Shows
Cortes CurrentsSpring Gardening Tips & Museum HoursSpring Gardening Tips & Museum Hours by Cortes Currents (https://cortescurrents.ca/)
2025-06-101h 54
Cortes CurrentsUnedited audio from Green candidate Jessica Wegg's meeting on Cortes IslandUnedited audio from Green candidate Jessica Wegg's meeting on Cortes Island by Cortes Currents (https://cortescurrents.ca/)
2025-04-171h 17
2025-02-261h 39
Cortes CurrentsNDP Candidate Tanille Johnson visits Cortes IslandRoy L Hales/Cortes Island - NDP candidate Tanille Johnson recently visited Cortes Island, where 20 people were waiting to see her in the Pioneer Room at Mansons Hall. The event was sponsored by Cortes Island’s Climate Action Network, which also provided lunch.
Johnson said she prefers small meetings like this, “I've been spending most of my time going to people's houses, meeting with their friends, I like to think that I'm a very truthful, honest person and I actually care about what happens in this riding. It means a lot to me, like my family, generations and generations, lived here.”
R...
2025-02-2528 min
Cortes CurrentsBehind The Campbell River Premiere Of YintahRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - 21 people attended the Premier of the feature documentary Yintah at the Campbell River Community Center on February 20th, 2025. The movie is sponsored by the North Island Powell River (NIPR) Federal Green Party Riding Association and follows the Wet'suwet'en land defenders 10 years struggle to keep gas companies from building a pipeline through their territory. Cortes Currents interviewed two of the event’s organizers about the film and some of the deeper issues within the local community.
2025-02-2421 min
Cortes CurrentsShould there be a Maximum Size for Houses on Cortes?Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - A quick question just came up in regard to Cortes Island’s ongoing Zoning Bylaw Review. Cortes Island residents have up until noon on Friday, March 7, to make their thoughts known on possible limits to house sizes known.
“Do we want to put a limit on the maximum house size on Cortes? It's a basic yes or no question.” asked Regional Director Mark Vonesch.
“If you do agree, what is the maximum size you would like to see happen? Everything from 2,500 square feet to 4,300 square feet. I've certainly heard from a lot of people that this is so...
2025-02-2303 min
Cortes CurrentsPossible SRD Breakdown_ Campbell River Vows To Cut Admin PaymentsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - While most of the Strathcona Regional District’s costs can be directly allocated to specific areas, others are labelled administration costs and need to be shared among the 10 communities. At their February 19 meeting the SRD Board discussed ways to make a more fair allocation of this expense.
Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch explained, “ To put this in perspective, let's say the SRD's total budget is $20 million or whatever it may be this year, we're talking about $2.8 million for admin costs.”
Campbell River has close to three quarters of the SRD’s population, but only contributes...
2025-02-2313 min
Cortes CurrentsDe Clark: A Deep Dive into NeoliberalismManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On February 21, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by De Clarke for a deep dive into neoliberalism—its history, impact, and the debates surrounding its influence on economics, politics, and society. How do current trends in US and Canadian politics affect us on Cortes?
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2025-02-211h 59
Cortes CurrentsScientific Methodology, 'Activist Science' and Corporate SpinRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Brian Kingzett, the Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, recently informed the city of Campbell River that:
“ We have seen a weaponization of science where industry and government have their science, industry science is always put into conflict. Then we see activist science, which is largely coming out of urban areas being weaponized against us. We need that independent science more than ever.”
What Kingzett, who by the way has a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from SFU, did not say is that the professors he was defaming ‘have cumulatively published over 1,500 pee...
2025-02-2015 min
Cortes CurrentsMinimizing the impact Trump's tarrifs could on the $130 million REC-reate Strathcona Garden projectRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - It is only two weeks until President Donald Trump decides whether to impose 25% tarrifs on Canada and Mexico. There is some question whether he will follow through. Trump was initially going to impose the tarrifs on February 4, but the previous day Wall Street's three main indices fell sharply over concerns about the global economy. The stock market recovered that afternoon after Trump announced he would postpone the tarrifs for a month. However Canadians are preparing for the worst and, on the local level, one of the topics discussed at yesterday’s Strathcona Gardens Commission me...
2025-02-1903 min
Cortes CurrentsAll things love on Folk UManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by three beloved Cortes couples to chat about all things love. We heard their meeting stories, their advice, and we chatted about commitment, long-term love, challenges, and joyful moments. Tune in for a moving celebration of island romance and connection.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2025-02-191h 47
Cortes CurrentsCumberland Gold for Frank MottlRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Frank Mottl’s latest novel, Cumberland Gold, takes us to the quaint village of Cumberland BC. This is the same setting as his first novel, The Cumberland Tales, in which Mottl described the community he knew in the 1960s. Only now he is writing about the late 19th century, when Lord Dunsmuir (1825-89) was attempting to recruit Chinese immigrants to work in his coal mine.
Mottle explained, “ I did some research at the Cumberland Museum, and there was an unsolved homicide in the 19th century in the old Cumberland Chinatown. Nobody knew much about it, other t...
2025-02-1608 min
Cortes CurrentsBusting Myths about BC's coming electrificationRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -According to some estimates, BC would have to double its electrical output if everyone switched to electric vehicles by 2035. Others talk about blackouts and rolling brownouts if we don’t back renewables up with LNG or nuclear power. Clean Energy Canada has just released a report that claims this is not true, the province’s electricity grid can handle the increased demand from EVs, heat pumps and extreme weather events, while electricity trading keeps energy bills low.
“Over the last year or two, we've been seeing quite a bit of incorrect information on BC's electricity system...
2025-02-1312 min
Cortes CurrentsConstruction starts at Rainbow RidgeRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - After years of anticipation, construction has finally begun on the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project in downtown Mansons Landing.
“We had an open house a couple of weeks ago, and we had a lot of back and forth with the seniors village next door. We made some considerable changes to our plans based on their input. Then Monday, we started clearing the land in preparation for phase 1 of our project,” explained Sadhu Johnston, Executive Director of the Cortes Housing Society.
“Phase 1 is to clear the land and build the infrastructure that we need, which is the w...
2025-02-1203 min
Cortes CurrentsFree Ecotrust Canada Workshops On Energy RetrofitsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The energy team of Ecotrust Canada will be visiting Quadra and Cortes Islands next week. They are part of a registered charity which works primarily works in rural and remote areas and helps guide people through the process of doing energy retrofits, installing heat pumps, new windows and solar panels. They will be giving free workshops at 2:00 and 6:30 in the Quadra Community Centre on Monday, February 17 and at the same times in Mansons Hall on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
“The upcoming workshops are to introduce residents to our Home Energy Savings Program. We're offering a one on o...
