Tag Archives: Shaun Koopman

Disaster

SRD seeking grant to help reduce wildfire risk in rural areas

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This news bulletin was funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 

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. 

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Disaster

Are you prepared? The role of citizens in creating communities resilient to Wildfire and other Hazards Emergencies

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Welcome to the first of a special series of Folk U Radio done in partnership with Cortes Currents that takes the Folk University model of slow learning, local knowledge sharing, and neighbours sharing with neighbours and combines it with Cortes Currents commitment to covering the news most relevant to our communities at this time. This show is brought to you by the Local Journalism Initiative. – the program funded by Heritage Canada and administered through the Community Radio Fund of Canada .

As smoke fills the air and people told to close the windows after being told to open them to air out viral loads during the pandemic, the question forefront on many minds is “Are we prepared for what’s coming?”

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Food

Surge Narrows grocery delivery program

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This is a Cortes Currents news update, broadcast over Cortes Radio, CKTZ 89.5 FM and funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 

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. 

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Lifestyle

Judy Hagen Lifeline Volunteer Achievement Award

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National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Quadra Island resident Judy Hagen is getting kudos from the B.C. government for 30-plus years of dedicated work aimed at keeping her community safe.

The 75-year-old volunteer extraordinaire says the formula for that kind of commitment is quite simple.

“My secret? Well, I think probably the biggest thing is a real genuine like for people,” Hagen said. “And, of course, wanting to help.”

Hagen received the Lifeline Volunteer Achievement Award from B.C.’s Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth on Wednesday in recognition of her exceptional contributions to emergency and disaster response.

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Disaster

Updating the Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan

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This is a Cortes Currents news update, broadcast over Cortes Radio, CKTZ 89.5 FM and funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 

Most Cortes residents have now received a questionnaire, about the Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan, through the mail. According to the records we possess, going back to 1950, Cortes hasn’t had a fire larger than 10 hectares in extent – but our climate is changing, wildfires are getting bigger and however unlikely it seems at the moment, we need to be prepared in case there is a major wildfire.

Continue reading Updating the Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan →