Cortes Currents
1,486 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago -Cortes Currents is a news platform that asks what's current in Cortes and the Discovery Islands. Web articles & radio podcasts: Cortes Island, Quadra Island, Discovery Islands, Campbell River: news, lifestyle, local politics, affordable housing, economy, food security, health, ferries, tourism, history, culture, environmental issues, sustainable forestry, oyster farming, the arts, First Nations, energy, climate change, overshoot
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Episodes
Why the Pacific Salmon Foundation supports the decision to remove open net fish farms
March 12, 2021 13:54 - 8 minutes - 18.4 MBRoy L Hales /Cortes Currents - The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) supports the DFO’s decision to remove open net fish farms in the Discovery Islands. The foundation first announced their position on May 9, 2018. Scanning through some recent scientific papers, Cortes Currents found that Dr Bateman and other scientists from the Pacific Salmon Foundation co-author with scientists from the DFO’s Department of Molecular Genetics in Nanaimo, the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and...
Scallops are for sale on Cortes Island
March 11, 2021 17:06 - 1 minute - 3.84 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - An interview with Erik Lyon, of Rising Tide Shellfish who is selling scallops on Cortes Island.
COVID update for Mar 11, 2021
March 11, 2021 15:03 - 4 minutes - 9.45 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - This is a COVID update for the Greater Campbell River area on March 11, 2021. While the numbers are now falling in North Vancouver Island, yesterday the BC Centre for Disease Control released statistics for what was hopefully the peak in the Greater Campbell River Health Area. There were 21 active cases in the Greater Campbell River during the week ending on Saturday March 6. At that point there were 62 cases in North Vancouver Island, yesterday Island Healt...
Two Quadra Island environmentalists speak out in favour of DFO decision
March 10, 2021 15:14 - 7 minutes - 17.8 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Two well known Quadra Island environmentalists are speaking out in favour of the DFO’s decision to phase out salmon farms in the Discovery Islands.
Two competing fish farm presentations
March 09, 2021 20:53 - 13 minutes - 31 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The BC Salmon Farmers Association will make a presentation about the Discovery Island’s salmon farms at the March 10th Strathcona Regional District Board Meeting and Sierra Quadra believes they will be responding. The two groups wish to speak about very different topics. The Salmon Farmers wants to talk about ways to address the economic hole left by closing down 19 salmon farms. Sierra Quadra is concerned about past and ongoing environmental impacts. Ray Gri...
Quadra Island Senior housing project close to opening its doors
March 08, 2021 15:09 - 14.4 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - After almost a year of delays, the Quadra Island Seniors Housing Project is close to opening its doors. The 16 unit building, beside Q-Cove Plaza in Quathiaski Cove, was almost ready last Spring. According to Maureen McDowell, President of the Quadra Island Seniors Housing Society (QISHS), “We have had the tragedy, really, of not being able to let our seniors move into the building because it is uninhabitable without a water system. They have been waiting, a...
Staggered protests against old growth logging
March 05, 2021 16:09 - 20.2 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents -There was a staggered protest against BC’s old growth logging practises in front on MLA Michele Babchuk’s office in Campbell River. 10 Between fifteen and twenty people, many of them members of Sierra Quadra or the Campbell River Chapter of Canadians, came out in the wind and rain. To conform with COVID regulations, the protesters came in shifts of never more than 6 at a time. One of the organizers, Geraldine Kenny, explained that the protest began at 10 AM...
Spread of COVID 19 on Vancouver Island
March 04, 2021 18:22 - 4.19 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Late yesterday afternoon, the BC Centre for Disease Control released more information about the spread of COVID 19 on Vancouver Island. During the week ending on Saturday, Feb 27, there were 58 active cases in North Vancouver Island. 44 of these were in the Comox Valley, 13 in the Greater Campbell River Area and 1 in North Vancouver Island. The worst outbreaks were to the south, in Central Vancouver Island. This is the most up to date information, pertai...
