Tag Archives: Gerald Whalley

Politics, Water

Bulk Water Regulations For The Outer Islands

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?” 

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Forests, Politics

Political maneuvers? SRD proposal to meet with province about the allowable cut and other forestry matters

It 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.” 

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Politics

SRD Motion Fails; Rural Areas Retain Sole Use of Gas Tax Funding

A 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.

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Politics

Mark Baker re-elected Chair of SRD, Matthew Jack Vice Chair

By law, the Strathcona Regional District is required to elect a Chair and Vice Chair every year. The SRD Board met on Wednesday November 27, and according to the resulting press release stated that Mayor Mark Baker was re-elected Chair for the third consecutive year. What it does not say is that their were two other candidates: Mark Vonesch of Cortes Island and Gerald Whalley of Area A. 

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Politics

Cortes Island Grant-In-Aid Projects Approved

$28,500 does not go far when there are 13 applicants. The applications for Cortes Island’s Grant-in-Aid budget were more than twice that amount this year. When he presented a list of recommendations to the SRD Board, Regional Director Mark Vonesch also handed in a report that listed all of the projects that did not make the final list. 

A committee of Cortes residents volunteered their time for the difficult task of choosing which which projects to recommend.

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