Tag Archives: Michele Babchuk

Fisheries

North Vancouver Island Mayors support fish farms

Leave a comment

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

Salmon farming is a significant local employer in Northern Vancouver Island. According to a recent report there are 572 Campbell River, Sayward and the Discovery Islands residents working in this sector. 702 people are said to have indirect jobs, which means the industry is bringing about $324 million a year into the local economy. Another 512 direct and indirect jobs, representing $135 million, are in Port Hardy and Port McNeill. 

Continue reading North Vancouver Island Mayors support fish farms →
Politics

Michele Babchuk: Becoming our MLA

Leave a comment

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

On October 24th, more than 50% of North Island’s electorate chose Michele Babchuk to represent them in the Provincial Legislature. Though more than a month has passed, she has only just stepped down from her previous roles as a Campbell River councillor and Chair of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board. Though yet to sit in parliament, she has been made the Deputy Government Whip and a member of the Appointment Orders Committee. I recently asked Michele about becoming our MLA . 

Continue reading Michele Babchuk: Becoming our MLA →
Politics

The SRD Chooses a new Chair and Vice Chair

Leave a comment

With Michele Babchuck moving on to the provincial legislature, the Strathcona Regional District Board needed a new Chair. Gold River Mayor Brad Unger, who had been her Vice Chair, was chosen by acclamation. The only real election, during the Board’s Nov 4th, 2020 Board meeting, was for Vice Chair.

Continue reading The SRD Chooses a new Chair and Vice Chair →
Community

SRD released funding for Cortes Island’s community halls

1 Comment

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

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) released the funding for Cortes Island’s community halls. Though they were to have received this money in quarterly instalments, it has been close to a year since the SRD passed the Bylaw “to establish a community hall service within and for the benefit of Electoral Area B (Cortes Island).” The minutes of that meeting refer to the need for “a further report outlining next steps for implementing the community hall service.”  Former Chair Michele Babchuk and the SRD’s Corporate Officer did not receive authorization to ‘execute the contracts’ until last August. A spokesperson from the Whaletown Community Club (WCC), which operates Gorge Hall, said the funds needed for a year of operations have now been deposited directly into their bank account. Manson’s Hall Manager, Mary Lavelle, confirmed that a similar deposit was made into the Southern Cortes Community Association’s (SCCA) account on Friday, October 30th, 2020.

Continue reading SRD released funding for Cortes Island’s community halls →