It seems we were a bit hasty in publishing the timeline of certain events in our fall newsletter. A few events we hoped to have in the near future are postponed due to staff workload at the Regional District.

The community meeting to discuss the Cortes zoning bylaw review on November 28th has been postponed until the new-year. Please find all relevant documents at www.strathconard.ca/corteszoning

The proposed hall tax community meeting will also be postponed until late winter. View all the community letters and petitions and initial staff report here: https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDBoard/Open/BRD/26-Oct-17/20171017-BOARD-CI-Community-Hall-Service.PDF

Although the matter of the Fire Department’s proposed First Responder program will be discussed when they are ready to do so, there will not be an associated 2018 budget request. The Fire Department has requested that we update the bylaw that governs the Cortes Fire Service in two ways. First, a simple update is suggested to include ‘road rescue’ and ‘BC Ambulance support’, two services the Fire Department already provides, and extend their service area to include docks. Second, they have asked that we hold a referendum later in 2018 to gauge support for their proposed First Responder program and its associated budget increase. View Mary's report to the Regional District and the letter from CIFFA to begin this process here: https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDCommittees/Open/EAS/08-Nov-17/20171102-Lavelle-CIFFA-Report.PDF

The Cortes Transportation Study has now been released and can be read at the link below. We will soon be calling a meeting of interested parties to discuss how to implement some of its recommendations. If you want to be involved, please let us know. Read here: https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDCommittees/Open/EAS/08-Nov-17/20171031-EASC-Cortes-Transportation-Demand-Study-1.PDF

Draft Cortes Parks Regulations have been tabled for discussion and can be viewed below. Currently Hank’s Beach is the only park with regulations whereas this proposal includes all Cortes parks. We will be forwarding this draft to a few community groups for comment and also invite your input. Read more here: https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDCommittees/Open/EAS/08-Nov-17/20171101-EASC-Electoral-Area-Parks-Regulation-Bylaw-Update.PDF

Notes from the two past Gorge Stakeholders meetings are attached to this article and a summary can be read at the link below. We are coordinating another full group meeting in the early new-year. In the interim, the Gorge shellfish growers will be meeting in December with Noba and an aquaculture specialist from the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss developing industry best practices which could be registered with a provincial body that could uphold these standards, as discussed in our last meeting. Read the summary here: http://strathconard.ca/cortes-island-zoning-faq#hat%20was%20the%20purpose%20of%20the%20separate%20stakeholder%20meeting%20on%20the%20Gorge%20Harbour?

We have recommended that we go to referendum to gauge support for the proposal to sell the half acre un-used Sutil Park. Read the background info and see the map here: https://agenda.strathconard.ca/SRDAttachments/SRDCommittees/Open/EAS/08-Nov-17/20171102-Lavelle-Sutil-Point-Park-ReportCOMBINED.PDF

Lots on the go!
Many thanks,

Regional Director Noba Anderson (directorcortesisland.com 250-935-0320) and Alternate Director Mary Lavelle (alt.director.lavellegmail.com 250-935-0235)