Enforcement in the Dark: No Deadlines, No Transparency

The Trust enforces on a complaint-driven basis, behind closed doors, with no statutory timeline — by its own admission.

The Islands Trust does not follow a statutory enforcement pathway. Its escalation process is an internal administrative policy (Policy 5.5.1), not law.^[2]

On the record, a Denman trustee and staff confirmed the policy is "generally complaint-driven … and there is no plan to change that."^[1]

Individual enforcement files are handled in camera — closed to the public. Residents never see who is pursued, for what, or what penalty results. There is no statutory deadline forcing the Trust to act: a file can sit for weeks, years, or forever, depending entirely on who complains and what staff choose to prioritize.^[1]

A body with the power to penalize people should not operate without timelines, transparency, or accountability.