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-a

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