Tag Archives: SRD Board

Community

$110,000 in funding — What the Quadra Island Foundation Accomplished

The Quadra Island Foundation (QIF) recently distributed $110,000 to four non-profit organizations. In today’s interview the foundation’s Vice Chair, Marc Doll, explains the rationale behind those choices and a little of what he expects the money to accomplish. 

Marc Doll: “There was this recognition of how much this province uses and depends on nonprofits. So the government of British Columbia put together a pool of $25 million, which went to Vancouver Foundation. From the Vancouver Foundation, it trickled down to foundations like the Quadra Foundation, Cortes Island Community Foundation and Campbell River Foundation.  It was administered at the local level by local foundations, but from a pool of money that came from the British Columbia government.” 

“We advertised – online through local media, press releases etc – to indicate that we had this fund of $110,000 to distribute locally. We were almost triple subscribed, we had about $300,000 in total applications.” 

Continue reading $110,000 in funding — What the Quadra Island Foundation Accomplished →
Environment

Caddisfly Wetlands Restoration Funding Application Proceeding

At their August 21 Board meeting, the Strathcona Regional District voted (7 to 6) to defer applying to Disaster Relief and Innovation Fund (DRIF) for $30,000 to pay for a feasibility study for the Caddisfly Wetlands Restoration Project. As the grant’s deadline was September 14, this was initially thought to have killed any possibility of receiving funding this year, until the We Wai Kai First Nation subsequently informed the SRD that it will apply for the grant directly, in partnership with Greenways Land Trust.

At their upcoming meeting, on September 25, the SRD Board will consider supporting the We Wai Kai application.

Continue reading Caddisfly Wetlands Restoration Funding Application Proceeding →
Politics

Staff ‘simply trying to survive this poor environment’ audit reveals

Editor’s note: While the events described in this article were outside of our broadcast area, it clearly show what the role of a CAO is and what can happen if he/she is undermined.

By Jordan Copp, Coast Reporter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The entire 145-page governance audit that identifies dysfunction within Sechelt council, was released publicly Sept. 12. 

While many of the findings and conclusions were revealed in the executive summary from George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd., which was released publicly in late June, the full report provides deeper insight into the factors that influenced the five pages of recommendations made to the mayor, council and senior staff.

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Politics

Mark Vonesch going to the Union of BC Municipalities Convention 

The Union of BC Municipalities 2024 Convention is in Vancouver this week. Local government and First Nations leaders from across the province are participating. One of the delegates is Mark Vonesch, the Regional Director for Cortes Island, who spoke to Cortes Currents via ZOOM as he was heading out on the ferry last Friday. 

Continue reading Mark Vonesch going to the Union of BC Municipalities Convention  →
Environment

SRD Defers Feasibility study for Caddisfly Wetlands Restoration Project

Wetlands are key resources to address climate change and help maintain surface water flow during dry periods. But they are also largely disappearing.  According to a recent study in Nature, since 1700 approximately 3.4 million square miles of wetlands have been lost in the United States, Europe and China. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources estimates that 70 % of the wetlands in southern Canada disappeared prior to 1990. In densely populated areas, that figure is close to 98%. Unfortunately wetlands are often found in the same areas where humans like to live and this problem has been amplified by the critical need for affordable housing. 

Both of the most populated Discovery Islands are attempting to assess their water budgets while they look at further development. Quadra Island is mapping its wetlands, as well as carrying out rainfall, streamflow and aquifer studies. On Cortes Island, the Community Housing Society is seeking funding to carry out a study of Cortes Island’s water resources. 

Meanwhile the opportunity to apply for a $30,000 grant for the proposed Caddisfly Creek restoration project may have been lost, or at least deferred, because of Campbell River’s concerns about the possible impact on their plans for development.  

Continue reading SRD Defers Feasibility study for Caddisfly Wetlands Restoration Project →