2025-02-1115 min
Cortes CurrentsDonald Trump, Canada's Conservatives and uncertainties of the 2025 electionRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - If there were an election today, the polls show that Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative party would probably form the next government. This isn’t what is necessarily going to happen. I like to think of polls as ‘point in time’ snapshots which may be 100% accurate right now, but the situation can be very different tomorrow.
One of the trends I have noticed on 338Canada, which gleans data from many polls, is that support for the Liberals has been tacking upwards since Trudeau resigned (6 points), while support for the Conservatives and NDP has gone down (4 points ea...
2025-02-1010 minCortes CurrentsConcussions, Brain Health, and Nervous System RegulationManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On February 7, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Elizabeth Burr to chat about concussions, brain health, and nervous system regulation. This discussion shed light on the hidden impacts of brain injuries, healing resources, and the path to recovery.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2025-02-091h 31
Cortes CurrentsThe (Almost) Secret Budget for REC-Reate Strathcona GardensRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) may have a nasty surprise for property owners in Campbell River and Area D. They may soon be asked to approve an additional $54 million debt to finance the second phase of the new REC-REATE Strathcona Gardens project. When they originally consented through an Alternative Approval Process (which automatically passes unless 10% of the electorate object), taxpayers were informed the cost was almost half of what is now being put forward
“The April 2023 staff report indicated that both phases of the REC-CREATE project were going to be included. They had a Cl...
2025-02-0617 minCortes CurrentsFolk U Vital Signs Round TableManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On January 30th, Kate Maddigan, Rose Fitcyk, and Sadhu Aufochs Johnston joined host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie, to talk about the state of Cortes Island, the recent Vital Signs survey, CHS’ Rainbow Ridge housing project, and the stories and data of “now”. This is an important community update!
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2025-02-041h 52
Cortes CurrentsFood Prices And Food Security From Local, Provincial And Global PersepectivesRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Around the time President Donald Trump started threatening to start a trade war, Cortes Currents reached out to Dr Kushank Bajaj from UBC’s Institute for Resource, Environment and Sustainability and Marc Doll, from Foot Forward Forest Farm on Quadra Island.
The topic was food security and Dr Bajaj is one of the developers of a website called Canada Food Flows, which traces the amount of fruits and vegetables coming into British Columbia from other provinces and nations.
Marc Doll comes from what, at first glance, seems like a totally different perspective. Foot Forward Forest Fa...
2025-02-0422 min
Cortes CurrentsCortes Island's new MakerspaceRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Cortes Island’s dream of having a makerspace has become a reality. The Cortes Wood Makerspace is being set up in the Orchard Village Shop, 671 Sutil Point Rd, Mansons Landing.
“This idea has been around for a long time. I have heard people talking about it for at least 15 years and some old timers apparently remember even longer. We have lots of people who are woodworkers or building their own homes and not everyone has to build a shop for themselves and equip it with machinery,” explained Hannu Huuskonen, the Shop Master.
“We had our first m...
2025-02-0307 min
Cortes CurrentsAnna KIndy Waiting for the Legislature, the Health Critic and MLA for North IslandRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Anna Kindy was sitting in her Campbell River office. Her assistant stood almost out of the frame long enough to wave, before handing Kindy a headset and disappearing. The thing I find refreshing about Kindy is she doesn’t sound like a politician, which is understandable because she only recently became one. She and her husband are both doctors. Anna Kindy was elected as the MLA for North Island on October 19, 2024 and is the Health Critic for the Conservative party Shadow Cabinet, but has yet to sit in the legislature.
This fact emerged when I...
2025-01-2809 min
Cortes CurrentsCortes Island’s Community Meal PogramRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - There is a community meal somewhere on Cortes Island every week.
“A warm bowl of soup, or a stew, that’s at the heart of it. Then there's always some sort of fresh veggies or a fresh veggie platter cut up. Folks are getting that kind of food in them. Then bread and butter, because that's just the basics for everybody and usually a dessert, some sort of cookies or brownies and the whole meal includes gluten free and vegetarian options,” explained Yasmina Cartland.
“There's nothing you have to do to come to lunch. Everyone can...
2025-01-2706 min
Cortes CurrentsConstruction coming to the Common Areas of Mansons LandinRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Close to 50 people turned up at Mansons Hall on January 24, for an update on the construction coming or already underway in the downtown Mansons area. The Cortes Housing Society, Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA), Cortes Island Community Foundation and Cortes Island Pickleball Society were on hand to describe what’s taking place at Rainbow Ridge, the multipurpose courts and the Village Commons.
Regional Director Mark Vonesch exclaimed, “The big news here on Cortes is that the Housing Society is going to start building houses this year.”
Sandra Wood, who's been at the heart of the Rainb...
2025-01-2716 min
Cortes CurrentsPetition Against Making Quadra Residents Pay For REC-CREATE Strathcona GardensRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - A timeline on the REC-REATE – Strathcona Gardens Revitalization Project website traces the origins of this project back to an operational review in 1998. At that time, most of the community was satisfied with the existing facility and the idea of building a new complex did not gain momentum until 2015. A community survey taken between February 2nd and March 2nd that year found that someone from 72% of the Campbell River and 64% of Area D households visited Strathcona Gardens at least once a year. Construction for Phase One, the New Aquatic and Wellness Centre, finally began on Sep...
2025-01-2606 min
Cortes CurrentsPaul Watson: Activist, Pirate, Friend (Part 5 of 5)De Clarke/ Cortes Currents - The grand finale of a series of interviews in which Rex Weyler offers his personal memories of the early Greenpeace campaigns and of Paul Watson, who became a lifelong friend.
2025-01-2215 min
Cortes CurrentsArea C Taxpayers Resistant to paying for Strathcona Gardens Re-DevelopmentRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Campbell River’s Strathcona Gardens is in the midst of re-development. Following a successful Alternative Approval Process (APP) in Campbell River and Area D, whose residents use this complex, in 2023 the Board authorized borrowing up to $64.6 million for this project. Crews are currently building the foundations.
The SRD is exploring the possibility of using Area C property tax dollars to support this complex, but has not yet decided upon a course of action. This sparked a great deal of resistance from Area C residents who do not want to see their property taxes increased to...
2025-01-2207 min
Cortes CurrentsPaul Watson: Activist, Pirate, Friend (Part 4 of 5)De Clarke/Cortes Currents - The fourth in a series of interviews in which Rex Weyler offers his personal memories of the early Greenpeace campaigns and of Paul Watson, who became a lifelong friend.
