What Quadra ICAN accomplished in 2022

Roy L Hales/ COrtes Currents - According to the 2021 census, 36% of Quadra Island’s population is 65 years old or older. That’s 10% higher than throughout the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) as a whole, which has a considerably higher proportion of seniors than most of the province. The only Area in the SRD with a larger percentage of seniors is Cortes Island, where that number is 38%. Some might describe the large number of retirees is a problem, Quadra ICAN's new Coordinator, Ramona Boyle,’describes them as an asset that was responsbile for much of her organization’s accomplishments during 2022.

“We have a pool of retirees who have expertise and time and energy to put into all kinds of endeavors that they have gained experience with. We have, of course, younger members and teenagers. Young families are also part of our action, but the backbone is, as it is with most volunteer organizations, that pool of retirees.”

“I know we have the regional district as a structure, but the voice of islanders is tiny on that body. The interests of the island will never be the priority of the regional district just because of population concentration in Campbell River.”

“The fact that we have been able to accomplish as much as we have with just the efforts of volunteers, I think in many ways it comes down to a history of independent action of people who have lived on an island and had to make due for generations.”

“ICAN started about five years ago, had a little bit of a hiatus, a falling off, and then it was reinvigorated before the beginning of Covid.”

“In the last, I would say three years, there's been really significant progress in a number of areas.”