Tag Archives: David Leitch

Fire

SRD recommends Eli Mckenty be appointed ‘Local Assistant to the Fire Commissioner’ for Cortes Island

British Columbia’s British Columbia’s Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) is the Provincial government office tasked with providing support to BC’s fire services through fire investigation, collecting statistics, fire prevention and establishing standards for fire service training. It is based in Saanichton and operates through numerous Local Assistants. At the request of the Cortes Island Fire Department, the Strathcona Regional District Board is recommending that Fire Chief Eli McKenty be appointed Local Assistant to the Fire Commissioner for Cortes Island.

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Fire

Cortes Fire Department meeting with the SRD

Last week, Sadhu Johnston, President of the Cortes Island Fire Fighters Association met with David Leitch, Chief Administrative Officer of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and two of his staff.

“There was  a lot of smoke and not a lot of fire in there. We ended up having a very productive conversation and we’ll be entering into contract negotiations for another five year contract for firefighting on Cortes. It was very productive and they were really willing to work with us and address the unique needs of Cortes and find ways to address concerns in working together,” said Johnston.  

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Fire

Mark Vonesch: Why a shared fire service could save us money

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) centralized fire service, unveiled at last week’s board meeting, was not what many feared. It seemed to compliment, rather than replace, the District’s seven volunteer fire departments. Cortes Currents reached out to Mark Vonesch (MV), the Regional Director for our area, for a more in depth perspective.  

MV: “The size of this service is quite small and it’s really just funding two full-time jobs to provide some general administration support around the things that rural fire departments  and the regional district need to coordinate more on. I think it makes sense both for rural fire departments in the Strathcona Regional District and the regional district itself to have some shared administration.”

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Fire

Challenges: The 2023 Cortes Island Firefighting Association AGM

An overwhelming majority of the 50 or so people that turned out (in person or via ZOOM) to the Cortes Island Firefighting Association (CIFFA) AGM on Thursday, Mar 30, were supportive of the fire department. 

CIFFA has a contract to provide fire fighting services, with the Strathcona Regional District (SRD).

A number of attendees questioned the Strathcona Regional District’s current idea of setting up of a regional system, with a Fire Chief in Campbell River.  

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Politics

Cortes Island Fire Department instructed all communication with the SRD must come through CAO David Leitch

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board passed a resolution to write a letter instructing Sadhu Johnston, President of the Cortes Island Fire Fighting Association (CIFFA), that his communications with them should come through Chief Administration Officer David Leitch. 

The SRD has not renewed the Cortes Fire Department’s 5 year contract, and instead has them on a month to month basis.

Johnston requested a meeting with Leitch last month but, as he explained to Cortes Currents earlier this week, still has not had the opportunity. 

“We’re not wedded to the way it is, but we don’t really want decisions to be made behind closed doors without the community being able to know about them and have a say. If governance is going to be taken away from Cortes and the decision making for firefighting service is going to be taken away from Cortes, it would be really nice to know that and to be able to be a part of that dialogue,” he said.

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