Why fish farms donate to local communities
March 04, 2021 17:14 - 11.4 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Cermaq Canada has donated more than $2 million to the local economy since 2018. Campbell River’s two other fish farm companies, MOWI Canada West and Grieg Seafood, also made substantial donations. Linda Sams, Sustainable Development Director at Cermaq Canada explained, “It is part of our culture and we have a shared value approach. Meaning that we are part of community’s and we believe we need to add value to the communities we operate in.”
North Vancouver Island: Close to eightfold increase over the past two weeks
March 03, 2021 16:40 - 9.7 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The number of active COVID cases in North Vancouver Island has gone through an almost eightfold increase, in the past two weeks. Island reported 10 cases on February 17th; There were 77 as of yesterday. In her second weekly Emergency COVID operations update, yesterday, Chair Jesse Ketler of the Comox Valley Regional District, noted that the state of emergency began a year ago. “This has been a pivotal week in the Comox Valley and the province. Cases are ...
Campbell River thanks fish farms companies their donations
March 02, 2021 20:57 - 23.1 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The City of Campbell River thanks the region’s three big fish farm companies for their donations to specialized recreation. Grieg Seafood has sponsored programs for adults and youth with disabilities for the past seven or eight years. When Grieg said they were not sure they could donate as much in 2020, the city asked Cermaq Canada West and MOWI to also contribute. “They agreed, but Cermaq decided they want to do more. So, they give a little bit more,” sa...
Too little substantive information in SRD budget
March 01, 2021 15:15 - 7.71 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - For the first time in her 13 years as Cortes Island’s Regional Director, Noba Anderson writes that there is so little substantive information in the Strathcona Regional District Budget that she cannot do her job. Anderson made this comment in a report, in which she alleges to have witnessed the erosion of the budgeting process over the last number of years. “This year, I see essentially no room for informed Director input,” consequently she will be voting again...
Folk U Reporters Round Table: Fish Farms & Seaweed production
February 28, 2021 02:07 - 137 MBManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U Cortes Currents - In partnership with Cortes Community Radio & Cortes Currents, Folk U Radio offered its first Reporter Roundtable: Fish farms and seaweed production. The panel: Binny Paul (LJI reporter for Campbell River Mirror), Rochelle Baker (LJI reporter for Cortes and Quadra Islands, National Observer), Roy Hales (editor of Cortes Currents) and Ashley Zarbatany (Folk U Radio's political and climate commentator).
Number of COVID cases on the rise
February 27, 2021 18:53 - 5.87 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - “As many of you might have heard, cases are on the rise within the North Island, which includes the Comox Valley and Campbell River. The number of COVID cases in the north of Vancouver Island has more than doubled in just three days. We are asking everyone to increase their vigilance, when it comes to slowing the spread of COVID 19 ,” said Jesse Ketler, Chair of the Comox Valley Regional District. That was taken from Chair Ketler’s February 24th YouTube news...
COVID 19 update: A Seven-fold increase in Greater Campbell River
February 25, 2021 16:32 - 5.63 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Though the number of active cases within Island Health is still relatively small, they have doubled in a little over a week. The increase is especially marked in North Vancouver Island, where they went from 10 on February 17th to 56 at the end of the business day yesterday. More detailed information for the...
How the Sunflower food truck moved into Gorge Harbour General Store
February 24, 2021 15:09 - 10.6 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Sunflower food truck opened beside Whaletown road last summer, when the Pandemic seemed to be fading away and whole province was coming out of self isolation. IN this morning's interview, owner/manager Carie Taylor talks about the business and why she moved her business into the Gorge Harbour General store.
