Cortes Currents

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Tickets for Lovefest 2022 go on sale this week. Rex Weyler is distributing them to stores throughout Cortes Island and will be selling tickets at Mansons Friday Market.

“The whole purpose of Lovefest, right from the beginning, is just a fun community day of people being together. Great music and giving a venue for the artists to sell their wares and have a good day in the sun,” he said.

Lovefest will be from 11 AM to 9:30 PM, Sunday, August 14th at Linnaea Farm

Early bird tickets are $25

tickets will be $30 at the door.

$20 for people under 18.

A family ticket is $60.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) reversed its previous decision and approved the rezoning of a property in Quathiaski Cove, on Quadra Island. Jonathan and Eliah Turkstra wish to subdivide their 5 acre property into two parcels.

In an Electoral Area directors only vote, the Turkstra’s application was turned down on May 11, 2022.

This decision was changed at the May 25 SRD Board meeting, when Regional Directors Jim Abram, Noba Anderson and Gerald Whalley voted first to reconsider the application and then to approve the bylaw that will allow the Turkstra’s to subdivide.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The connected coast is a joint communications project undertaken by CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District. They will bring high speed internet to 90,000 households in remote communities from Haida Gwaii to northern Vancouver Island. As of June 2, they have laid more than 500 km of the 3,400 kilometres of fibre optic cable that will come into being through this project.

They also released a series of prerecorded videos to the media. The connected coast is a joint communications project undertaken by CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District. They will bring high speed internet to 90,000 households in remote communities from Haida Gwaii to northern Vancouver Island. As of June 2, they have laid more than 500 km of the 3,400 kilometres of fibre optic cable that will come into being through this project.

They also released a series of prerecorded videos to the media.

Roy L Hales/ COrtes Currents - The Cortes Forestry General Partnership is currently focusing on wildfire fuel mitigation strategies.

While none have been large, there were recent fires on West Redonda, Read, Quadra and Sonora Islands.

“It’s highly possible that we can have a fire here,” said General Manager Mark Lombard.

Lombard has been working on wildfire and fuel mitigation strategies for Cortes Island.

He helped SRD Protective Services Coordinator Sean Koopman revise the Cortes Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

They identified four areas in the community forest as top priorities for fuel treatment projects.

Two, in the Anvil Lake area and the Carrington/Coulter Bay areas, are commercially viable as logging projects.

“That’s part of the reason that they’re a priority. Also, one of them has a really thick stand with a lot of the hemlock dying out. It’s a little bit of a fire hazard in that area. We’re going to do some small patches in areas that are really heavy with mistletoe hemlock, and then do some thinning in the rest of the areas,” explained Lombard.

Both the literature and people Lombard has spoken to, say that one way to do wildfire mitigation is to have a mosaic of age classes and types. So that it’s not just one homogenous forest where all the trees are the same age and species.

The proposed projects in Squirrel Cove and around the Cortes Island Recycling Centre are not commercially viable and depend on funding.

Lombard said that part of the Squirrel Cove area is “ full of dying hemlock and a real tinderbox area.”

“We won’t be able to sell any logs from those projects, but will make them available as firewood.”

After the General Partnership’s AGM, Lombard emailed some tentative thoughts about scheduling. If they can get access to the north island, VON2 will be the next project. If not, it will be the thinning project at Anvil Lake.

“ I think everybody also knows that if you have a major catastrophic canopy fire, it doesn’t matter what you do. It’s still going to spread. What we’re talking about is slowing down or stopping small or medium forest fires,” said Lombard.

There has not been a large-scale forest fire on Cortes Island since at least 1950. The two largest were somewhere between 4 and 10 hectares.

However as global temperatures continue to rise, wildfires will get a lot larger and more frequent throughout British Columbia. No one knows what this will mean on Cortes Island.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District is seeking legal advice about expanding the access road and parking lot at Hoskyn Landing, on the north east corner of Quadra Island.

Hoskyn Landing is used by foot traffic crossing from Quadra to Read and Maurelle Islands, as well as hikers on the Surge Rapids Trail and kayakers within Surge Narrows Provincial Park.

The SRD’s current tenure is for public moorage and a boat launch.

The access road and parking lot are on crown land, within the woodlot license of Cape Mudge Forestry Ltd.

This is also the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai First Nation, who own Cape Mudge Forestry, as well as the Wei Wai Kum, Homalco and Klahoose First Nations.

