Category Archives: Transportation

Canada’s new cruise ship rules don’t plug loopholes for major source of wastewater pollution

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The federal government says some new cruise ship pollution measures are now mandatory, but environmental groups say the move still doesn’t plug gaps that permit the ongoing contamination of some of Canada’s most sensitive coastlines.

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced Friday that voluntary measures established last April on the discharge and treatment guidelines for sewage (black water) and grey water — which includes kitchen water, laundry detergent, cleaning products, food waste, cooking oils and grease as well as hazardous carcinogens and other pollutants — will be mandatory immediately under an interim order

But the largest source of acidic waste water from cruise ships and other vessels will continue to flow into the ocean unabated, said Anna Barford, shipping campaigner for Stand.earth Canada. 

Continue reading Canada’s new cruise ship rules don’t plug loopholes for major source of wastewater pollution

Antique Car Club: Lunch stop at the Cortes Island Museum

Seven antique cars pulled into Mansons Landing shortly after 12:30 on Wednesday, June 21.

There was a lot of anticipation prior to to their arrival.

Melanie Boyle, Managing Director/Curator of the Cortes Island Museum, explained, “So far as I know, we’ve never had 15 vintage cars arrive here on the island. We as a museum celebrate histories of various sorts and histories of the island, old technologies and looking back at a day when people traveled differently, slower forms of transportation and different speeds in the world. This is really a celebration of that and, I’m sure it takes a special sort of person who has a devotion to restoring older things and a value of not trashing things and always looking for the newest, but respecting something of the past and with it heritage and stories that go along with it.”

Continue reading Antique Car Club: Lunch stop at the Cortes Island Museum

B.C. rolls out rural transportation surveys but the roadmap for action is unclear

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C. is examining long-standing roadblocks to intercity transportation for rural communities on Vancouver Island and other underserved areas in the province.

The province is spending $2.5 million on in-person and virtual community consultations and online surveys to study passenger transportation gaps faced by rural and remote areas on Vancouver Island and parts of the coastal mainland, as well as B.C.’s north and southern Interior

Continue reading B.C. rolls out rural transportation surveys but the roadmap for action is unclear

Antique Cars coming to our Area this week

Fifteen antique cars will be in our area this week. They will be checking in at the Discovery Inn, in Campbell River, later today. That will be their base for day trips to Cortes Island, Quadra Island and the Comox Valley.

“There’ll be quite a number of Ford Model Ts, I’m not just sure how many. There’ll be at least two Buicks: mine is a 1912 and a friend of mine is going to be bringing his 1910 Buick. There’s going to be a Russell, which is a Canadian built car, and there’s going to be –  I think it’s  called a ‘Premier’ and it may be a Canadian built car as well,” explained Bruce Beecham, one of the organizers.  

Continue reading Antique Cars coming to our Area this week

CCEDA encourages Cortes to take the Survey on Rural Passenger Transportation

Cortes Community Economic Development Association

Recently, the province announced a new rural intercommunity transportation study. Cortes Islanders will be familiar with efforts over the years to explore improvements in transportation options for residents and visitors while reducing the island’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

This new transportation study will address rural intercommunity transportation. For residents of Cortes, Sonora and Read Islands, this is mainly about finding affordable and reliable ways to get across Quadra Island to access essential goods and services without the use of a personal vehicle.

Continue reading CCEDA encourages Cortes to take the Survey on Rural Passenger Transportation