Tag Archives: Rainbow Ridge

The Cortes Housing Society looks back to things accomplished in 2024 and what’s ahead in 2025

The Cortes Community Housing Society will soon break ground on Rainbow Ridge. They are also renting out two houses, are about to explore the possibility of a tiny house village, and hope to launch a homeshare program this summer. There is also news about the aquifer study, more online housing forums, the Cortes Island Trade Directory and Cortes Island’s vacant homes.

“2024 was a banner year for us in many ways,” exclaimed Executive Director Sadhu Johnston.

Bruin Black, the Society’s new Project Manager, added,  “This year is going to be a big year in terms of things happening. I’m just excited to see how things unfold.”

Continue reading The Cortes Housing Society looks back to things accomplished in 2024 and what’s ahead in 2025

Cortes Island’s Draft Zoning Bylaw Online

The proposed changes to Cortes Island’s DRAFT Zoning Bylaw are on online

An additional dwelling may soon be allowed on Residential ( R-1), Rural Residential (RR-1), and RU-1 (lands whose primary designation is conservation or agriculture) zones. 

Another proposed changes is more flexibility on lots larger than 3 hectares. For example,  no prescribed building types for dwellings on Residential lots.

Houses that are currently permitted to have suites will most likely be allowed to opt for a duplex instead.

Continue reading Cortes Island’s Draft Zoning Bylaw Online

SRD To Meet With Cortes Housing Society About Possible Loan

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) will be meeting with the Cortes Housing Society to discuss the possibility of making a short term loan to help bring power, water and sewage to some lots in the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project. 

While the SRD created a Housing Service earlier this year, it has yet to requisition any funds and the request prompted some discussion at the Wednesday October 30 board meeting. 

Continue reading SRD To Meet With Cortes Housing Society About Possible Loan

Cortes Housing talks about Aquifers, Rental Opportunities & More

There has been a lot going on at the Cortes Community Housing Society. They are starting to provide housing for the community, are supporting changes to the island’s bylaws and are acting as a matchmaker for potential renters and landlords. However the first story I want to cover this morning is about the aquifer study that is about to begin.  

“We just received a grant from the Real Estate Foundation to develop an aquifer health assessment for our island. A lot of the islands south of us are having water problems and we really want to get ahead of this by being proactive and understanding what’s happening on our own island.  With climate change, obviously many of the assumptions of how things work are changing, but getting baseline and putting in together some things that we as a community can do to protect our water systems seems important to do before we have the kind of problems that we’ve seen  in other communities,” explained Sadhu Johnston, Executive Director of the Housing Society.  

Continue reading Cortes Housing talks about Aquifers, Rental Opportunities & More

Michele Babchuk Meets With Cortes Island Voters

Recording by Bryan McKinnon; Broadcast and text by Roy L Hales.

NDP incumbent Michele Babchuk came to Cortes Island Saturday, October 12, in the second in a series of meet the candidate events organized by the Climate Action Network. 

There is not room to unpack close to two hours of fact filled conversation into this half hour, but the full podcast is at the bottom of this page and here are some highlights.  

Continue reading Michele Babchuk Meets With Cortes Island Voters