BC’s Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) staff informed the SRD they should apply for tenure over the access road and parking lot, as this is primarily used by wharf users.

This matter was discussed at the SRD Board’s May 25 Board meeting, where the Regional Director, Jim Abram of Area C, argued against this is addition.

He argued that the road belongs to the Ministry of Transportation and the parking lot to FLNRORD. There is no need for a legal opinion, which area C would have to pay for.

“I don't really have any great objection to receiving an illegal dependent, but I think it's a waste of our money when staff are completely capable of dealing with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI),” he explained.

Abram insisted that all staff has to do is look at their maps.

Staff does not agree with his assessment.

Senior Manager Aniko Nelson said, “It is a staff's opinion that the road is not a gazetted road, that it is not owned by highways. That is information that has been provided to staff by both FLNRORD and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. It is an untraveled road at this time.

It is not recorded in any of the databases considerations. When we approached FLNRORD about obtaining additional areas for parking as requested by the community and the director, the requirement was that we took ownership of that roadway, which is currently not dedicated to anybody and provide ongoing maintenance as part of that. In addition to obtaining a further area from the timber license holder for the additional parking.”

Campbell River Director Charlies Cornfield added, “Well said Aniko. I've worked on this particular road with Director Abrams for at least 25 years and it's not a dedicated highway. The ball falls under the Ministry of Forest, especially when it's in provincial forest land and it's their responsibility. They like to avoid that responsibility. If they can move it to someone else, I think that getting the legal opinion is the appropriate way to be absolutely certain as to responsibility.”

He agreed that the cost will probably fall to Area C.

Abram protested, “What is filling that road up now is not the outer island people. It's all the tourists that are coming to Quadra Island from all parts of the world that are completely plugging it up!”

When the vote was called, Abram was the only one opposing the motion.

The SRD is seeking legal advice regarding the proposed roadway and parking lot expansion at Hoskyn Channel Landing.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District will be conducting an independent audit of director remuneration and expenses.

“I received more money than other directors,” admitted Regional Director Jim Abram of Area C (Discovery Islands-Mainland Inlets), who then proceeded to explain how this came about.

Chair Brad Unger explained, “There's no defending anything here. The motion is for an audit of director renumeration. There's no name of a director in that. It's directors, it is all of us.”

Regional Director Brenda Leigh of Area D (Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake) protested, “I see this motion and this whole initiative as nothing but political right before an election!”

When the auditor submitted his report to the board, at the May 11 board meeting, Campbell River Director Claire Moglove pointed out that there was a significant difference in the expenses directors were claiming.

Staff was directed to prepare a report, which Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch submitted at the May 25 board meeting.

There is a marked difference in the base salary the SRD pays municipal and regional directors. Municipal directors are already receiving compensation, and the stipend they receive is for the additional hours they put in as a result of sitting on the regional board. However Regional Directors do not have an additional source of income, this is their only salary.

These differences are expected, the variances Director Moglove was referring to are additional charges.

The first relevant chart is for attending additional board, committee, or public meetings. Jim Abram, the Director of Area C, was given the largest payment, $8,160. The smallest payment in the graph went to Kevin Jules, Director of the Ka:'yu:'k't'h'/Che:k:tles7et'h' First Nations on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, $2,880.

In 2021, eight of the 14 SRD Directors were eligible for renumeration for meetiings they had with external agencies. Only two of them are mentioned applying for compensation. An unnamed Campbell River director received $320. Jim Abram, director of Area C, received $4,800.

There is also specific compensation for Regional Directors attending public hearings, parcel tax meetings, select or special committee meetings , etc. Only two directors made claims. Gerald Whalley of Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward), whose area stretches across from the west coast of Vancouver Island to Sayward, claimed $160 for one meeting. Abram, who looks after an even larger area in the SRD, received $9,120 for attending 57 meetings. There were no claims from Area D, or Area B (Cortes Island).

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - On Friday, May 27, a group of pro-fish farm scientists responded to recent testimonies before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans through an opinion article in the Globe and Mail.

Four of the authors are from British Columbia.

Dr Tony Farrell is a professor and Canada Research Chair for fish physiology, culture and conservation at the University of British Columbia. Farrell has previously gone on record stating he was 'absolutely delighted' that the BC Salmon Farmers Association funds research projects.

Three of his co-authors have past or present connections to the BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences in Campbell River.

