Stop work on the Trust Policy Statement. TPS First Reading is slated for the June 21-23 Trust Council Meeting and September 20-22 Trust Council meeting to fast track both the Second & Third Readings one month before the October 15th Election. Where is the time set aside to contemplate the $200,000 expenditure on Public Engagement?Presentation by Mairead Boland, Saturna Island.
Presentation to the Trust Programs Committee Meeting
Why does the trust need so many planning staff?
Why Does the Trust Need So Many Planning Staff? “The Draft Policy Bylaw — now under review — would substantially increase the need for permanent staff for the Trust — particularly in the areas of planning, bylaw enforcement and research. The Governance Review has already identified that the planning group needs to be more efficient and effective and that their budget needs to be reduced. Despite this, the Islands Trust’s Proposed Policy Bylaw will greatly expand the Trust’s mandate and reach, with even greater demand for permanent employees and higher tax levies. Before the Draft Policy moves forward, the Trust needs to tell the Residents of the Trust Area, what the proposed new Policy will cost.” Presentation by Jeff Green, Pender Island
Read about the Planning Staff
Schedule for TPS
BOWEN ISLAND TAX PAYERS DISSATISFIED WITH ISLANDS TRUST BUDGET PROCESS – ‘Survey answers show overwhelming displeasure toward organization’ as reported in the Bowen Island Undercurrent community newspaper. Read more..
No Need For an LCCT – Read more from Bob Moffatt
Viewpoint: LCC No Fix For Salt Spring Governance Issues
“ An Local Community Commission is an anachronism. It’s like a tool that’s been sitting unused in the garage for 30 years. It should be thrown out. It broadens government by adding another disconnected silo to the dozen or more that already exist. Salt Spring has many arms, but no head.” Read More…
Opinion: Policy statement public engagement falls short
“The public is already on high alert. These Machiavellian manoeuvrings by the bureaucracy will only serve to trash what little public trust is left.” Read More…
Southern Gulf islands – 2022/23 Budget Media Release
Read More..
Is the Islands Trust policy statement review a fair and meaningful process? March 2nd, 2022.
A MUST Read!
….”Last Friday afternoon the Trust published the information on their website including a link to a Public Opinion Survey and an invitation to pre-register for an online Q&A Session, to be held on March 1. In our opinion it borders on gaslighting to ask the public to participate and then make it incredibly difficult for them to do so. Here’s why…
1. The invitation to pre-register for the Q&A Session was published on a Friday afternoon, for an event to be held the following Tuesday. Extremely short notice.
2. The Public Opinion Survey itself is astonishingly poorly designed and does not follow best practise of being clear, concise, and comprehensible.
Read more…
Provincial Government ‘Missing in Action’ as Islands Trust Founders By Frants Attorp Editorial & Opinions, Governance & Politics – March 2, 2022
The bad news is summed up on the first page: “Current Trust Council practices do not meet the requirements set by good governance principles.”
The most serious indictment is that Trust Council, the political body of the Islands Trust, cannot agree on its role: There are “persistent divisions around the meaning of the Preserve and Protect Object, and the measures necessary to uphold it”.
Equally damning is the observation that the Trust has no idea about the sustainability of existing development, let alone what has yet to come: “There is no comprehensive analysis of the Trust Area’s capacity to sustain current population and activity, or its ability to accommodate more growth and development, especially in light of climate change and other considerations. The absence of an overarching vision for the Trust Area as a whole, setting out limits to growth, measures for protection of the environment, and sustainable strategies for development must be addressed.”
The report points to many other failings such as “trustees who don’t understand their collective and individual responsibilities”; “conflict of interest”; “rubber stamping of important decisions”; “disregard of policies on a regular basis”, and poor enforcement practices. Additionally, there is insufficient representation on Trust Council of provincial and First Nations interests.
Read more..
Re: When You Can’t Just Vote Them off the Island | C2C Journal https://c2cjournal.ca/2022/02/when-you-cant-just-vote-them-off-the-island/
“Rejected by a large percentage too”……writes Carol Monet. Click here for the link to the piece published on the Saltspring Exchange.
“………….there is more to our community than just nature. We have artists, farmers, winemakers, bakers, a brewery, jewellers, galleries and many other small businesses and community organizations. Those companies will be compelled to leave the island.
The few truly essential businesses that remain will be forced to raise prices to maintain an uncomfortable balance of just competitive enough wages to entice workers to commute here, but not enough for those workers to live here.” Read more…
Poor communication and mistrust of Islands Trust governance, new regional poll finds – The Islands Grapeview Read More…
Salt Spring housing policies bode ill for the future – – Victoria Times Colonist Read it here
Battle for future of Gulf Islands coming to a head – Victoria Times Colonist. Please click here to read.
On Salt Spring, solutions for environment must include people – Victoria Times Colonist A recent commentary might make Times Colonist readers think the beautiful and protected Gulf Islands are about to be destroyed by an unlikely villain — affordable housing advocates. Read More..
A new community poll strongly reject the Islands Trust’s proposed policy statement revisions. Read More…