Mark Baker is once again acclaimed Chair and Mark Vonesch was selected as the new Vice Chair of the Strathcona Regional District Board.
These offices are yearly appointments and were made at the board’s inaugural meeting on Wednesday November 19, 2025.
Continue reading Baker acclaimed Chair, Vonesch elected Vice Chair of the SRDBy Regional Director Mark Vonesch
As we settle into the darker months of winter on Cortes, I hope this finds you warm and cozy. It’s been a busy fall so far and there’s lots to update you on!
Continue reading Area B Director’s Report: Cortes Fall UpdateThe Strathcona Regional District will not use $28,000 of its gas tax funds to help the Cortes Island Food Bank. At their October 22 meeting, 7 of the 14 district directors voted against a motion to fund the food bank.
Directors opposed to the motion were concerned about the potential impact that supporting a third party organization could have on future SRD applications for gas tax funding.
Continue reading SRD Will Not Use Gas Tax Funds for Cortes Island Food BankShane Berg, BC’s Chief Forester, has a message he is taking to trading partners around the world. On Thursday, October 2, 2025, he made a presentation to the Strathcona Regional District’s Natural Resources Committee.
In today’s broadcast there are select clips from that presentation, including reactions from the committee. Also Bruce Ellingsen, one of the founding directors of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative and a local thought leader on forestry matters, gave his opinion about the presentation and what he believes it lacks.
Berg claims that the amount of old growth forests is increasing. According to Ellingsen what is not clear is that he is talking about the 80% of relatively small old growth trees growing in less productive areas, not the ‘big tree old growth’ that the environmental community is concerned about.
Continue reading BC’s Chief Forester Tells the SRD the State of BC’s Forests, or notFrom the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
This is a Special Edition Director’s Report with “breaking news” and an action request. Recently I reported that municipalities in the SRD were discussing joining the Electoral Area Land Use Planning Service, something which could impact the independence of our community. This item has now been referred to each of the SRD’s five municipalities & the Kyuquot-Checleseht Nation for their consideration.
As a reminder, the Land Use Planning Service controls all the land use decisions in the electoral areas. This includes applications for rezoning, official community plan amendments, development permits, and land use bylaws like our OCP.
Continue reading Special Area C Director’s Report: action needed to save rural independence