Prior to relaunching his consulting firm Fidelis Aquaculture Management in 2020, Dr Jim Powell was CEO at the BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences for six years. At the time of his retirement, Powell told SeaWestNews, “those opposed to farming in the ocean need a stability to ensure their concerns are addressed, and the fish farmers need a stability to grow sustainably…we don’t have that now.”

Dr Ahmed Siah, a research scientist at the BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences, was the presenter of Marine Harvest Canada’s Environment Award in 2014. Dianne Morrison of Marine Harvest Canada (now known as MOWI) was one of the co-authors of Dr Siah’s 2015 paper on Piscine Reovirus. They were also co-authors of another paper on the same topic. Morrison is currently the Chair of MOWI. Dr Siah recently took part in a two year study of bacterial diseases in farmed and wild salmon. The DFO index page names John Paul Fraser, then Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, as a collaborator.

Dr Spencer Russell is an associate professor at the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture at Vancouver Island University. In the bio accompanying a recent lecture, it states Dr Russel provided ‘veterinary, technical and scientific support for aquaculture clients globally.’ He sits on the board of the BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences. Two of his fellow directors work in the fish farm industry.

In their Globe and Mail article, Farrell et al. state:

“The House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans heard from an organized group of scientists and anti-salmon farming activists who alleged that the DFO withheld certain studies. The group also criticized recent Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat reports concerning potential risk to wild salmon of pathogens from farmed salmon as being unreliable, because the reports did not support the activists’ claim that salmon farming poses significant harm to wild salmon.

As scientists who have contributed to many peer-reviewed analyses on salmon conservation and farming for the DFO, we’re compelled to respond to prevent propagation of any misinformation. Canadians can trust the scientific facts and advice presented by CSAS, the science evaluation body of the DFO.

Home-grown, ocean-farmed salmon is a valuable food resource for Canadians. It is an affordable, highly nutritious protein with year-round access.”

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - ‘Climate Crisis: The Cascade Effect’ opens at Wild Cortes, in the Linnaea Education Centre, 1 PM on Sunday May 29, 2022.

Co-curator Donna Collins explained that this exhibit illustrates what the climate crisis is doing to our natural habitat, especially deer and the island’s apex predators.

Deer ticks are already a problem, but they will take a greater toll as temperatures rise.

“The yearlings are usually the ones that suffer. They can't get enough nutrition, then the ticks take over and the deer doesn't make it,” she said.

There have been two possible cases of Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD) on Cortes Island. This is a fatal blood disease that has been spreading throughout Vancouver Island’s deer populations.

“This disease also transfers to humans,” warned Collins. “The only thing that we're being told at the moment is to just leave the deer, don't touch it. I guess the animals will decide whether they want to eat or not.”

“The cougars are the ones that are going to be hit first and the hardest because they have to make fresh kills about every three or four days if they're taking care of kittens. If not, then they can go on a kill a week, two weeks, something like that.”

She described Cortes Island’s cougars as a transient population, which swim between islands.

So do bears, that’s how the grizzly arrived on Quadra Island last year.

Collins said last year’s heat wave burned a lot of the shrubs and berries that bears normally eat.

“Bears will probably start looking for apples and things like that. They're trying very hard to eat as much as they can so that they can make it through the winter.”

Collins mentioned the problem Cortes Island had with the Whaletown and Squirrel Cove Bears two years ago.

People will have to be careful. Don’t leave compost or garbage out and definitely do not feed wild animals

“You don't want animals getting accustomed to equating humans with food. And that's where you start getting problems between humans and predators, even the prey,” she said. “If the deer are all around and you keep feeding them, then next thing you know, the wolves are thinking, ‘Hmm. A lot of deer over here, let's see what's for lunch.’”

Cortes Island’s wolves may be especially hungry this year. Between 75% and 85% of their food normally comes from the ocean.

“The heat dome baked a whole bunch of shellfish and other things that the wolves normally would have been eating. So now the deer will probably be more impacted by the wolf pack,” said Collins.

She explained that everything is out of balance because of the rise of global temperatures.

New species of insects and animals are entering our area.

Barred Owls, for example, were originally found on the east coast.

“The owls that normally inhabit our island have absolutely no defences against this rather large owl. The Barred Owls are predating on the smaller owls like the Saw-whet and the Pygmy Owls,” said Collins.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Two Cortes Island expenditures were approved without any opposition at the May 25 Strathcona Regional District Board meeting.

A staff report described the footbridge in Kw’as Park as ‘nearing the end of its useful life’ and ‘a safety hazard.’