A branch of Canada's seventh Regional Development Agency
February 23, 2021 14:20 - 6.76 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - MP Rachel Blaney is inviting the Federal government to set up a branch of Canada’s seventh Regional Development Agency (RDA) in North Island -Powell River. Minister of Economic Development Mélanie Joly is currently in the midst of regional roundtables throughout British Columbia, listening to key business and community leaders about their realities. A government press release identified “stakeholders from the South Okanagan, Kootenays, Vancouver Island and Cent...
Changes at the Toki Bap Cafe
February 22, 2021 16:04 - 13.1 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents -The Toki Bap Café is another Cortes Island business that has been impacted by the pandemic. It is in Mansons Hall, which closed down in March 2020. The cafe reopened on June 16th, 2020. “Strangely enough, last summer was good. We were just open one day a week and it still worked. We still had fun. Everyone got a bit of pocket money to get them through the next cycle.” said Sujon, the manager and sole proprietor. “The cafe has always been a community hub. Kid...
Cortes Island e-Bike update - 2021
February 22, 2021 00:27 - 25.3 MBCortes Island e-Bike update - 2021 by Cortes Currents (https://cortescurrents.ca/)
One active COVID 19 case in Greater Campbell River
February 18, 2021 22:57 - 3.54 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents -There was only one active COVID 19 case in the Greater Campbell River Health area as of last Monday, according to the latest report from the BC Center for Disease control. At that point there were only seven cases in the North Vancouver Island Local Health Area. Now there are ten. The only other report from our area pertains to Cortes Island. The Klahoose village’s immunization program experienced a weeks delay, but is rolling out despite the province wide ...
1308 Trees: A report from Burnaby
February 18, 2021 22:14 - 9.54 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - We have a report from Burnaby on the mainland, where Trans Mountain (Tmx) plans to cut 1,308 trees in preparation for its proposed pipeline expansion. On December 7, 2020, the energy gave the city of four days to approve the necessary permits. Then Trans Mountain applied directly to the Canada Energy Regulator, which found that TMX is not beholden to the city bylaw stating they would need a permit. According to Peter McCartney, of the Wilderness Committee, ...
Clark McKay & Carol Pierce
February 18, 2021 15:15 - 12.9 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Clark McKay and Carol Pierce have been running the Floathouse restaurant, on Cortes Island, since last October. Though they have both been working in the industry for 20 years, this winter is different. As a result of COVID, the community has gone into semi-isolation. For many local residents, picking up their food is one of their principle outings for the week. This has brought about an unexpected benefit to both Pierce and Clark. “This is the first wint...
Rainbow Ridge All loans can now be repaid
February 16, 2021 21:41 - 3.82 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents -Donations to the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project, on Cortes Island, have reached the point that all loans can now be repaid. A number of people loaned the project large sums of money, at rates as low as 0% interest. Project coordinator Sandra Wood was not sure how much they have raised to date, but could confirm that by the end of 2020 the project had received the $450,000 needed to repay all outstanding loans. “We have enough cash in hand to pay a...
Recent Bute Inlet slide one of many, local historian says
February 16, 2021 14:48 - 17.2 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - While the largest slide in human memory occurred only months ago, local historian Judith Williams says Bute Inlet lets loose all the time. In the podcast above she talks about a slide in the 1860s, another in the 70's and how debris from the most recent slide appears to have reached Cortes Island. Williams has a special connection to Bute Inlet, which was the setting of her most recent book. She also talks about its importance as a source of what some experts...
Director Anderson to be given notice of SRD Board's expectations
February 14, 2021 03:26 - 14.3 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District is sending Cortes Island Regional Director Noba Anderson a letter advising of the SRD Board’s expectations regarding communications between Directors and Regional District staff.
A step by step guide to making political change - former MP Libby Davies
February 13, 2021 15:36 - 22.2 MBan Mei Xi/ Vancouver Co-op Radio - In a time when many have felt hopeless, Libby Davies is anything but. The former MP of Vancouver East of 18 years told The PULSE that she believes every group, no matter how marginalized, can “absolutely” make change. "People know what needs to be done. The hard part is knowing how to do it," says Davies, in the podcast above. "Libby Davies is one of Canada’s leading advocates for social justice. She was known for her principled yet collegial approach...
