Tag Archives: Sonora Island

Politics

Why Mawhinney would set up an Advisory Council, rather than a Community Association, in Area C

Editors note: This debate over community Governance models is of interest to Cortes Island residents given our past discussions of a Community Association.

The two candidates running for Regional Director of Area C, in the October 15 election, appear to have very different visions of how to govern. Robyn Mawhinney explained:

“I’m very focused on creating a Community Advisory Council to support the Director’s decision making process, a community advisory council with a broad spectrum of community voices. The other candidate, Marc Doll, is really focused on using his directorship as an opportunity to build a Community Association from the ground up. I’d like to talk about the difference between a Community Association and an Advisory Council and why I think there is quite a big difference.” 

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Forests

Taxes waived for Lot 302 on Read Island; a brief respite for Cortes Island

Both the Campbell River Mirror and National Observer reported how the tiny Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA) purchased 20 acres on Read Island in 2019. 

“We just couldn’t bear to see yet another clearcut,” explained Read Island resident Lannie Keller. “It was a beautiful piece of treed land along the main road where people travel to get mail, to the school or the dock.”

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Politics, Transportation

With the 2024 deadline approaching, SRD defers the CT wharves problem to the next administration

In 2014, Transport Canada (CT) transferred administration of three wharves to the Strathcona Regional District (SRD). Owen Bay on Sonora Island, Surge Narrows on Read Island, and Port Neville on the northern shore of the Johnstone Strait are all within Area C. The SRD was also provided with $2.9 million for maintenance and upgrades that were to be completed by 2024. These upgrades have not yet occurred. Nor has a service to carry out operations and maintenance been established for Area C. In the face of local opposition, the SRD deferred discussion of this issue until next January.

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Fire

Feasibility study for Outer Discovery Island Fire brigade

How our local government works

Tim Pley and Associates has been hired to conduct a feasibility study for a fire brigade to serve the Outer Discovery Islands. The Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA) requested the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) investigate the costs and implications of this project last September. A motion to hire Pley and Associates passed without comment at the April 27, 2022 SRD Board meeting.  

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Tourism

The passion behind Wild Waterways Adventures

Wild Waterways Adventures officially launched last year but for Jenefer Smalley it is part of a lifelong pursuit.

“My whole entire life, I’ve had an affinity and a connection with wildlife. I thought I would go to college to become a wildlife biologist or a fisheries biologist. Then when I finally went to college, I realized I wasn’t really into running statistics and mathematical models, I wanted to be out in the field with wildlife. So when I graduated, just on a whim, I got a job in the field of ecotourism out of Campbell River,” explained Smalley.

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