Cortes Currents

Tan Mei Xi/Vancouver Coop Radio - A single-family home may be our current vision of ideal housing but that picture is no longer realistic, says housing advocate Bruce Haden.

The non-profit organisation Urbanarium, of which Haden is a board member, recently released a report promoting 'Missing Middle' housing as one of the solutions to Vancouver's housing crisis. The report uses the term 'Missing Middle' to refer to multi-family housing types denser than duplexes and smaller in scale than condominium buildings.

"We live in a planetary environmental crisis... and all of us will have to contribute to solving that catastrophe," said Haden.

"One of the villains of the planetary crisis is the single-family house. It's a tough thing to say, but it's the reality... It's the most environmentally expensive way to house people."

Tan Mei Xi/Vancouver Coop Radio - A single-family home may be our current vision of ideal housing but that picture is no longer realistic, says housing advocate Bruce Haden.

The non-profit organisation Urbanarium, of which Haden is a board member, recently released a report promoting 'Missing Middle' housing as one of the solutions to Vancouver's housing crisis. The report uses the term 'Missing Middle' to refer to multi-family housing types denser than duplexes and smaller in scale than condominium buildings.

"We live in a planetary environmental crisis... and all of us will have to contribute to solving that catastrophe," said Haden.

"One of the villains of the planetary crisis is the single-family house. It's a tough thing to say, but it's the reality... It's the most environmentally expensive way to house people."

Odette Auger / Cortes Currents - During the last week of November, a health officer stopped Teen Szene as it was a hang out, not a sports program. We spoke about the need these programs fill, and Jodi’s thoughts on the process of adapting to COVID 19 reality.

Photo credit: Smelt Bay on Cortes Island via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Odette Auger / Cortes Currents - During the last week of November, a health officer stopped Teen Szene as it was a hang out, not a sports program. We spoke about the need these programs fill, and Jodi’s thoughts on the process of adapting to COVID 19 reality.

Photo credit: Smelt Bay on Cortes Island via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Odette Auger / Cortes Currents - During the last week of November, a health officer stopped Teen Szene as it was a hang out, not a sports program. We spoke about the need these programs fill, and Jodi’s thoughts on the process of adapting to COVID 19 reality.

Photo credit: Smelt Bay on Cortes Island via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Author of the memoir 'Outside In' and upcoming fiction book talks about the 40th anniversary of saving the Carnegie Centre as a DTES "community hub"

The Downtown Eastside has for decades been a site not only of poverty and struggle, but also "resilience" and successful community organizing, says Libby Davies. And the former Member of Parliament hopes the community can remember to celebrate and honour the successes and victories over the years as the struggle continues.

That's particularly true as demands for reforms and solutions to the neighbourhoods multiple crises gain urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growing number of media reports focusing on violence, desperation and injustice.

Former Vancouver-East member of Parliament Libby Davies talked about decades of organizing history marking the 40th anniversary of how the community rallied to save the Carnegie Centre from closure, turning it into a vibrant neighbourhood hub to this day. Davies was an early organizer with the since-defunct DTES Residents Association (DERA), which was shuttered following financial scandals in the 2000s, with some of its operations resurfacing as the Portland Hotel Society.

Davies shared some of the history of organization in the DTES with The Pulse on CFRO, about her upcoming book, and crediting the decades of activism and leadership shown by groups such as the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and the Women's Memorial March Committee, among many others.

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Author of the memoir 'Outside In' and upcoming fiction book talks about the 40th anniversary of saving the Carnegie Centre as a DTES "community hub"

The Downtown Eastside has for decades been a site not only of poverty and struggle, but also "resilience" and successful community organizing, says Libby Davies. And the former Member of Parliament hopes the community can remember to celebrate and honour the successes and victories over the years as the struggle continues.

That's particularly true as demands for reforms and solutions to the neighbourhoods multiple crises gain urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growing number of media reports focusing on violence, desperation and injustice.

Former Vancouver-East member of Parliament Libby Davies talked about decades of organizing history marking the 40th anniversary of how the community rallied to save the Carnegie Centre from closure, turning it into a vibrant neighbourhood hub to this day. Davies was an early organizer with the since-defunct DTES Residents Association (DERA), which was shuttered following financial scandals in the 2000s, with some of its operations resurfacing as the Portland Hotel Society.