Revisiting the Phillips Arm fish farm
February 12, 2021 00:36 - 59.4 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - I decided to finish this hour off by redoining the story of a visit I took to a fish farm, four years ago. Some people will call this program one sided, which is what happens when you interview the people on one side of an argument. Prior to this, I interviewed Alexandra Morton on three occasions, and also reviewed her movie “Salmon Confidential Documentary.” On August 23, 2016, Morton joined members of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw nation to board Marine Har...
Stay home during the Family Day long week-end
February 11, 2021 14:19 - 5.05 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix issued a joint written statement urging British Columbians to stay home during the Family Day long weekend and lunar new year approach: “The risks from COVID-19 remain high for all of us, especially with the variants of concern, which is why staying in our local community and avoiding any unnecessary travel is so important right now. This weekend is the weekend to stay home – to show your family and friends you ca...
Fish Farms Around The World
February 11, 2021 00:45 - 45 MBDe Clark/ Cortes Currents - [OPINION/EDITORIAL/RESEARCH] The “fish farm” issue simmering for decades on the BC Coast has boiled over again, in the controversy over DFO’s recent decision to close down open-net Atlantic salmon “farms” in the Discovery Islands and Broughton Archipelago areas. Locally, the issue is mostly being discussed in terms of First Nations sovereignty vs employment, though debate continues over the scale and impact of externalities like sea lice infestations, chemical and...
Red Tailed Hawk rescue
February 10, 2021 23:51 - 5.46 MBMax Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - An injured hawk has recovered and recently been released by a local wildlife advocate. Cortes Currents reached Autumn Barrett-Morgan at home, by zoom, for the story. On January first, Autumn's neighbours found the red-tailed hawk by Gunflint Lake and they called the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS), in Merville BC, for advice. MARS told them to get in touch with their Cortes contact for support – Autumn Barrett-Morgan – who happened to live right acr...
Shoplifting in the city and country
February 08, 2021 21:36 - 4.59 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - In 2020, Campbell River stores reported 275 cases of shoplifting to the RCMP. That is in a city, what is the shoplifting situation like in more settings like Cortes Island. Cst. Maurey Tyre said those 275 cases in Campbell River are a major problem, “For staggering statistics, some quick online research points to shoplifters only getting caught 1 out of every 48 times they steal. That would mean over 13,000 instances of shoplifting would have occurred in Campb...
Sea Level Rise on Cortes and Quadra Islands
February 07, 2021 00:45 - 2.7 MBRoy L hales/ Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is applying for a grant to assess the extent and potential vulnerabilities of sea level rise on Cortes and Quadra Islands. The Grant The Union of BC Municipalities is willing to provide successful applicants with up to $150,000 to ensure they have accurate knowledge of the potential flood hazards and develop effective strategies to mitigate the risks. Geographic data would be used to model the potential threat to residen...
The Cortes Island Free Store
February 05, 2021 14:20 - 38.9 MBManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U-Cortes Currents collaboration - Are you thinking and wondering about the Free Store? If you live on Cortes island, the answer is probably yes. Are you drowning in stuff, or down to two bowls in a household of four people? Every week, there are new theories as to what happened to the Free Store: where it went, what will take to get it back, and also exciting possibilities to use the Free Store model to grow Cortes Island: for keeping resources local, making bet...
COVID Update for Greater Campbell River
February 04, 2021 15:19 - 5.46 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The most recent map of the Geographic distribution of COVID cases, shows data in the North Vancouver Island Area up to Saturday, January 30th. At that point there were 4 cases in the Greater Campbell River Area, which includes the Discovery Islands, 17 one in the Comox Valley and one in Vancouver Island West. This shows a significant drop in the number of active cases in the Comox, where there were 9 cases the week before. At that point there were 3 cases in ...
