July 20, 2020 - Islands Trust Releases What We Heard Islands 2050: The Future of the Trust Area Report

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Bowen, Denman, Gabriola, Galiano, Gambier, Hornby, Lasqueti, Mayne, N. Pender, Salt Spring, Saturna, S. Pender, Thetis 
 
 
News Release 
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July 20, 2020                      2020-17-IT 
Islands Trust Releases What We Heard Islands 2050: The Future of the Trust Area report 
 
Lekwungen, METULIYE/Victoria, BC— In fall 2019, Islands Trust launched an extensive public engagement process to inform planning 
and policy for the next 30 years. 
 
The Trust has released the What We Heard Islands 2050: The Future of the Trust Area report as a summary of the public’s input. The 
report captures the ideas and thoughts of more than a thousand people from across the islands and their responses to the questions: 
 What do you value about the Trust Area?  
 In the context of a changing climate, what concerns do you have for the next 30 years?  
 What opportunities do you see to preserve and protect the Trust Area?  
 
Several strong themes emerged through the engagement process. Most participants expressed that they value having a connection to 
nature on the islands and support the Islands Trust’s preserve and protect mandate. Participants shared that their strongest climate 
change concerns are related to ecosystem change and related impacts to freshwater and the ocean. Participants consistently 
expressed concern that government agencies and communities are not doing enough to protect the islands. Participants’ responses to 
the question about opportunities to preserve and protect revealed a broad range of ideas that are summarized into 17 themes in the 
report. Top opportunities included a focus on policy and planning; alternative lifestyles; economics and employment; and culture 
heritage, and reconciliation.  
 
The Islands 2050 public engagement involved: 
 24 events across the Trust Area 
 557 people in attendance at open houses and information booths 
 789 participants providing input online 
 132 discussions with people viewing the Islands 2050 display on the ferries 
 
Islands Trust has also been engaging with First Nation governments in a parallel consultation process. 
 
Findings of the Islands 2050 engagement process will help the Islands Trust update the Policy Statement, the foundational document 
that guides the preserve and protect mandate of this special-purpose government. The document guides policy decisions about island 
lands and the waters surrounding them. It includes recommendations to other levels of government and informs how local official 
community plans (OCPs) and land use bylaws are created. 
 
“In the 26 years since the Policy Statement was last reviewed, the world has changed and our priorities have shifted,” shared Peter 
Luckham, Chair of the Islands Trust Council. “As we consider updating a

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