2025-01-2114 min
Cortes CurrentsPaul Watson: Activiest, Pirate, Friend (Part 3 of 5)De Clarke/CityWest - In the third of a series of five programs, Rex Weyler talks about Captain Paul Watson, some of the personality dynamics onboard the Greenpeace vessal and blockading the Russian whaling fleet.
2025-01-2115 min
Cortes CurrentsPaul Watson: Activist, Pirate, Friend (Part 2 of 5)De Clarke/Cortes Currents - The second in a series of five broadcasts in which Rex Weyler offers his personal memories of the early Greenpeace campaigns and of Paul Watson, who became a lifelong friend.
2025-01-2114 min
Cortes CurrentsShort Term Rentals must be registered by May 1, 2025Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - There are approximately 100 short term rentals, collectively earning between $1million and $5 million a year, on Cortes Island. At of the end of 2021, there were 177 on Quadra. As of May 1st, all Airbnbs and short-term rentals in BC have to register with the provincial government.
“It's a process where the provincial government is asking short term rental operators and short term rental platform operators to register. Then they're going to cross reference and use that as a way to regulate Airbnbs,” explained Mark Vonesch, Regional Director for Cortes Island (Area B).
Cortes Currents: Is there a cost...
2025-01-2003 min
Cortes CurrentsCortes Island Residents Waiting for CityWest To Connect ThemRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - This is Roy Hales with Cortes Currents and as the data for the following report was almost exclusively collected by email or phone, the only voice in the following report is mine.
CityWest started hooking Cortes Island residents up to the internet in December 2023, but many homes are still waiting. As the evidence is anecdotal, it is difficult to say how many people are currently connected through CityWest and how many are not.
Sherman Barker just informed me that he has never met anyone who is connected. After waiting for two years of waiting, h...
2025-01-2007 min
Cortes CurrentsPaul Watson: Activist, Pirate, Friend (Podcast 1 of 5)De Clarke/Cortes Currents - In December 2024, the environmental activist Paul Watson was freed by Danish authorities from detention in Greenland. He had been held there due to an Interpol red-notice (warrant) issued against him by the government of Japan. The Danish Ministry of Justice denied official requests to extradite Watson for trial in Japan, and he was released to rejoin his family.
What did Paul Watson do that so angered the Japanese government? Watson, born in Canada, has spent most of his adult life — ever since the 1970s — protesting against the commercial slaughter of whales and other marine mammals. He was...
2025-01-1915 min
Cortes CurrentsTime Travelling To 2040 With The Cortes island AcademyRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Cortes Island Academy’s third semester is wrapping up and in this year’s end showcase the students are taking the audience on an imaginative visit to the year 2040. It starts at 7:00 this Thursday, January 13, 2025 at Mansons Hall.
“A really important part of the Cortes Island Academy is our year end showcase where the students are given the task of finding a way to share some of the learning that they've gone through in the semester in a form that is digestible for the community at large. So they put on this big event which i...
2025-01-1806 min
Cortes CurrentsThe Cortes Housing Society looks back to things accomplished in 2024 and what's ahead in 2025Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Cortes Community Housing Society will soon break ground on Rainbow Ridge. They are also renting out two houses, are about to explore the possibility of a tiny house village, and hope to launch a homeshare program this summer. There is also news about the aquifer study, more online housing forums, the Cortes Island Trade Directory and Cortes Island’s vacant homes.
“2024 was a banner year for us in many ways,” exclaimed Executive Director Sadhu Johnston.
Bruin Black, the Society’s new Project Manager, added, “This year is going to be a big year in terms of th...
2025-01-1612 minCortes CurrentsMaxShellfishRecording_Jan9_EditedManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On January 9, 2025, Max Thaysen and Erik Lyon hosted a hands-on workshop on all things shellfish! This fantastic teaching team chatted harvesting, sustainability, identification, risks and benefits of eating local shellfish, and so much more! This is a field-recording-style episode made possible by Decoda Literacy, the Cortes Island Community Foundation, and the Cortes Island Food Bank. Big thank you to Max and Erik.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime...
2025-01-161h 14
Cortes CurrentsProposed Campbell River Bylaw for Nusance LightingRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - On January 9, 2025, Campbell River’s City Council gave first and second readings to a public nuisance amendment bylaw intended to prevent floodlighting, spotlighting and directional lighting from shining beyond the properties they protect onto residential areas. Council is giving the public to respond in writing before making a decision.
Bylaw Services Manager (SM) Karl Read pointed out that it has been a year since Paula Burque asked the city to remedy this matter.
2025-01-1411 min
Cortes CurrentsGreen Party Candidate Jessica Wegg talks about the coming electionRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Election fever seems to be in the air again and in the first of a series of interviews with the candidates, Cortes Currents talked with Jessica wig the green party candidate for North Island-Powell River.
“We have a chance now to show the world that we will not Follow the trend of electing conservative right wing governments out of fear because we're told that things are bad. We know that things are bad in some ways, but things are amazing and wonderful in so many other ways,” she exclaimed.
“If we just have our knee jer...
2025-01-1308 min
Cortes CurrentsFrom Shore to Table Workshop on Cortes IslandRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Max Thaysen and Erik Lyon led a shellfish harvesting workshop in Mansons Lagoon on Thursday January 9, 2024. This was a free event sponsored by the Cortes Island Community Foundation, Decoda Literacy, and the Cortes Island Food Bank. Cortes Currents interviewed Max a few days prior to the workshop.
“ I would love to support people to get more of their food from our local environment in a way that is ecologically sustainable and invited my friend Eric Lyon to join me in presenting the glory of shellfish to anybody who hasn't yet heard, or felt comfortable accessi...
2025-01-1209 min
Cortes CurrentsOn the Threshold of a 1.5°C WorldRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -While there is some disagreement as to whether we have passed the 1.5°C threshhold set at COP 21 in Paris, scientists agree that we are on the brink and 2024 was the hottest year on record.
At COP 29 last November, Jim Skea, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) explained, “Children born today will not know a world without climate change. The IPCC has shown that we, and furthermore they, will live in a world marked by more intense storms, exceptional heatwaves, devastating floods and droughts, a world where food chains are disrupted, and where dis...
2025-01-1004 min
Cortes CurrentsThe Documentary Salmon Secrets Comes To Cortes IslandRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - French filmmaker Jérémy Mathieu’s award winning documentary ‘Salmon Secrets,’ will be coming to Gorge Hall at 1 PM on Sunday, January 12.
This 40 minute film was produced by Clayoquot Action, whose co-founders Bonny Glamback and Dan Lewis will be speaking at the screening.
