Letter Premier John Horgan

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200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria BC  V8R 1H8 
Telephone  (250) 405-5151    Fax  (250) 405-5155 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 660-2421.  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  information@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
 
Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
July 11, 2018 
 
via e-mail: premier@gov.bc.ca  
 
File Number: 0400-30; 4700-20  
 
The Honourable John Horgan 
Premier of BC 
PO Box 9041 Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria BC V8W 9E1 
 
 
Dear Premier Horgan: 
 
Re: Designate Islands Trust Area for Rural Dividend Program Funding  
 
On behalf of the Islands Trust Council I am writing to request that the Province designate all islands in the 
Islands Trust Area as permanently eligible for Rural Dividend Program funding and other granting programs for 
rural communities, including the Island Coastal Economic Trust. 
 
It has been a long-standing concern that the Salt Spring lsland and Southern Gulf lslands electoral areas and 
Bowen Island have been ineligible for economic development and infrastructure programs intended for rural 
communities due to their inclusion within the Capital Regional District (CRD) and Metro Vancouver Regional 
District. The decision to exclude these rural areas from rural programs and funding does not reflect the islands’ 
rural character, geography, land use or capacity to sustain services. Without access to these funding sources, 
rural island communities find it difficult to sustain community resiliency in the face of social and economic 
changes and to execute projects that improve community infrastructure.  
 
ln 2016, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities passed a resolution asking the Province to officially 
recognize and classify the three CRD electoral areas as rural communities. The three CRD electoral areas are 
now eligible for the Rural Dividend Program and I understand Bowen Island has been granted temporary 
eligibility. However, they remain ineligible for grants from the Island Coastal Economic Trust. We are 
requesting that the Province of BC make all islands in the Islands Trust Area permanently eligible for the Rural 
Dividend Program and the Island Coastal Economic Trust, and any other existing or future granting programs 
intended for rural communities. 
 
The object of the Islands Trust as set out in the lslands Trust Act is to preserve and protect the Trust Area and 
its unique amenities and environment for the benefit of the residents of the trust area and of British Columbia 
generally, in cooperation with municipalities, regional districts, improvement districts, other persons and 
organizations and the government of British Columbia. 
 
 
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The Honourable John Horgan 
July 11, 2018 
Page 2 
 
 
We appreciate your consideration of this request. There are many First Nations who have asserted Aboriginal 
interests in the Trust Area and many who have established harves

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