From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello and Happy New Year! Here’s hoping for a healthy, connected and kind 2025 in the Discovery Islands, on the coast, across the country, and beyond.
Continue reading Area C Director’s Report: Recycle Depot, Budget, & a Strathcona Gardens Recreation Service update
At their December 11 meeting, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board passed a bylaw to regulate bulk water processing, bottling and sales on Read, Maurelle, Sonora, Stuart, and the Rendezvous islands.
Three Campbell River Directors voted against receiving the staff report for this bylaw.
Director Susan Sinnott explained, “I just want to hear from staff, the reasons necessary. Is there a pending application for people to bulk water in the Desolation Sound Area? Is there an imminent issue?”
Continue reading Bulk Water Regulations For The Outer IslandsThe 32 properties in Tiber Bay are one step closer to being included in the South Cortes Island fire protection area. They are currently outside the boundary and, consequently, the Cortes Fire department cannot immediately respond to fires in that area. It needs direction from the BC Wildfire Service. Tiber Bay residents will soon be receiving a petition in which they can state their preferences.
Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch read out the motion at the December 11 SRD Board Meeting, “That a petition be prepared and distributed to affected property owners to determine if they support the extension initiative, and then a further report be prepared for the Board’s consideration at the conclusion of the petition process.”
Continue reading Tiber Bay Residents Being Asked If They Want To Be Included In Cortes Fire Protection AreaIt has been 85 years since the Truck Loggers Association was founded to give independent loggers a collective voice in society and the forest industry. Now they would like the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) to intervene on their behalf with BC’s Minister of Forests, Minister of State for Workforce Development and Chief Forester. This was disclosed during the discussion of a motion from the SRD’s Natural Resources Committee at the Wednesday December 11 Board Meeting.
Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney said she is not a member of the Natural Resources Committee, but the issue is a concern to her. The Forest Practises Board recently released a report that stated there was a deficit of old growth on Quadra Island and only about 1% of the trees were greater than 250 years old. Three companies were found to be out of compliance with some aspect of forest legislation. The reported added that “the bigger issue is that no one is responsible for monitoring or ensuring that Quadra Island’s old forests are conserved, or that enough mature forests are protected from logging so that they can develop into old forest in the future.”
Mawhinney had brought this matter to the SRD Board asking that “that the board write a letter to the Minister of Forests, the Minister of Water, Lands and Natural Resources, and BC’s Chief Forester, highlighting concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island.”
Continue reading Political maneuvers? SRD proposal to meet with province about the allowable cut and other forestry mattersA Strathcona Regional District (SRD) motion that might have taken Gas Tax funding away from its rural areas was narrowly defeated at the Wednesday, November 27, Board meeting.
Every year, the funds collected through Canada’s Gas Tax are used on infrastructure and planning projects across the nation. In British Columbia, the Union of BC Municipalities distributes $280 million to local governments. Municipalities like Campbell River, Sayward and Zeballos are all paid directly, receiving $1.7 million, $79,000 and $69.000, respectively. Viewed on a per capita basis, every municipality in the SRD except Campbell River receives between two and ten times more Gas Tax funding than the district’s rural areas. However the $543,000 for the Strathcona Regional Discovery’s four rural areas goes through the SRD. Up until now, this money was used ‘solely for their benefit,’ but there has been a push to explore ‘other options’ for this funding.
Continue reading SRD Motion Fails; Rural Areas Retain Sole Use of Gas Tax Funding
