The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) may be on its way to acquiring a $244,000 grant to reduce wildfire risk in rural areas. Close to $76,000 of this could go to a variety of projects on Cortes Island, more than $52,000 to Quadra and Read Islands and more than $50,000 each to Electoral Area’s A and D. The Electoral Areas Services Committee passed a recommendation that the SRD send application to 2021 Community Resiliency Investment grant program.
Continue reading SRD seeking grant to help reduce wildfire risk in rural areasTag Archives: Read Island
No new cases for at least a week
While the number of confirmed COVID cases in Vancouver Island and the rest of the province continues to rise, data from the BC Centre for Disease Control shows there have been no new cases reported in North Island – which includes Courtenay, Campbell River, and the Discovery Islands, as well as communities further north – for at least a week.
Continue reading No new cases for at least a weekNot many upsides for shellfish aquaculture
National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Marine heat waves, ocean acidification, toxic algae blooms.
B.C. oyster farmer Steve Pocock said he can’t see many upsides for shellfish aquaculture when it comes to dealing with the effects of climate change.
Continue reading Not many upsides for shellfish aquacultureUpgrading Hoskyn Channel Dock: A photo essay
Originally published in Surge Currents, August 2020
By Ginny Vassal, Read Island
The occasional grounding of the Hoskyn Channel dock became much more pronounced in September 2018. The stream at the base of the ribbons re-routed itself towards the dock following heavy rains; the up-stream clear-cutting most likely caused the concentrated run-off that moved large rocks and cut a deep channel with stream sediment running directly towards the dock.
Continue reading Upgrading Hoskyn Channel Dock: A photo essaySurge Narrows grocery delivery program
The grocery delivery program’s origins go back to October 2019. A North Rendezvous Island resident, Judith Wright, organized a group run for four or five families every two weeks. After COVID hit, close to half of the permanent residents of the Rendezvous, Read, Maurelle, and Sonora Islands took advantage of the SRD Delivers program to have their groceries delivered every week for three months. While the funding ended in mid July, the Surge Narrows grocery delivery program proved to be so effective that it continues today.
Continue reading Surge Narrows grocery delivery program