Tag Archives: Outer Islands

Animals

Friends of Cortes Island Society launches Western Screech Owl research project

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

With funding from the BC government, the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) conservation and education society is taking part in a “threatened species” field research project aimed at determining the local status of the Western Screech Owl. The launch began with a public notice to Cortes Islanders on February 23rd and includes an evening presentation with a field biologist on March 7th.

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Rivers & Oceans

Potential elimination of open-net salmon farm sector in sight

The licenses for all 19 salmon farms in the Discovery Islands expire in June. There will only be 7 farms left in the Broughton Archipelago by 2023, at which point their tenure ends unless they can obtain First Nations approval and Department of Fisheries licences. That leaves an estimated 79 salmon farms throughout the province, and all of their licenses come up for renewal on June 30, 2022.

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Animals

The 2021 Christmas Bird Count on Cortes Island

The final numbers for Cortes Island’s Christmas Bird Count, which took place on January 5th, 2022, are in.  

One of the key organizers, George Sirk, described his personal high point as watching the birds at Christian Gronau and Aileen Douglas’ bird feeder. 

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Communications

High speed internet: Are Read, West Thurlow and part of Quadra Island being left out?

How our local government works – Part 4 of 5 from the Feb 9 SRD Board Meeting

As the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) prepares to amend its indebtedness agreement with CityWest, to pay for the installation of high speed internet, Regional Director Jim Abram is concerned that parts of area C are being left out.  

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Finances

Where do Discovery Island property tax dollars go? 

How our local government works – Part 2 of 5 from the Feb 9 SRD Board Meeting

Electoral Area C is the largest electoral area within the Strathcona Regional District. It spreads out over 10,650 square kilometres: from Quadra throughout the Discovery Islands to some of the Mainland Inlets. The vast majority of people live on Quadra. In the second of five articles arising from the SRD Board meeting of Feb 9th, 2022, Cortes Currents is looking at how the tax dollars from this area were spent in 2021 and a proposed budget for 2022. 

Continue reading Where do Discovery Island property tax dollars go?  →