Cortes Currents

Roy L Hales/Cortes News - The Cortes museum lists 28 independent fishing boats based at one of island's docks during the 1970s. Twenty years ago, 5 were still returning to Mansons Landing. By 2016 this number had shrunk to 2 boats and neither of them fished Cortes waters. While this decline may partially reflect the shift towards large corporate fishing fleets, a new UBC study states a quarter of Canada’s fish stocks are in decline and the industry would benefit from a complete closure of fishing for some species.

The authors point to the rebound of Norway’s herring stocks, which came close to the point of extinction in the 1980s but are now flourishing, as an example of what can be accomplished.

After the stocks are replenished, fishermen will be able to take a larger harvest.

The authors also suggest the federal government implement economic and social assistance programs to help the estimated 5,000 fishermen, who would lose their jobs, find alternative sources of income.

To learn more, go to Cortes Currents.ca

Roy L Hales/Daily News - This is a Cortes Currents news update broadcast over Cortes Radio, CKTZ 89.5 FM.

It has been a week since B.C.’s chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe

“The number of people dying in B.C. due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths due to homicides, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and COVID-19 combined.”

As of July 31, there have been 92 overdose fatalities in Southern Vancouver Island so far this year. Victoria has the second highest number of drug overdose deaths in the province.

There were also 18 deaths in North Island. While there are no statistics available, there have been a number of drug related emergency calls in both Campbell River and Quadra Island. It is not known how many of these ended in fatalities.

Regional Director Noba Anderson said, “We are not immune from this. Many people either knew a victim, or know someone whose life has been impacted by a drug overdose fatality.”

Click here for further information: https://cortescurrents.ca/tag/drug-overdoses/

Roy L Hales/Daily News - This is a Cortes Currents news update broadcast over Cortes Radio, CKTZ 89.5 FM.

It has been a week since B.C.’s chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe

“The number of people dying in B.C. due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths due to homicides, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and COVID-19 combined.”

As of July 31, there have been 92 overdose fatalities in Southern Vancouver Island so far this year. Victoria has the second highest number of drug overdose deaths in the province.

There were also 18 deaths in North Island. While there are no statistics available, there have been a number of drug related emergency calls in both Campbell River and Quadra Island. It is not known how many of these ended in fatalities.

Regional Director Noba Anderson said, “We are not immune from this. Many people either knew a victim, or know someone whose life has been impacted by a drug overdose fatality.”

Click here for further information: https://cortescurrents.ca/tag/drug-overdoses/

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District moved one step closer to implementing its decision to fund Cortes Island’s first responder program and two community halls at its Aug 19th board meeting.

Chair Michele Babchuk and the SRD’s Corporate Officer received authorization to sign five year agreements with both the Southern Cortes Community Association and Whaletown Community. Payments will be made in quarterly instalments.

The SRD Board also passed a bylaw to authorize entering into an agreement for the provision of first responder services on Cortes Island. According to Chris Walker, President of the Cortes Island Fire Fighters Association the next step will be to write up a service provision contract, draw up a schedule for training and a service start date, Once this is done, the fire department can formally request the release of funds.

Cortes Islanders voted in support of funding both programs from their taxes in the October 26, 2019, referendum, in which approximately 75% of respondents voted for a hall tax and 83% voted for first responders.  

For more details, see Cortes Currents.ca

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District moved one step closer to implementing its decision to fund Cortes Island’s first responder program and two community halls at its Aug 19th board meeting.

Chair Michele Babchuk and the SRD’s Corporate Officer received authorization to sign five year agreements with both the Southern Cortes Community Association and Whaletown Community. Payments will be made in quarterly instalments.

The SRD Board also passed a bylaw to authorize entering into an agreement for the provision of first responder services on Cortes Island. According to Chris Walker, President of the Cortes Island Fire Fighters Association the next step will be to write up a service provision contract, draw up a schedule for training and a service start date, Once this is done, the fire department can formally request the release of funds.

