North Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery area during the first eleven months of 2020. Fentanyl was detected in 22 cases. That’s in a population of more than 122,000, which probably explains why there have been no opioid related deaths reported on Cortes Island so far this year. The number of drug overdoses is far higher. Campbell River’s Fire Chief said there were times his men saved the same drug user more than once in the same day. Cortes Currents asked two medical professionals from the Cortes Medical Clinic for their observations of the Cortes Island ‘opioid ‘crisis’. 

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