National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Island commuters hit a bit of rough water when ferry service between Quadra Island and Campbell River was cancelled all day Tuesday due to a mechanical issue. A problem made all that much worse because of COVID-19.
Continue reading Tuesday’s BC Ferries Shutdown On QuadraThe political maneuvering began as the agenda, for the Strathcona Regional District Board’s May 27th meeting, was adopted. Regional Director Jim Abram added a “subsequent,’ which he said was way down the agenda. A number of comments, scattered throughout the video below, show that the other rural directors knew what was coming. Regional Director Brenda Leigh alluded to Abram having “something better to propose.” Cortes Island Regional Director Noba Anderson expressed disappointment that one of her colleagues “is trying to put forward a motion ahead of time to not even allow this discussion.” Two major Quadra Island projects – the proposed BC Ferries passenger service and new firehall – have also been delayed because of the Electoral Areas Services Committee’s (EASC) prearranged decision. The public hearing for Rainbow Ridge is postponed until sometime after September 7th, 2020.
Continue reading Public Hearing For Rainbow Ridge Postponed Until September – Or LaterOriginally Published on Cortes Radio.ca
By Roy L Hales
On June 6, 2019, Chair Michele Babchuk and three members of the Strathcona Regional District staff caught a water taxi from Campbell River to Cortes Island. Around 80 local inhabitants were waiting for them in Mansons Hall. I doubt anyone could have guessed what was to follow. The resulting Cortes Island Hall Tax consultation was refreshing.
Continue reading Hall Tax Consultation RefreshingBy De Clarke
SRD sent four representatives to Cortes island by water taxi on June 6th to conduct a community consultation meeting on two tax service referenda: the long-delayed and controversial hall tax, and the first-responders training tax. Present at the meeting from SRD were: Chair Michele Babchuk, CAO David Leitch, Tom Yates (Senior Manager), and Aniko Nelson [Parks and Planning Manager]. Present at the meeting from Cortes were approximately 80 community members.
Continue reading Cortes Community Consultation Meeting On Tax Service ReferendaOriginally published on Cortes Radio.ca, as part of the Deep Roots Initiative, Season Two.
Toba Inlet is a remote fjord roughly 180 kilometres north of Vancouver. It is geographically closer to Campbell River, though the trip is an hour and 45 minutes by water taxi. A recently discovered arborglyph, believed to be a trail marker, suggests this area was not so isolated in pre-colonial days. Deep Roots story producer Roy L Hales interviews Michelle Robinson and Ken Hanuse, from the Klahoose First Nation, and local historian Judith Williams about a trail connecting pre-contact Toba Inlet to the rest of British Columbia.
Continue reading The Trail From Pre-contact Toba Inlet
