Tag Archives: North Island

Rivers & Oceans

Tide to table: A Quadra company’s response to COVID

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Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Cameron Pirie knew his business was facing a watershed moment when the COVID-19 crisis hit the shores of B.C. this past spring.

The pandemic was ravaging export markets and the tourism and restaurant sectors without mercy.

As a result, the president of Walcan Seafood, a family-owned seafood processing company on Quadra Island, suddenly found himself sitting on $2 million worth of product he couldn’t find a market for.

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Waste

Cortes and Quadra ditched single use plastics long ago

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Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Two tiny B.C. island communities are well ahead of the curve when it comes to the federal government’s move to ban single-use plastics.

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Politics

Discovery Island Items at the SRD Board Meeting

There were a lot of Discovery Island Items at the SRD (Strathcona Regional District) Board meeting last week.  

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

First Nations wary of DFO’s proposed consultation process

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Studies show that contentious fish farms in the Discovery Islands pose little risk to wild salmon, therefore they will not face immediate closure, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) said Monday.

Nonetheless, a final decision on the fate of 18 open-net pen operations in the region will be delayed pending consultation with seven area First Nations about whether to renew the region’s fish farm licences, which are set to expire in December.

Talks will begin immediately with the Holmalco, Klahoose, K’omoks, Kwiakah, Tla’amin, We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum First Nations, DFO said.

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Fire

EASC lets proposal to extend Quadra’s fire protection die

Three quarters of Quadra Island lies outside the fire protection zone. BC Wildfire Service responds to forest fires in this area, but normally do not come on to private property. Last June, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) asked North Island residents if they would like to have the same level of coverage as the south. While roughly half of the respondents said they thought all Quadra residents should have the same level of protection, 64% indicated they were happy with the present system and less than 10% were willing to pay for any additional coverage. The Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) instructed SRD staff to draw up a report on how to move forward. Staff suggested forming an advisory group, comprised of representatives from each of the residential areas on the north island. Instead, EASC decided to let the proposal to extend Quadra’s fire protection die.  

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