Cortes Islanders voted in support of funding both programs from their taxes in the October 26, 2019, referendum, in which approximately 75% of respondents voted for a hall tax and 83% voted for first responders.  

For more details, see Cortes Currents.ca

Roy L Hales/ Public Service Announcement - Most of you have now received a questionnaire, about the Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan, through the mail. According to the records we possess, going back to 1950, Cortes hasn’t had a fire larger than 10 hectares in extent - but our climate is changing, wildfires are getting bigger and however unlikely it seems at the moment, we need to be prepared in case there is a major wildfire.

“Residents still have a month to give their feedback, either electronically or through the letter they should have received through the mail,” said said Shaun Koopman, SRD protective services co-ordinator.

“There are a lot more in depth sessions I want to have with residents who are interested. That kind of depth just could not be covered in the survey I sent out.”

He added, “The last question in the survey, asking for marine muster points, is something I should probably have covered in a small in depth focus group. People aren’t understanding that question. In close to half the surveys that have come back, people are saying “Squirrel Cove dock,” “The government marina,” “Gorge Harbour” etc.

“Marine muster points does not refer to the wharfs and docks, I already have those in the plan that I am updating. They are referring to the worst case scenario. If you can’t get to a dock or a ferry, and we are literally asking the Canadian Coast Guard to engage on a humanitarian initiative, what are some of the more common safe areas on the beach people could be directed to?”

“It is a very unlikely scenario, but my job is to plan for all the unlikely scenarios.”

Most major disasters were unlikely scenarios until they occurred. This is one example of the many seemingly insignificant bits of information that Koopman is collecting, which could save lives should there be a major wildfire.

Roy L Hales/ Public Service Announcement - Most of you have now received a questionnaire, about the Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan, through the mail. According to the records we possess, going back to 1950, Cortes hasn’t had a fire larger than 10 hectares in extent - but our climate is changing, wildfires are getting bigger and however unlikely it seems at the moment, we need to be prepared in case there is a major wildfire.

“Residents still have a month to give their feedback, either electronically or through the letter they should have received through the mail,” said said Shaun Koopman, SRD protective services co-ordinator.

“There are a lot more in depth sessions I want to have with residents who are interested. That kind of depth just could not be covered in the survey I sent out.”

He added, “The last question in the survey, asking for marine muster points, is something I should probably have covered in a small in depth focus group. People aren’t understanding that question. In close to half the surveys that have come back, people are saying “Squirrel Cove dock,” “The government marina,” “Gorge Harbour” etc.

“Marine muster points does not refer to the wharfs and docks, I already have those in the plan that I am updating. They are referring to the worst case scenario. If you can’t get to a dock or a ferry, and we are literally asking the Canadian Coast Guard to engage on a humanitarian initiative, what are some of the more common safe areas on the beach people could be directed to?”

“It is a very unlikely scenario, but my job is to plan for all the unlikely scenarios.”

Most major disasters were unlikely scenarios until they occurred. This is one example of the many seemingly insignificant bits of information that Koopman is collecting, which could save lives should there be a major wildfire.

Francesca/Listening In - The Cat's Table is a novel by Canadian author Michael Ondaatje first published in 2011. It was a shortlisted nominee for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize. The novel is a coming of age story about an 11-year-old boy's journey on a large ship's three-week voyage from Columbia to England, via the Suez Canal and Mediterranean.

Francesca/Listening In - The Cat's Table is a novel by Canadian author Michael Ondaatje first published in 2011. It was a shortlisted nominee for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize. The novel is a coming of age story about an 11-year-old boy's journey on a large ship's three-week voyage from Columbia to England, via the Suez Canal and Mediterranean.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - In a normal year, Cortes Island’s best known learning centre needs to take in $3 million in revenues to keep operating. 2020 has been anything but normal. As a result of COVID, most of this year’s programs were cancelled and Hollyhock could not rehire most of its usual staff. This has also been a year of innovations: with courses being offered online for the first time and a day-long virtual Hollyhock-a-thon called ‘Shine the Light.’ The Cortes Island centre’s response to this year’s challenges almost amounts to reinventing Hollyhock.