Davies shared some of the history of organization in the DTES with The Pulse on CFRO, about her upcoming book, and crediting the decades of activism and leadership shown by groups such as the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and the Women's Memorial March Committee, among many others.

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Author of the memoir 'Outside In' and upcoming fiction book talks about the 40th anniversary of saving the Carnegie Centre as a DTES "community hub"

The Downtown Eastside has for decades been a site not only of poverty and struggle, but also "resilience" and successful community organizing, says Libby Davies. And the former Member of Parliament hopes the community can remember to celebrate and honour the successes and victories over the years as the struggle continues.

That's particularly true as demands for reforms and solutions to the neighbourhoods multiple crises gain urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growing number of media reports focusing on violence, desperation and injustice.

Former Vancouver-East member of Parliament Libby Davies talked about decades of organizing history marking the 40th anniversary of how the community rallied to save the Carnegie Centre from closure, turning it into a vibrant neighbourhood hub to this day. Davies was an early organizer with the since-defunct DTES Residents Association (DERA), which was shuttered following financial scandals in the 2000s, with some of its operations resurfacing as the Portland Hotel Society.

Davies shared some of the history of organization in the DTES with The Pulse on CFRO, about her upcoming book, and crediting the decades of activism and leadership shown by groups such as the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and the Women's Memorial March Committee, among many others.

Max Thaysen / Cortes Currents - The DFO has recovered over 1000 oysters that were harvested illegally on Cortes.

On October 29th, based on information received from the public on Cortes Island, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (also known as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, or DFO) stopped and inspected two vehicles as they disembarked from the BC Ferry in Campbell River.

The DFO enforcement officers found more than 1000 oysters in one of the vehicles. The person in possession of the oysters had a recreational fishing licence, which limits oyster possession to 24 per person ( the daily harvest limit is 12).

The person was fined the maximum for such an infraction -- $1200.

The other driver who was investigated, admitted to having been part of the harvest, despite not having any oysters in his possession. And since he didn't have a recreational fishing licence, they were fined for fishing without a licence, which carries a fine of $100.

Fishery Officer, Greg Askey, was contacted by Cortes Currents. He said that, had this been an illegal commercial harvest, the fines would have been much more. Commercial infractions can get $100,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison.

Askey said that the two individuals were from the lower mainland, and had been staying on Cortes.

According to Askey, enforcement actions in an area can lead to increased observation of that area, and consequently, more enforcement. He reminds shellfish harvesters to get a licence, and know the limits.

Askey said that there is no mechanism for recreational fishers to harvest a larger amount for storage or preservation, or for sharing with a large family or community.

The confiscated oysters were returned to the sea, but to an area that is permanently closed to harvesting -- because the DFO doesn't know how the oysters were treated, they can't go back to places where people may harvest them again, and potentially get ill. Conveniently, all the shoreline around Campbell river is permanently closed due to contamination concerns.

Max Thaysen / Cortes Currents - The DFO has recovered over 1000 oysters that were harvested illegally on Cortes.

On October 29th, based on information received from the public on Cortes Island, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (also known as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, or DFO) stopped and inspected two vehicles as they disembarked from the BC Ferry in Campbell River.

The DFO enforcement officers found more than 1000 oysters in one of the vehicles. The person in possession of the oysters had a recreational fishing licence, which limits oyster possession to 24 per person ( the daily harvest limit is 12).

The person was fined the maximum for such an infraction -- $1200.

The other driver who was investigated, admitted to having been part of the harvest, despite not having any oysters in his possession. And since he didn't have a recreational fishing licence, they were fined for fishing without a licence, which carries a fine of $100.

Fishery Officer, Greg Askey, was contacted by Cortes Currents. He said that, had this been an illegal commercial harvest, the fines would have been much more. Commercial infractions can get $100,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison.

Askey said that the two individuals were from the lower mainland, and had been staying on Cortes.

According to Askey, enforcement actions in an area can lead to increased observation of that area, and consequently, more enforcement. He reminds shellfish harvesters to get a licence, and know the limits.

Askey said that there is no mechanism for recreational fishers to harvest a larger amount for storage or preservation, or for sharing with a large family or community.

The confiscated oysters were returned to the sea, but to an area that is permanently closed to harvesting -- because the DFO doesn't know how the oysters were treated, they can't go back to places where people may harvest them again, and potentially get ill. Conveniently, all the shoreline around Campbell river is permanently closed due to contamination concerns.