It has been 27 years since volunteers built the 22 foot arched cedar 'bridge' over the creek connecting Hague and Gunflint lakes.

The $67,000 needed to replace it will come from the provincial gas tax.

As regards the second item, Regional Director Noba Anderson explained, “The fire department here on Cortes found a really great deal and acted very quickly to purchase a fire truck. We just didn’t have enough set aside. This is an entirely in Cortes Island funds, wanting to add an extra $15,000 for the repayment of that capital purchase they made.”

A letter from Chris Walker, President of the Cortes Island Fire Department was attached to the associated staff report.

“As you may be aware the Cortes Island Fire Fighting Association (CIFFA) has an acute need for a replacement water tanker/pumper for our Hall 1 in Manson's Landing.

We have successfully procured an excellent replacement vehicle (pictured below). Our invoice is attached. We purchased the truck in Ohio for $53,000 and spent an additional 29,000 to deliver, import and certify, for a total of $78,242.48.(12% PST will also need to be paid when the SRD insures the vehicle).

The truck is in excellent condition, has all the features we wanted and has only 30,000 km on the clock. Our research indicates that this is an excellent value for the money. There is nothing comparable under $120,000 and that is before delivery, importation and certification.

In our financial plan $72,500 was authorized to be spent on this capital item. We would like to request that an additional $5742 (purchase price shortfall) plus $9,389 (12% PST on $78,242.48) for a total of $15,131 be made available for this truck purchase at your earliest convenience.”

There weren’t any firemen on duty when Cortes Currents dropped by the Mansons Landing Fire Hall on Thursday afternoon. However the fire truck pictured in the SRD press release was in the field out back, beside the Cortes Museum.

One of the paramedics inside the station mentioned that Cortes Island’s new Fire Chief, Dave Ives, has also arrived.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Quadra ICAN is trying to gage the public support for a ride share program on Quadra, Cortes and Read Islands.

On their website, it states “Ride sharing is essentially carpooling. A driver offers a seat in their car to other community members seeking a ride to a similar destination. It is an environmentally conscious, cost effective, ferry line reducing and community building alternative mode of transportation.”

“Especially on these islands, it is a cheap and low maintenance way of getting across on the ferry and making your day a bit shorter instead of waiting in line for a long time. We'll reduce carbon emissions and in my opinion it'll make biking safer on the island because there'll be less people driving and it might make walking a little bit safer,” added Aaryn Perreault-Laird, who is in charge of this program.

Some of you may remember her from the Cortes Radio program Aaryn and Levi, Songs of Love and Hate. She woofed at Blue Jay Lake farm before moving to Quathiaski Cove with her boyfriend.

Perreault-Laird joined the transportation committee after heard Leona Skoovgaard, Chair of Quadra ICAN, on Cortes Radio.

“I think Leona was doing an interview with you about transportation,” she explained.

There are only three people in the transportation committee. Some are looking into cycling options.

“I had initially wanted to do a survey about transportation in general and then my group encouraged me to focus in on something and kind of gauge the interest. You don't want to just do a whole bunch of stuff and then no one actually used the systems that you've implemented,” explained Perreault-Laird. “So I develop a ride share survey to see if people are actually interested in ride sharing in these communities as a talking point and a jumping off point about how can we better address some of the problems for transportation in the communities?”

Someone wrote that there is already a Facebook group for ride sharing, but Perreault-Laird found it didn’t come up when she googled for local ride share.

“I figured that if we can get it under the ICAN umbrella, then it would be a bit more publicized.”

She has had personal experiences of the need. Coming home from Courtenay, the line-up at the Campbell River ferry terminal was so bad that she left Levi and crossed as a foot passenger. He had to wait for three or four ferries. On another occasion, they wanted to press apples over on Cortes Island, but aborted the trip because of the line-up at Heriot Bay.

There was an attempt to set up a ride sharing program on Quadra before, but some of the Quadra ICAN people told Perreault-Laird it wasn’t advertised well enough.

This service might prove to be invaluable for people living on north Quadra or Read Islands.

Some Cortes residents want a bus to carry them across Quadra Island, and this idea has been tried on other islands.

Perreault-Laird responded, “I think it's a wonderful idea but there's something a little bit smaller, that takes less overhead and where people kind of organize themselves.”

After our interview, Perreault-Laird emailed that so far there have been responses from 40 Quadra, 17 Cortes and 9 Surge Narrows (Read Island) residents.