Mike Moore, President of the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), stated,
“The film is hosted by FOCI and our streamkeepers who have just done an incredible job working with the highways department to put in new culverts so that the fish can go up beyond Whaletown Road and the Squirrel Cove Road. T...
2025-01-0608 min
Cortes CurrentsTurning Down the Heat Part 2: It's Time to Kick Some AssMax Thaysen/Climate Action Network - When filmmaker Jon Cooksey talks about kicking ass in his frog-boiling film, he's referring to the application of pressure, embarrassing, shedding light on the people and institutions that are doing bad things. He points to the fact that we have massive access to video and publishing resources, so we can be ass-kicking youtube stars (or tiktok if that's your jam).
The theory is, if businesses or politicians get bad press coverage, they will change their ways because they have strong self-preservation instincts. And the opposite may be true: if no one is paying attention, th...
2025-01-0616 min
Cortes CurrentsDance Temple CortesRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Starting on Saturday, January 11th, Dance Temple Cortes will be held every two weeks in Manson's hole.
"Everyone has an excuse not to dance. In Gabriel Roth's book, Sweat Your Prayers, there's a two page list or maybe a three page list of all the reasons. That's great, if that's your choice, but there's something to be said for getting over the resistance because there's no wrong way to dance. There's no wrong way to move. It's incredibly freeing to be in a space where you can dance in all your goofiness, offbeat, rolling around...
2025-01-0608 min
Cortes CurrentsBiggest Christmas BIrd Count EverRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Audobin Society has been holding Christmas Bird Counts across North America for the past 125 years. On Cortes Island it is co-sponsored by the Cortes Island Museum and Birds Canada. Thirty-nine walkers, cyclists, boaters, and people in cars participated in Cortes Islands 2024 Christmas Bird Count.
This was the third time that more than 4,000 birds have been counted since the islands first Christmas Bird Count in 2001. A new record was set: 4,545 Birds were listed.
Donna Collins explained, "We had more birders out, more areas covered and lots of birds counted."
The most numerous species were 1,057 Surf...
2025-01-0309 min
Cortes CurrentsDFO Confirms No Problems With Raw Oysters From Cortes IslandDe Clarke/Cortes Currents - There has been a flurry of media stories about the dangers of eating raw oysters lately, but Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) confirmed that there have been no problems with Cortes Island grown oysters. (And there have been no problems anywhere with cooked oysters.) Only one of the 8 emergency closures DF0 listed, in response to Cortes Currents request, is in the Discovery Islands. A DFO notice from December 23 states, “The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has received reports of illness linked to BC Aquaculture Tenure Landfile #1402974” in the Bold Island-Crescent Channel area between Quadra and Read...
2024-12-3104 minCortes CurrentsFolk U- All things snow on Cortes IslandManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On Friday December 27th Manda Aufochs Gillespie from Folk U and Jane Newman from the Cortes Island Museum teamed up to present stories of snow on Cortes. A festive radio story telling event where neighbours tell their favourite stories of fun, festivities and mishaps. All things snowy on Cortes.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-12-291h 29
Cortes CurrentsStonehenge_ Exhibition from a Sacred Place for All BritonsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Modern geneticists have shown us that the past is much closer than most of us realize. We carry the genetic coding from previous generations in our DNA and it can be traced back 200,000 to 300,000 years. Adam Rutherford went further, proclaiming everyone with European roots descends from Charlemagne (as well as his most humble followers). His point being that the number of your direct ancestors doubles every generation you count backward. By the time you count back 33 generations—about 800 to 1,000 years ago—you have more than 8 billion ancestors. By way of contrast, the population of Engl...
2024-12-2909 minCortes CurrentsFolk U-Michael Keith and Greg Osoba Chat About All Things GuitarGreg Osoba/Folk U - On December 20, 2024, host Greg Osoba was joined by guitarist Michael Keith to chat about all things guitar: theory, terminology, sounds, effects, and practice. This is a fun, demonstrative interview for both total beginners and advanced players looking for some new inspiration.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-12-232h 00
Cortes CurrentsBulk Water Regulations for the Outer IslandsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - At their December 11 meeting, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board passed a bylaw to regulate bulk water processing, bottling and sales on Maurelle, Sonora, Stuart, and the Rendezvous islands.
Three Campbell River Directors voted against receiving the staff report for this bylaw.
Director Susan Sinnott explained, “I just want to hear from staff, the reasons necessary. Is there a pending application for people to bulk water in the distillation sound area? Is there an imminent issue?”
Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch replied, “The impetus of this. Bylaws came from the directors. So I think it's proba...
2024-12-1704 min
Cortes CurrentsTiber Bay Residents Being Asked If They Want To Be Included In Cortes Fire Protection AreaRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The 32 properties in Tiber Bay are one step closer to being included in the South Cortes Island fire protection area. They are currently outside the boundary and, consequently, the Cortes Fire department cannot immediately respond to fires in that area. It needs direction from the BC Wildfire Service. Tiber Bay residents will soon be receiving a petition in which they can state their preferences.
Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch read out the motion at the December 11 SRD Board Meeting, “That a petition be prepared and distributed to affected property owners to determine if they suppo...
2024-12-1603 min
Cortes CurrentsNew Major Vessels For A 21st Century Ferry ServiceRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -BC Ferries currently deploys 11 vessels on its major routes that connect Vancouver Island with the Lower Mainland. Six of these are decades old and nearing the end of their effective service life. While the volume of traffic has significantly increased over the past three decades, there have not been any additions to the major routes carrying capacity since the Spirit Class vessels were introduced in 1993-94. Consequently, 60% of the vehicles using the ferry on a major route last summer had to wait for at least one sailing. In a bold move to bring this portion...
2024-12-1405 min
Cortes CurrentsCortes Island Food Bank Drive To Meet Rising Local NeedRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - he Cortes Island Food Bank recently launched a food drive to meet unprecedented needs. Cortes Currents met with two of the charity’s key personnel in the garage where most of the food is stored. Executive Director Filipe Figuera explained :
“The situation is getting worse on Cortes. It is the same across the country. Two years ago, we had 100 client visits a year. This year we had 600, that's about 50 clients a month. People are really suffering economically. The good news is that we're in a better situation to help those people. We've really built up the c...
2024-12-1409 min
Cortes CurrentsPolitical maneuvers_ SRD proposal to meet with the province about the allowable cut and other forestry mattersRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - It has been 85 years since the Truck Loggers Association was founded to give independent loggers a collective voice in society and the forest industry. Now they would like the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) to intervene on their behalf with BC’s Minister of Forests, Minister of State for Workforce Development and Chief Forester. This was disclosed during the discussion of a motion from the SRD’s Natural Resources Committee at the Wednesday December 11 Board Meeting.
Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney said she is not a member of the Natural Resources Committee, but the issue is a co...
2024-12-1307 min
Cortes CurrentsPoll Finds 54% of Canadians Support prioritizing Renewable EnergyRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - 54% of the respondents to a new poll from Abacus Data stated they think Canada should prioritize the development of renewable energy, 36% would like to see a ‘balanced approach’ and 11% would rather prioritize fossil fuels.
“ We commissioned Abacus to run this polling for us and see where Canadians stand in terms of their support for renewable energy and around reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. What's clear is that a majority of Canadians want to see government action to phase out fossil fuels and prioritize renewable energy. Canadians know that renewables are a win, win, win. We k...
2024-12-1209 minCortes CurrentsFolk U: All things circular economy and wasteManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U -On December 6, 2024, Tina Willard-Stepan from Comox Strathcona Waste Management joined us to talk all things circular economy and waste. Along with the students of the Cortes Island Academy and some community members, we learned about where our garbage goes, how much we produce, repair cafes, and the Cumberland dump (where our garbage on Cortes is sent to!)
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-12-111h 06
Cortes CurrentsFinal count for Cortes island's 2024 Chum runRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -The final numbers for Cortes Island's 2024 Chum run are in. Local streamkeepers Cec and Christine Robinson gave a rundown.
Christine Robinson: “I think we all know that this was a stupendous year for Chums up and down the coast. So not just Cortes, not just Quadra, not just the Sunshine Coast, but from the mainland all the way up to Alaska and down through to Puget Sound and I think possibly further south. The numbers on Cortes were the highest that we have seen since we've lived on Cortes, which is now 34 years.”
Cec Robinson: “To put it...
2024-12-1110 min
Cortes CurrentsJanie Wray_ Listening to the whalesRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Over 100 people came to the Quadra Community Centre on December 7, to learn about the acoustic dialects and social connections of Orca, Humpback and Fin Whales. Sierra Quadra invited Janie Wray - CEO and co-founder of the North Coast Cetacean Society, BC Whales, and the manager of the BC Hydrophone Network - to share from her more than two decades of research.
“One thing that we've recognized is that if we want to understand and protect whales, we have to listen them. That is why we think hydrophones are so important. It's a non-invasive way of...
2024-12-0710 min
Cortes CurrentsBC’s Productivity Emergency vs Rising GHG EmissionsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - With the rise of global emissions already at 1.4°C, we are currently on track to reach 2.8°C by the end of this century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claims, “every additional 0.1°C of global warming causes clearly discernible increases in the intensity and frequency of temperature and precipitation extremes, as well as agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions.”
Denise Mullen, from the Business Council of BC, recently informed the SRD’s Natural Resources Committee that the province faces a more urgent problem. British Columbia is in the midst of a productivity emergency...
2024-12-0606 min
Cortes CurrentsFresh Homemade Pasta- Lunch with Trever BassRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - “ Lunch is duck tortellini, which is one of the smaller ravioli. It'll be floating in a broth of vegetable and parmesan rind that have been simmered for six hours. It's very cheesy, but also subtle and just really complements a spoon sized tortellini.”
I just met Trever Bass and his wife, Elizabeth Anderson-Bass, at Manson's Friday Market. Someone had suggested I do a story on them. When I asked Trevor for an interview, he suggested I come over for lunch. The duck tortellini was delicious.
“I love feeding people. A plate of pasta can mean a l...
2024-12-0309 min
Cortes CurrentsIntroducing Anna Kindy, MLA for North IslandRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - t has been three weeks since Anna Kindy was sworn in as the Conservative Party MLA for North Island riding.
We actually had a long phone conversation shortly after her election, but this has been a very busy time for Ms Kindy and so we agreed to do the interview on December 3, yesterday.
As I didn’t get an opportunity to interview her during the election, it's probably best to start at the beginning.
“As an MLA, I represent everyone in this constituency. It doesn't matter if you voted for me or not, I represe...
2024-12-0315 min
Cortes CurrentsWildfire Mitigation in Squirrel CoveRoy L Hales/COrtes Currents - There's a wildfire mitigation operation underway in the Community Forest near Squirrel Cove.
"This is something that we've been working on since 2018. It was identified as a priority in the 2020 Community Wildfire Protection Plan. We received funding for a prescription, then we got funding to do an archaeological assessment, as required by law in the Tla'amin First Nation and then this year we obtained funding through the Forest Enhancement Society of BC to actually do the work. I'm just really excited to see it happening because when you see an overgrown plantation like this, it f...
2024-12-0211 minCortes CurrentsJohnny Hanuse- Indigenous Governance, Decolonization & moreManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On November 29, 2024, host Manda Aufoch’s Gillespie was joined by Klahoose council member and political science major Johnny Hanuse, to lead a conversation about indigenous governance. Tune in for a discussion of decolonization, politics, tradition, and community.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-12-011h 39
Cortes CurrentsSRD Motion Fails; Rural Areas Retain Sole Use of Gas Tax FundingRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - A Strathcona Regional District (SRD) motion that might have taken Gas Tax funding away from its rural areas was narrowly defeated at the Wednesday, November 27, Board meeting.
Every year, the funds collected through Canada’s Gas Tax are used on infrastructure and planning projects across the nation. In British Columbia, the Union of BC Municipalities distributes $280 million to local governments. Municipalities like Campbell River, Sayward and Zeballos are all paid directly, receiving $1.7 million, $79,000 and $69.000, respectively. Viewed on a per capita basis, every municipality in the SRD except Campbell River receives between two and ten times...
2024-11-3019 min
Cortes CurrentsMark Baker reelected Chair of SRD, Matthew Jack Vice ChairRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - By law, the Strathcona Regional District is required to elect a Chair and Vice Chair every year. The SRD Board met on Wendesday November 27 and as the SRD press release states, elected Mayor Mark Baker as Chair for the third consecutive year. What it does not say is that their were two other candidates: Mark Vonesch of Cortes Island and Gerald Whalley of Area A.
2024-11-2805 min
Cortes CurrentsChanges coming to BC FerriesRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - As some of you may have already heard, BC Ferries is going through some changes. They range from a total revamp of the way they have been engaging with the public to that probably won’t effect fares until 2028.
Let’s start with finances. BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez recently informed the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce the cost to build ferries has risen 40% since 2020. Speaking as a customer, my immediate thought was this sounds like there is a fare hike coming.
