The Islands Trust marked 50 years since the proclamation of the Islands Trust Act on June 5 and will celebrate in person when trustees and staff meet on Salt Spring Island for their quarterly business meeting.
Proceedings will take place at the Harbour House Hotel from Tuesday, June 18 to Thursday, June 20, with most sessions open to the public.
The agenda gets underway at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with highlights including a trustee roundtable with reports from all islands in the federation, and the delegations and public comment session from 2 to 3 p.m.
Registered delegations are Ted Olynyk with a BC Hydro operations update; Peter Pare from The Gulf Islands Sue Big Oil Group; Glenn Stevens of the Clean and Safe Harbours Initiative; Ronald Wright of Keep Salt Spring Sustainable; and Jennifer Margison of Friends of the Gulf Islands.
Saanich North and the Islands MLA Adam Olsen will give a presentation on Inclusive Governance at 5:45 p.m., with the meeting adjourning at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 19 is devoted primarily to strategic planning, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by business from the administrative and planning services arms of the Trust until about 5:30 p.m.
Trustees will begin Thursday morning in a closed session, and are expected to convene publicly for new business items such as trustee-initiated requests for decisions at 10 a.m.
At 12:15 p.m., the meeting will hear a presentation and a question-and-answer session from Ryan Greville, manager of the Navigable Waters Protection department of Transport Canada on actions to address wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels on the coast, including use of the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
According to a news release issued by the Trust last week and marking the 50th anniversary, “the Province of British Columbia created Islands Trust in 1974 in response to rates of development in the Gulf Islands and the need to protect the unique amenities and environment of the region. Today, Islands Trust preserves and protects the islands in the context of many complex challenges, including climate change, lack of affordable housing, freshwater limitations, hundreds of species of risk, and development and tourism pressures.
“Over the past five decades, Islands Trust has evolved to meet new challenges and opportunities. The organization is deeply committed to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. It is also working to address housing equity and climate change-related challenges.”
“For 50 years, Islands Trust has been working to preserve and protect the unique amenities and environment of these islands. Our commitment to protecting these islands for future generations remains as strong as ever. We are proud of our history and excited about our future as we continue to adapt and innovate in response to a changing world,” said Islands Trust chair Peter Luckham.
Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang commented: “For half a century, the residents of the Gulf Islands have come together to preserve and protect the special context of their community. That’s why today we are not only celebrating this anniversary by looking back at its legacy but also by looking forward to future challenges that will be taken up by those dedicated to serving their communities, working toward further reconciliation with local First Nations and tackling contemporary challenges head on.”