Tag Archives: Municipal Services Committee

Rural Directors against Municipalities taking over the Electoral Areas Planning Service

The City of Campbell River is considering taking control of the Strathcona Regional District’s (SRD) Electoral Areas Planning Service away from rural directors.

Currently, the members of that planning service are the four Regional Directors of : Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward), Area B (Cortes Island), and Area C (Discovery Islands and Mainland Inlets) and Area D (Oyster Bay – Buttle Lake ).

Campbell River’s five Directors are looking at joining the service, though it would cost the city’s taxpayers close to $500,000 per year for its share of the service’s assessments. They asked the other incorporated municipalities in the SRD—Tahsis, Zeballos, Gold River, and Sayward—to consider joining as well.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Regional Directors of Areas A, B and C issued a joint press release rejecting the idea. In today’s story they outline why they believe the planning service must remain in the hands of the rural areas.

Continue reading Rural Directors against Municipalities taking over the Electoral Areas Planning Service

Area C Director’s Report: Municipalities interested in Electoral Area Planning + wood-chipping service update

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Hello,
The seasons are turning and the cozy joys of autumn are close at hand. This report has news about municipal interest in joining the electoral area planning service, and progress towards a wood-chipping service in collaboration with Cortes Island.

Continue reading Area C Director’s Report: Municipalities interested in Electoral Area Planning + wood-chipping service update

SRD Municipalities wanting control of the Electoral Areas Planning Service

In the past, Rural Directors have not always appreciated Campbell River ‘interference’ in their affairs. An initiative coming out of the Strathcona Regional District’s (SRD) Municipal Services Committee could result in a lot more interference from Campbell River and other municipalities. A planning service typically manages zoning and land use rules, reviews development and building applications, prepares community and regional growth plans, protects environmentally sensitive areas, and coordinates public input on land use decisions. They would like to take control of the Electoral Area Planning Service.

Continue reading SRD Municipalities wanting control of the Electoral Areas Planning Service

Encouraging the province to become more involved in forestry research

CKTZ News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

At their July 14th Meeting, the Strathcona District Board moved that “a letter be sent to the Minister of Forests encouraging the province to become more involved in research and distribution of science-based information.”

As Mayor Martin Davis of Tahsis, who made the motion, explained, “In the last several years there has been a real drop off of participation of Ministry of Forests in providing the research and background that we would hope would be impartial. I think that is a real lack. To depend on the logging companies for our information is really not the best place to be going for this. There should be independent research we can depend on.” 

Continue reading Encouraging the province to become more involved in forestry research