Jeff Groot, BC Ferries Executive Director in charge of communications, responded “I think t...
2024-11-2711 min
Cortes CurrentsThe 10th Annual Holiday Fair at Mansons HallRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The 10th Annual Holiday Fair at Mansons Hall will be from 11 to 3 PM on Sunday December 1, 2024.
“Join us at Manson's Hall on Sunday, December 1st, from 11am to 3pm for a 10th annual holiday fair. 30 talented vendors will display their finest wares, including gourmet food. handmade crafts, specialty beauty products, natural remedies, unique jewelry, artisan soaps, textiles, beeswax candles, musical instruments, baskets, baked goods, woodwork and handicraft items. The event also features live music and a delightful lunch,” explained Jennifer Pickrod, the Hall Manager.
Cortes Currents: When was the first Holiday Fair?
Jennifer Pickrod: “I just...
2024-11-2704 min
Cortes CurrentsDiscovery Islands in the 2024 Interim Housing Needs ReportRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - According to the 2024 Interim Housing Needs Report, in the next two years Cortes Island will need another 95 new housing units and Area C will need another 270.
The studies underlying assumptions are that the Discovery Island’s population will continue to grow by 8% over the next few years.
One of the key findings is that “there is a need for housing that is affordable and accessible for those on a fixed income, particularly within the rental market. An aging population presents a greater need for at-home care options and smaller housing units that allow for downs...
2024-11-2603 min
Cortes CurrentsA closer look into Cortes Island's economyRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - When the Cortes Island Foundation released Cortes Island’s Vital Signs Report last month, Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie said she’d like to go into specific sections in more detail.
"One of the things that really stood out to me is the information around income and work and economy. This area starts around page 13 in this document and I'm going to be using a lot of words to talk about this, but when you look at the report there's graphs, little quotes and etc. that make it easier to read.”
She suggested inviting Kate Maddigan...
2024-11-2515 min
Cortes CurrentsOnly A Week From Now_ FOCI's 2024 AGMRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) 2024 AGM is coming up at 5 PM on December 3rd. They are celebrating more than 30 years with their Marine Stewardship program and special partnership with the Watershed Sentinel Magazine. Sabina Leader Mense and Delores Broten will be the guest speakers.
“That's the second part of the AGM. For the first part, we will be talking about the work we've done in 2024. We've just produced our 2024 Annual Report and that's bursting at the seams with amazing work that we've been doing over the last year,” explained Helen Hall. executive director of the Fr...
2024-11-2308 min
Cortes CurrentsUsing AI for Good with Daniel LindenbergerManda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On November 15, 2024, host Manda Aufoch’s Gillespie was joined by AI researcher and community organizer Daniel Lindenberger, to lead a conversation about artificial intelligence. Along with the students of the Cortes Island Academy and some community members, we explored the potential of AI in various tasks, including data structuring, summarizing, and generating business ideas, while acknowledging its limitations and potential risks. The conversation ended with discussions on the environmental impact of AI, the potential of AI for positive change, and the importance of considering the economic consequences of AI for artists.
Folk U Radio is...
2024-11-221h 31
Cortes CurrentsChange Your Light BulbCarries Saxifrage/ Cortes Currents & FOCI Climate Action Committee - In early July of 2024, a small group of Cortes Islanders, supported by Friends Of Cortes Island (FOCI), screened the film “How to Boil a Frog” for the community. You can watch the film here. The film is about the five-pronged problem life on Earth is currently facing — overpopulation, a war on nature, wealth disparity, peak oil (hee hee), and climate change—and offers five actions that can help—boycott Exxon, change your “life bulb” (reduce consumption), a change of heart, one kid per couple, and kick some ass.
This article is the second in...
2024-11-1715 min
Cortes CurrentsFirst 2024 Egg Count from Basil CreekRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -The final count for Cortes Island’s 2024 Chum run is not yet in, but according to local streamkeeper Christine Robinson, “We have never seen a return like this during the 34 years we've lived on Cortes, but the phenomenon is up the coast as far as Alaska. It's not specific to Cortes and the Discovery Islands.”
“It’s down into Washington state as well,” added her husband and fellow streamkeeper, Cec Robinson.
On Monday, November 18th, five Cortes stream keepers and a semi-retired DFO employee from Campbell River gathered in the Klahoose Hatchery to count this year's first e...
2024-11-1606 min
Cortes CurrentsBrian Scott, Sherman Barker & Isabella LePlante: the Cortez island experienceRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Around 40 people turned out to the Cortes Island Museum on November 10 for the launch of a series of community speakers. The host, Brian Scott traced the idea for ‘Finding Home: The Cortes Island Experience’ to a conversation he had with Sherman Barker.
“Sherman and I have known each other for a few years, it's long other story, but he was up on Easter Bluff one day when Jane and I went up for a hike. We're chatting, and he started telling us his arrival story. It actually goes even further back to when he came as a k...
2024-11-1620 min
Cortes CurrentsJane Newman_ Three upcoming workshops at the MuseumRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Jane Newman will be leading a series of creative workshops at the Cortes Island Museum this season.
“The museum was in contact with me about running some programming this fall,” she explained. "After thinking about it I was like, 'yeah, I'm really interested, but I only want to run creative programming. I want to do things that are hands-on. It's my thing, I love doing it, I love sharing it with people. I love hanging out with people when they're making things. The things that come out of it are so precious!' So I design...
2024-11-1307 min
Cortes CurrentsProposed Conservation Area In The Mansons Bay ForestRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Nature Trust of British Columbia wants to purchase 35.7 acres in the Mansons Bay Forest for a land conservancy. They have already raised about half of the necessary funding and have until December 31 to rise the remaining $408,000.
“One of the landowners has come forward, and they're interested in selling the land for conservation. They've never developed the land, and they'd like to see it stay in the intact condition that it is right now. We are working with them to purchase the land so that we can prevent the conversion of habitat to residential use...
2024-11-1204 min
Cortes CurrentsNext Steps for the Cortes_Quadra Transportation StudyRoy L Hales/Cortes Current - There were a number of next steps connected to last summer’s Cortes/Quadra Transportation survey.
Kate Maddigan, Economic Development Officer of The Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) explained, “I haven’t publicly said the final report is complete because I really wanted to put some attention into just making it shorter, like a briefing on that final report, rather than having people read the whole thing. Having said that, the recommendations, which is what I always skip to if I have to read a final report, are pretty straightforward. If I was to summariz...