The tiny homes outside Linnaea farm
February 01, 2021 21:22 - 4.6 MBMax Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - You may have seen a couple of tiny homes just outside the linnaea farm parking lot and wondered, as I did, what's the story with those? Well, that would be the right question to ask – the tiny homes are a multi-faceted project of Robert Carrington, aka Bobbie Noobie. Robert told us about his project:
Strathcona Regional District Board undecided about legal action
January 31, 2021 02:01 - 25.5 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - According to the SRD, Cortes island Director Noba Anderson was violating an agreement that one of her land partners would communicate with staff regarding the subdivision of her property on Cortes Island. Anderson’s lawyer, Matthew Voell, disagreed as to the nature of the ‘agreement.’ He produced a long stream of emails demonstrating that staff repeatedly initiated the direct contacts with Anderson. He maintained that Anderson ‘communicated with Regional Distri...
A Climate action plan for Cortes Island
January 29, 2021 17:50 - 11.2 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - “What exactly do we do need to do as a community to survive, and thrive, through what is coming. Through the climate crisis; through climate breakdown; to mitigate as much as possible so that hat we can forego the extreme worst case scenarios and avoid them,” said Ashley Zabartany. >>> Climate Action Plan After the informal launch of Climate Hope, a year and a half ago, the organization was sidelined by the COVID pandemic. Zabartany was hired to get it going ...
Campbell River RCMP report for January 2021
January 29, 2021 15:53 - 13.2 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Campbell River RCMP are experiencing a marked increase in the number of emergency calls in January. In a issued last night, media relations officer Cst Maury Tyre, "2020 was the busiest year in terms of calls for service at the Campbell River RCMP for at least 10 years. This makes January 2021's file count thus far concerning when we compare to our 2020 numbers."
Birth alerts: more First Nations demand control over children's welfare
January 28, 2021 15:29 - 23.3 MBDavid P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - A growing number of First Nations in British Columbia and beyond are ramping up their urgent demands for control over the welfare of their own children, particularly after numerous reports of "birth alerts" surfaced in the media this year. A birth alert is the longstanding practice of social workers being alerted to an Indigenous mother going into labour so they can seize the newborn baby from her as soon as it is born. Sometimes, hospital staff alert chi...
Significant accomplishments reported at Cortes Children's Forest AGM
January 27, 2021 23:02 - 18.6 MBRoy L Hales / Cortes Currents - One of the advantages of virtual AGM is that people from Vancouver, Calgary, and select locations on both the West and East Coast can also attend. Most were in houses, but one was in a parked car and another on a sandy beach somewhere in Washington state. The Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island (FTCCIS) reviewed significant accomplishments of the past year at a ZOOM conference on Jan 23, 2021. “We did our first COVID compliant Mycoblitz in the Chil...
Whaletown Post Office Update
January 27, 2021 14:34 - 2.46 MBDe Clarke/ Cortes Currents - The relocated Whaletown Post Office has finally got its approved Canada Post internet connection! Twincomm and Canada Post’s technical staff were able to get the PO online in January, so semi-automation is restored for many routine postal functions. Customers can once again use credit cards. heat, phone & internet The Post Office now has a Telus landline number again: 6341. The Whaletown community has continued to support the relocated building during many upgra...
SRD contemplates further litigation against Noba Anderson
January 26, 2021 14:04 - 21 MBDe Clarke/ Cortes Currents - In the Agenda published on Friday Jan 22, 2021 for the SRD meeting of Weds Jan 27th, 2021 can be found a couple of items of interest to Cortes Islanders. For item N.1 (Cortes Island Assent Voting Bylaws), all sub-items have been postponed indefinitely. But more dramatic developments are found in section M (Staff Reports) item 1, “Director Anderson — Insider Influence.” Attached to Item M.1 is a staff report dated January 21st and signed by David Leitch, CAO, with...
