Tag Archives: Kate Maddigan

Cortes Island’s small business Conversation Cafe

Sixteen Cortes Island business people, plus board members from the  Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA), came out to the Conversation Cafe in Mansons Hall on Thursday September 14. They came from Whaletown, Cortes Bay and Mansons Landing. There were representatives from the construction sector, value added wood products, food production and cottage industries like cosmetics and jewelry. Some had been in business for years, and others were just starting out. 

Colin Funk, President of CCEDA, was the facilitator.

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A Blueprint for Cortes Island’s future: Why the Conversation Cafes are important

The Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) is hosting an in-person community discussion with Cortes Island’s small businesses in the Pioneer Room at Mansons Hall on Thursday Sept 14, 2023. 

This is the first in a series of 6 ‘Conversation Cafes’ meant to update Cortes Island’s Local Economic Action Plan (LEAP) in an inexpensive way. 

 “Our Local Economic Action Plan is five years out of date,” said Kate Maddigan, CCEDA’s Economic Development Officer.  

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Richard Andrews First Month as Project Manager of the Village Commons

Richard Andrews compared his first month as Project Manager of the Village Commons, in downtown Mansons Landing, to the years he was the Executive Director of a non profit in Vancouver.

“There’s a lot of planning going on right now.  We’re in  phase one of our build. We have the welcome pole to make, and a big pavilion. The funnest work is going to be making a playground.  The vending zone and the playground are mysterious right now. I have an idea of what they might be. I have an idea of what people want because we have  a lot of documentation from the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) about the community process they went through to determine what was to be done with this property,” he said.

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A Provincial Grant to provide Free Job Skills Training

Part of the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) mandate is assisting people who need employment skills training. They were looking for ways to do this when the StrongerBC Skills Training Grants became available. While this is not a CCEDA program, it achieves their objectives and Kate Maddigan, CCEDA’s Economic Development Officer, has been promoting this program for the past month.

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Carrie Saxifrage: Reflections from the outgoing Community Forest President 

Editor’s Note: Carrie Saxifrage was President of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative from April 2019 – May, 2023.

This is Carrie Saxifrage with some reflections on the community forest.

Thanks so much to those who attended the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative (CCFC) AGM and to all the forest folk who keep this place deep green.

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