2024-11-1003 min
Cortes CurrentsNature’s Salmon Feast at Basil CreekRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The faint stench of rotting salmon greets visitor’s nostrils just beyond the Squirrel Cove Store. Further down the rocky beach, at the mouth of Basil Creek, clouds of seagulls feasted upon the corpses. A few of the dead Chum Salmon were reduced to skeletons, but most have been left to rot. The only body part missing is their eyes, a delicacy among sea gulls.
Nothing has been feasting on their brains, which is a delicacy among black bears. There were reports of bears raiding human properties during the last big Chum run, in 2020. Th...
2024-11-1002 min
Cortes CurrentsCanada's Unidentified And Unprotected Species At RiskRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - According to the United Nations, global diversity loss is one of the world’s most pressing emergencies. “Intense human activities, such as land-use change, overexploitation, climate change, pollution and the introduction of invasive species, is causing an extinction acceleration that is at least tens to hundreds of times faster than the natural process of extinctions.” More than 400 vertebrate species have been lost over the past 100 years. The populations of close to half the species listed by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals ‘are showing population declines’ and 97% of the fish speci...
2024-11-0805 min
Cortes CurrentsA Weekend of Live Theatre At Mansons HallCKTZ/Cortes Currents - Two live theatre productions are coming to Mansons Hall this weekend
Cortes Radio sent over five audio tracks. A lot of Cortes residents are going to recognize the voices of the two people who conducted the interviews that follow but as they chose to not introduce themselves, they are labelled CKTZ in the written version of this story. This is their show and it starts with the PSA for Moonrise the Rock Opera, which opens on Friday November 8, 2024:
Moonrise, the mythic rock opera, retelling an old Celtic myth about returning power to the earth and the...
2024-11-0716 min
Cortes CurrentsPart of Tiber Bay May Be added to Cortes Fire Service Protection AreaRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Part of Tiber Bay may soon be included in the Southern Cortes Protection Area. This matter was brought up at the Wednesday, November 6, Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) meeting, where a motion to recommend it with no dissenting votes.
Regional Director Mark Vonesch remarked, “This is great to see happening. I know it's been a lot of years in the works and certainly before my time. An increase in 32 properties to the fire service, is that going to have an impact on the budget, as the cost of the fire protection is distributed amongst mo...
2024-11-0601 min
Cortes CurrentsAre Cortes residents paying more taxes because their property assesments went upRoy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Are Cortes property owners paying more taxes because their assessments went up? The topic came up at the Wednesday November 7, Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) meeting. Mike Harmston, Chief Financial Officer for the Strathcona Regional District (SRD), wanted to correct three widely believed myths.
“The first one is the assessment increase automatically translates to a property tax increase. A lot of people compare property taxes to a sales tax where they requisition a fixed amount. For example With a provincial sales tax at 7%, if the underlying price of the goods rises, the government automatically coll...
2024-11-0604 minCortes CurrentsMagic Mushrooms, Chronic Pain, and HealingManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On Friday, November 1, host Manda Aufochs Gillespie was joined by Rebecca Kirstein Resch, to chat about magic mushrooms, chronic pain, and healing. Tune in for a discussion about the power of psychedelics.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-11-041h 48
Cortes CurrentsPreparations for Quadra Island's First Vital SIgns ReportRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - In previous years, bits of Quadra and Cortes Island data have been incorporated in Campbell River’s Vital Signs Reports. This is the first year that both islands are collecting their own data. Cortes has already published its 2024 Vital Signs Report. The Quadra Island Foundation is about to start accumulating the baseline data that will enable it to produce a report for Quadra and
Jody Rodgers, Chair of the Quadra Island Foundation: “Vital Signs empowers organizations for tailoring their initiatives: so they can work on things to improve, and also not spin their wheels on things that...
2024-11-0409 min
Cortes CurrentsCortes Island's Proposed Multi-Use Sports CourtRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA) has partnered with several local sports to build a multi-use sport court beside the Cortes Island Skate Park. The proposed facility would consist of two courts on a 60 foot by 60 feet concrete or asphalt square. It could be used for pickleball, basketball, volleyball, badminton and tennis.
According to Cora Moret, Executive Director of the SCCA, there is currently a complete lack of sports courts on Cortes Island.
On October 2, she gave an overview of the project in a letter to the Strathcona Regional District. Moret wrote that the Cort...
2024-11-0304 min
Cortes CurrentsWhen TELUS Withdraws Pay Phone Service From Remote CommunitiesRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The cell phone reception in Village Bay Lake is sketchy. Up until this summer, the little Quadra Island community’s only reliable telephone access was a pay phone in the Village Bay Lake parking area. Then TELUS removed it.
When Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney raised this issue at the recent SRD Board meeting, it turned out she was not the only Director dealing with the problems resulting from TELUS withdrawing pay phones.
2024-10-3004 min
Cortes CurrentsCampbell River Place Names Proposal: UpdateDe Clarke/Cortes Currents - In September of this year, Currents reported on a proposal from Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ [pronounced Lee-gweeth-dowkh] Nations (We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah) for the formal renaming of various locations in the greater Campbell River/rapids area. The new names would be drawn from First Nations language and tradition.
Three of these place-names are local to the city of Campbell River. The well-loved park now known as Tyee Spit would be renamed to ʔuxstalis [pronounced Oox-sta-lease], the spelling of the Quinsam River would be updated to "Kʷənsəm River", and Discovery Passage would be r...
2024-10-3007 min
Cortes CurrentsModification of SRD Agreement with Cortes Community HallsRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - In 2020, the Strathcona Regional Regional District SRD entered into a core funding agreement with the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA) and Whaletown Community Club to support Mansons and Gorge Halls. Up to $80,000 a year could be used from Cortes Island’s property taxes. This agreement is due to expire on March 31, 2025.
Staff is proposing that the new agreement include a new paragraph stating “The Regional District may contribute funds for capital expenditures at its sole discretion.”
This would, for example, allow the SRD to use Gas Tax funding to finance renovations or purchase new equipment...
2024-10-3001 min
Cortes CurrentsSRD To Meet With Cortes Housing Society About Possible LoanRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents -The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) will be meeting with the Cortes Housing Society to discuss the possibility of making a short term loan to help bring power, water and sewage to some lots in the Rainbow Ridge affordbale housing project.
While the SRD created a Housing Service earlier this year, it has yet to requiistion any funds and the request prompted some discussion at the Wednesday October 30 Board meeting.
Regional Director Mark Vonesch, of Cortes Island, made the motion “that the Regional District work with the Cortes Housing Society to develop a plan for a sh...
2024-10-3004 min
Cortes CurrentsThe Chum runs are better throughout most of our areaRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - There are more Chum swimming up Basil Creek than we’ve seen for years. According to Matthew Clarke of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Cortes Island isn’t the only place where the Chum run is good this year.
