Tag Archives: Quadra Island

Politics, Transportation

B.C. rolls out rural transportation surveys but the roadmap for action is unclear

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C. is examining long-standing roadblocks to intercity transportation for rural communities on Vancouver Island and other underserved areas in the province.

The province is spending $2.5 million on in-person and virtual community consultations and online surveys to study passenger transportation gaps faced by rural and remote areas on Vancouver Island and parts of the coastal mainland, as well as B.C.’s north and southern Interior. 

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History, Transportation

Antique Cars coming to our Area this week

Fifteen antique cars will be in our area this week. They will be checking in at the Discovery Inn, in Campbell River, later today. That will be their base for day trips to Cortes Island, Quadra Island and the Comox Valley.

“There’ll be quite a number of Ford Model Ts, I’m not just sure how many. There’ll be at least two Buicks: mine is a 1912 and a friend of mine is going to be bringing his 1910 Buick. There’s going to be a Russell, which is a Canadian built car, and there’s going to be –  I think it’s  called a ‘Premier’ and it may be a Canadian built car as well,” explained Bruce Beecham, one of the organizers.  

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Business, Community, Indigenous Nations

2023 ‘Keeping It Rural’ Conference

While young families have been migrating to urban centres for decades, in recent years there has been a trend in the opposite direction. The BC Rural Centre asks ‘’What does it take to entice young people away from big cities to small towns?’ Every two years they host a major international conference to profile successful and innovative rural development initiatives. This year’s conference was held on June 1 and 2 at the Hampton Inn, in Kelowna. 

Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney of Area C gave the Strathcona Regional District Board a brief report at their June 14 meeting. 

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Housing, Politics

SRD looking into establishing a Housing Service

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is looking into the possibility of setting up a housing service to access funding for affordable housing projects. 

In the staff report prepared for the June 14 Board meeting, it states that 45% of the renters in the SRD are paying more for housing than they can afford. Many homeowners are facing similar affordability problems.

“Both the Comox Valley Regional District and the Cowichan Valley Regional District currently access requisition taxes for a housing service fund, to be accessed by local non-profit housing providers and other partners to support housing projects.”

Staff is not suggesting the SRD increase taxes, the proposal is to set up a service which would allow it to access grant money. 

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Transportation

CCEDA encourages Cortes to take the Survey on Rural Passenger Transportation

Cortes Community Economic Development Association

Recently, the province announced a new rural intercommunity transportation study. Cortes Islanders will be familiar with efforts over the years to explore improvements in transportation options for residents and visitors while reducing the island’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

This new transportation study will address rural intercommunity transportation. For residents of Cortes, Sonora and Read Islands, this is mainly about finding affordable and reliable ways to get across Quadra Island to access essential goods and services without the use of a personal vehicle.

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