Tag Archives: Quadra Island

Transportation

Changes coming to the local ferries in 2027, and directions for the years beyond

BC Ferries announced a series of changes coming in 2027,  including new vessels for the Campbell River and Cortes Island routes and the next steps towards electrifying the fleet.

“We’ve received approval from the ferries commissioner to procure  four new vessels, hybrid electric, and they will bring new capacity into the system. This is great news. In addition to that,  as part of this capital investment that will be electrifying, or putting a lot more power into, two routes that are going to eventually be able to run these hybrid battery electric vessels in the way that they’re built. For the purposes of the investment being announced today, it’s just  two routes, Nanaimo to Gabriola and  Campbell River to Quadra that will be serviced with this capacity to actually run these vessels in their electric form,” explained Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries.

Continue reading Changes coming to the local ferries in 2027, and directions for the years beyond →
Community

First Cortes Community Meal sets stage for more weekly meals in 2024

By Kim Paulley, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Cortes Island’s first community meal took place at Mansons Hall on Dec. 7, an event which hopefully will be the first of many in the coming year.

Ester Strijbos, coordinator of Better at Home for Cortes, says the meal is not just about food. The community meals are envisioned as all ages events that bring people together, she told CKTZ. “We know that food in a social setting is a super big component of building connections.”

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Weather

Experts expect mild winter conditions, concerns for drought season next year

Editor’s note: This story is of interest to Cortes, Read and Quadra Island readers because we are going through another El Niño phase, which calls for warmer temperatures and less precipitation. In addition, the BC Government’s model for Climate Change is: “Warmer temperatures in all seasons; smaller snowpacks and loss of glaciers; Stronger storm surges and rising sea levels.”

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After a summer of extreme drought, experts are concerned for conditions next year as they predict mild winter weather, with a November precipitation deficit.

Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says the last several weeks have seen less precipitation than a typical fall.

Continue reading Experts expect mild winter conditions, concerns for drought season next year →
Spirituality

Nanaimo celebrates first night of ​​Chanukah

Editor’s note: According to the Jewish Independent, Canada is home to the fourth largest Jewish community in the world, (after Israel, the United States, and France). They do not all adhere to Judaism. 52,000 of the 282,015 of the ‘Jewish’ respondents to the 2021 census also stated they follow another religion. The article did not state the numbers of Jews who were agnostic or atheists, only that ‘more than 40% of Canadian Jews have attended Jewish day schools. ‘

Some religious statistics: 100 Campbell River residents stated their ethnic origin was Jewish in the 2021 census, and 50 people stated their religion was ‘Jewish.’ Christians are now officially a minority. Only 33.2% of the city’s population stated they were ‘Christians,’ which does not necessarily mean they attend church services. 63.7% of the the city’s respondents stated they have ‘no religion’ and ‘secular perspectives.’ The 2021 census listed 35 people of Jewish ethnicity on Cortes Island, but only 15 following Judaism. Of the remaining population: roughly 70% had no religion, 19% were Christians and 9% follow other faiths. The only place where the majority of Jews appear to follow their ancestral faith was Area C, where there were 25 Jews and 25 people following Judaism. Roughly 78% of the population stated their beliefs were secular, 20% were Christians and a little more than 2% followed other faiths.

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Nanaimo’s Jewish community marked the first night of ​​Chanukah with the lighting of a giant Menorah at Maffeo Sutton Park.

Organized by Chabad of Nanaimo the event attracted hundreds of people to mark the start of the holiday celebrating the triumph of light over darkness.

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Rivers & Oceans

Discovery Island Sea Snail Species Threatened By Warming Oceans

A new study found that a species of Sea Snails found on the beaches of Cortes, Quadra and neighbouring Discovery Islands is already experiencing ocean temperatures beyond their comfort zone. According to the associated UBC press release, oysters will survive as the oceans warm up, but the Nucella lamellosa might not. 

“I conducted a research study using a combination of field and lab experimental methods to answer the big question: are marine ecosystems going to be able to keep up with the rate of environmental change that they’re experiencing? We know that species can respond to ocean warming by moving, by genetically adapting, or by acclimatizing within generations. Every species is going to have a different ability to employ those strategies based on its traits,” explained Lead author Dr Fiona Beaty, from the University of British Columbia.

Continue reading Discovery Island Sea Snail Species Threatened By Warming Oceans →