Trust Programs Committee Regular Meeting Minutes

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Islands Trust

Trust Programs Committee  
Minutes of a Regular Meeting

Date: July 23, 2026  
Location: Electronic Zoom Meeting

Members Present:  
Kristina Evans, South Pender Island Local Trust Area (LTA) (Chair)  
Tim Peterson, Lasqueti Island LTA (EC Representative and Vice Chair)  
Sue Ellen Fast, Bowen Island Municipality  
David Graham, Denman Island LTA  
Susan Yates, Gabriola Island LTA  
Laura Patrick, Salt Spring Island LTA/Islands Trust Council Chair (Ex Officio)

Regrets:  
Lisa Gauvreau, Galiano Island LTA

Staff Present:  
Clare Frater, Director, Trust Area Services  
Rueben Bronee, Chief Administrative Officer  
Joe Elliott, Senior Indigenous Relations Advisor  
Stefan Cermak, Director, Planning Services  
Corlynn Strachan, Executive Administrative Assistant/Recorder

Members of the Public Present  
One member of the public

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Evans called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m. and provided a territorial acknowledgement.

2. AGENDA

2.1 Review of the Agenda

No changes to the agenda were recommended.

2.2 Approval of Agenda

By general consent the agenda was approved as presented

3. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Trust Programs Committee  
Minutes of a Regular Meeting  
July 23, 2026

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Maxine Leichter spoke to Correspondence Item 5.1, the Friends of the Gulf Islands Trust letter regarding Islands Trust data gaps and Biologist Woodruff's presentation to the Regional Planning Committee on February 6, 2026. She highlighted concerns identified in the biologists' report, including declining native species, gaps in available data, and incomplete mapping of sensitive ecosystems, and requested that the Committee consider the issue and implement the biologists' recommendations where possible.

4. DELEGATIONS

None

5. CORRESPONDENCE

5.1 2026-07-13 Friends of the Gulf Islands Society Letter to Regional Planning Committee re: Islands Trust Data Gaps

Discussion included:

• The potential for updated Development Approval Information (DAI) bylaws to strengthen professional report requirements and support improved information requirements through planning processes.  
• The need for updated official community plans and additional internal procedures to support effective use of DAI bylaws.  
• Concerns regarding discrepancies in species-at-risk data from the Conservation Data Centre, including conflicting figures between recent reports and questions regarding data sources and methodology.  
• Staff review of the data discrepancies and the need for further understanding of differences in data collection and reporting approaches.  
• The relationship between the correspondence and upcoming work on ecosystem health indicators, data acquisition, and reporting.  
• The potential for species-at-risk trends to be considered as an ecosystem health indicator, while other requests relate to planning processes, mapping, and professional practices.

6. ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATION

6.1 Draft Minutes of Previous Meetings

6.1.1 Trust Programs Committee Draft Minutes of May 7, 2026

By general consent the minutes were approved as presented.

Trust Programs Committee  
Minutes of a Regular Meeting  
July 23, 2026

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6.2 Resolutions Without Meeting

None

6.3 Follow up Action List

Director Frater reported that all items have been completed, with the exception of matters on the agenda related to the Committee’s requests for business cases, which staff have not yet been able to complete.

7. BUSINESS - WORK PROGRAM ITEMS

7.1 Ecosystem Health Indicators/Measures - Briefing

Director Frater presented a briefing on ecosystem health indicators, noting the importance of establishing measures to assess progress toward the Islands Trust preserve and protect mandate. The briefing provided background on existing reporting approaches, potential indicators, data and mapping requirements, and options for future work, including improved data analysis, trend reporting, and communication tools.

Discussion included:

• The importance of establishing ongoing ecosystem health indicators and maintaining updated ecosystem data to support decision-making and reporting on the Islands Trust preserve and protect mandate.  
• The need for clearly defined scope, deliverables, and resource requirements when developing business cases for larger initiatives.  
• The value of continuing the Stewardship Education Program and developing a climate action education initiative as a more defined and achievable project.  
• The need for updated ecosystem mapping and data sets to support meaningful analysis, reporting, and future ecosystem health indicators.  
• The recognition that additional scoping, costing, and business case development would be required for broader ecosystem health reporting work.

TPC-2026-018

It was MOVED and SECONDED,

that Trust Programs Committee request Trust Council to approve $15,000 in the 2027/28 fiscal year to support the Climate Action Education Plan Development and Implementation through the Stewardship Education Program, and request staff to develop a business case for approval by the Trust Programs Committee Chair.

CARRIED

Trust Programs Committee  
Minutes of a Regular Meeting  
July 23, 2026  

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TPC-2026-019  
It was MOVED and SECONDED,  
that Trust Programs Committee request Trust Council to approve $100,000 for mapping for updated ecosystem data sets, indicators, and maintaining ecosystem health reporting, and that staff provide business cases later in the 2027/28 budget development cycle.

CARRIED

8. BUSINESS – OTHER

None

9. BUSINESS – NEW

None

10. WORK PROGRAM

TPC-2026-020  
It was MOVED and SECONDED,  
that Trust Programs Committee amend its Active Project Report by removing Item No. 2 and replacing it with Items No. 5 and No. 10 from the Future Projects Report.

CARRIED

TPC-2026-021  
It was MOVED and SECONDED,  
that Trust Programs Committee forward the Work Program to Trust Council for approval, as amended.

CARRIED

11. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will take place electronically on Thursday, January 7, 2027 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

12. CLOSED MEETING

Not applicable

13. RISE AND REPORT

Not applicable

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Minutes of a Regular Meeting  
July 23, 2026

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14. ADJOURNMENT

By general consent the meeting adjourned at 12:04 p.m.

Kristina Evans, Chair

Certified Correct

Corlynn Strachan, Executive Administrative Assistant/Recorder

Minutes are not official until adopted at a subsequent meeting.

Trust Programs Committee  
Minutes of a Regular Meeting  
July 23, 2026

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