Phasing out fish farms will have economic consequences
January 25, 2021 01:04 - 18.7 MBRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - When Campbell River was reeling from the onset on COVID last Spring, a task force was formed to study the economic impacts. They interviewed about 300 businesses over a two and a half month month period. The Campbell River Business Recovery Task Force concluded that the city’s economy primarily rests on three pillars: tourism, forestry and fish farms. This is where the first dollars enter, that support numerous other businesses. Now the Task Force warns about the...
Seeking judicial review for aquaculture on unceded territory
January 21, 2021 18:34 - 13.4 MBRoy L Hales / Cortes Currents - In what at least one First Nation leader describes as a challenge to Aboriginal rights, Mowi Canada West and Cermaq Canada are seeking a judicial review to overturn the DFO’s decision to phase out fish farms in the Discovery Islands. This is unceded territory, which has belonged to First Nations for countless generations. When she announced the decision to phase out the fish farms by June 30th, 2022, Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan explained, “These faci...
Anderson vs SRD Hearing 1
January 21, 2021 11:53 - 6.58 MBDe Clarke/Cortes Currents - On January 12th and 13th 2021, the first hearing of BC Supreme Court case S15097, Anderson vs Strathcona Regional District, was held in Campbell River before Justice Geoffrey Gaul. Counsel for the Respondent (SRD) was James Goulden assisted by Sarah McCalla. Counsel for the Petitioner (Anderson) was Paul Hildebrand assisted by Matt Voell. Both senior counsels are distinguished professionals. The Judge apparently found the case of sufficient importance to hear it ...
Cortes Island's electric grid
January 20, 2021 14:25 - 4.49 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - BC Hydro’s 2020 Annual report provides insight, but local knowledge is needed to understand the Cortes Island electric grid. Vancouver Island has more trees per kilometre of utility power line than any place else in North America and this can translate into power outages. The average Campbell River resident experienced 1.86 power outages, averaging 2.55 hours in 2020. This seems high when compared to cities like Victoria and Nanaimo, but is better than Duncan...
SRD protests DFO's failure to consult on fish farms
January 19, 2021 14:31 - 14.3 MBRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) board has joined the growing number of local governments protesting the DFO’s failure to consult before ruling that the Discovery Island fish farms must be phased out by June 2022. Regional Director Brenda Leigh brought forward a motion that the SRD write the Prime Minister of Canada and Federal Fisheries Minister. “Whether or not you are in favour of these particular fish farms that they are eliminating, the crux of this...
Telus wants to put up 5 communication towers on Cortes and Quadra Islands
January 18, 2021 14:07 - 21.7 MBRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - TELUS is looking at five potential communication tower sites in the Discovery Islands. Three of these are on Cortes Island, where they already have land rights on two sites. TELUS owns property in Mansons Landing and has reached an agreement with a property owner in Squirrel Cove. They are also looking for a Whaletown resident who is willing to host a tower on their land. TELUS is looking for properties in Heriot Bay and Drew Harbour on Quadra Island, but has ...
North Island Mayors supporting fish farms
January 15, 2021 15:22 - 7.09 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Salmon farming is a significant local employer in Northern Vancouver Island. According to a recent report there are 572 Campbell River, Sayward and the Discovery Islands residents working in this sector. 702 people are said to have indirect jobs, which means the industry is bringing about $324.3 a year into the local economy. Another 512 direct and indirect jobs, representing $135.1 million, are in Port Hardy and Port McNeill. Mayor Andy Adams announced the ex...
BC Salmon farms: Prospects for survival
January 14, 2021 16:51 - 39.8 MBRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - In the third of what has become a series of articles about the need for a transition plan, John Paul Fraser, President of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, considers the industry’s prospects for survival. “You can make these tough decisions smart. You actually find out how to do it in a way where time and preparation help reduce the temperature and help create a plan to move forward and maybe also help invigorate local discussion. There is no question that th...