“As a general rule this year things are looking much better for Chum than they have looked, albeit with a couple of places that are not quite as strong as we would have hoped to see,” he explained.
“We are seeing strength like you mentioned on Cortes. We actually saw some Chum in Campbell River, which has been har...
2024-10-2909 min
Cortes CurrentsCampbell River Rail Yard Market_ 3 months onRoy L Hales/Cortes Currents - There has been a colourful addition to the Tyee Mall. The four brightly coloured boxcar-like units are a remembrance of Campbell River’s old logging railroads. They are also part of an innovative project designed to have cottage industries make the transition to brick and mortar stores. The Rail Yard Market has been open for about 3 months.
"The project is fantastic. I think it gives little entrepreneurs like myself and the rest of my pod mates here a fantastic opportunity. We're allowed to be here for up to three years at a time and the...
2024-10-2913 min
Cortes CurrentsRuby Singh & Michael Datura visit Folk UManda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On Friday, October 25, host Manda Aufochs Gillespie was joined by musician Ruby Singh and musician and principal of the Cortes School Michael Datura, to chat about biosonification, technology, and their collaborative projects kraKIN and Polyphonic Garden. Tune in for music, philosophy, and lively discussion.
Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.
2024-10-281h 50Cortes CurrentsFolk U: Jemma Hicken plays at the village CommonsLouis Belcourt/ Folk U - On Friday, August 23, Jemma & the Good Thing performed a live + live-broadcast FolkU concert in the big Village Commons tent. Hosted by Louis Belcourt, Cortes Island-based Jemma Hicken (Jemma & the Good Thing) weaves together tender lyrics, funny storytelling, and catchy sing-a-longs to create a feel-good Canadiana-folk show.
The Village Commons Music Series is put on every Friday by a partnership between Cortes Island Community Foundation, FolkU, and CKTZ Cortes Community Radio. The series is generously sponsored by Decoda Literacy and Coastal Community Credit Union.
This year, the series is also highlighting community organizations and funds part...
2024-08-261h 18Cortes CurrentsSean Coyote performs in the Village CommonsGreg Osoba/Folk U - On Friday, August 16, Sean Coyote performed a live + live-broadcast FolkU concert in the big Village Commons tent. Hosted by Greg Osoba, Sean is a long-time Cortes resident who has been a musician & music lover since he was young. Sean mostly performs in his living room for the benefit of the cat, however he does occasionally sneak out for a few rare public performances.
Just beforehand, to wrap up her kids camp, Monica Lee also performed a kids music set. (Pictured)
The Village Commons Music Series is put on every Friday by a partnership between Cortes...
2024-08-191h 09
Cortes CurrentsCIA on Folk U - Episode 5CIA on Folk U Radio - What really matters most in the world? How will we help inspire the next generation of truth-seekers and truth-tellers? At the Cortes Island Academy we believe in the passion and skills of the people and wild places of this place and are proud of our youth who learned along side our community and shared their growing skills through journalistic podcasts, Elder Documentaries, Field Guides and unsung hero posters.
This week on Folk U Radio CKTZ 89.5 FM (1 p.m. Fridays, repeats on folku.ca/cortescurents.ca/cortesradio.ca) youth journalists interview neighbours and regional experts o...
2024-03-141h 07
Cortes CurrentsQuadra Island considering opting-in to Short-Term Rental Accommodations ActQuadra Island considering opting-in to Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act by Cortes Currents (https://cortescurrents.ca/)
2024-03-1206 minCortes CurrentsFolk U: Desolation Sound #4Jemma Hicken/ Folk U - What really matters most in the world? How will we help inspire the next generation of truth-seekers and truth-tellers? At the Cortes Island Academy we believe in the passion and skills of the people and wild places of this place and are proud of our youth who learned along side our community and shared their growing skills through journalistic podcasts, Elder Documentaries, Field Guides and unsung hero posters (the one here is by artist Zella Aufochs).
This week on Folk U Radio CKTZ 89.5 FM (1 p.m. Fridays, repeats on folku.ca/cortescurents.ca/cortesradio.ca) you...
2024-03-091h 11Cortes CurrentsCIA On FolkU - Episode 1CIA/Folk U - What really matters most in the world? How will we help inspire the next generation of truth-seekers and truth-tellers? At the Cortes Island Academy we believe in the passion and skills of the people and wild places of this place and are proud of our youth who learned along side our community and shared their growing skills through journalistic podcasts, Elder Documentaries, Field Guides and unsung hero posters.
February 16 on Folk U Radio CKTZ 89.5 FM (1 p.m. Fridays, repeats on folku.ca, cortescurents.ca, cortesradio.ca) featured youth journalists interviewing neighbours and regional experts on the...
2024-02-231h 29Cortes CurrentsDesolation Sound - CIA On Folk U Radio- Mp3Cortes Island Academy/Folk U - What really matters most in the world? How will we help inspire the next generation of truth-seekers and truth-tellers? At the Cortes Island Academy we believe in the passion and skills of the people and wild places of this place and are proud of our youth who learned along side our community and shared their growing skills through journalistic podcasts, Elder Documentaries, Field Guides and unsung hero posters (the one here is by artist Zella Aufochs).
This week on Folk U Radio CKTZ 89.5 FM (1 p.m. Fridays, repeats on folku.ca/cortescurents.ca/cortesradio...
2024-02-071h 28
Cortes CurrentsChildrensForest20K'23Kim Paulley/ CKTZ News - The Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island Society (FTCCIS) had its "best year ever” on Giving Tuesday last week, according to chair Chris Dragseth, with $20,000 fundraised.
FTCCIS was formed to "purchase Island Timberland forest land holdings immediately adjacent to Carrington Bay Park on Cortes Island," and that those lands will be "held in trust for all the children of Cortes Island, in perpetuity," according to its website. The organization adds that the lands will offer "educational, recreational, cultural and spiritual value for all our children."
CKTZ spoke to Dragseth about the $20,000 raised and wh...
2023-12-0809 min
A Path HomeJen's Last CeremonyToday I have a conversation with Darshan Stevens on Cortes Island in British Columbia. Darshan and her mother, Jennifer, lived on the same property when Jen was diagnosed with cancer. For two years they navigated her cancer treatments. In the end, Jen chose MAID, Medical Assistance In Dying. Darshan shares the story of her mum's dying, death, the after-death care and the natural burial that they and the family co-created along with the help of the community-led death care collective on the island.https://cortescurrents.ca/darshan-stevens-her-mothers-life-death-and-afterward/Support the show
2022-10-0738 min