Islands Trust Council regular meeting, September 21, 2021

[0:00:01] All right,

[0:00:03] Voice 7: I've sent a text off. All right, so thank you everyone for coming to group three to talk about our potential development of a tree cutting authority.

[0:00:13] Voice 7: You'll see on the page 106 of your agenda, there's a series of questions for us to work through and this, what I heard from the CAO is we were meant to be back by 10 to five into the larger group.

[0:00:24] Voice 7: So that gives us about 40 minutes to work through eight questions. So we're looking at about five minutes per question here.

[0:00:30] Voice 7: I'm going to set a little timer keep an eye on the time.

[0:00:34] Voice 7: Oh, so she's. Oh, okay, Laura's gone to group one so that's all right.

[0:00:39] Voice 7: Um, so we'll just keep an eye on the time here if that's right, and we'll go with about five minutes per question.

[0:00:45] Voice 7: I would suggest questions are questions B, C and G might take lesser time than the others.

[0:00:51] Voice 7: So if that's right, should we just kick off and we'll have Robert recording what you say and of course we'll be recording the session for public viewing later.

[0:00:59] Voice 7: So question A is what are the activities that are causing concern with regard to habitat biodiversity loss in your local trust area. Any contributions I would suggest you can just unmute and have a conversation amongst yourselves.

[0:01:14] Voice 7: I

[0:01:19] Voice 5: guess I would just, I would say that clearing for everything, residential uses, views, outbuildings, gardens, it's residential clearing.

[0:01:38] Voice 2: Yeah, I'd say on Laskete for the most part, it's more about actual like, you know, like clear logging, we do have a 10 acre minimum and we do have some grandfather's lots that are smaller, where there could be more of an issue but for the most part it's like more about large, large scale logging because we don't have a lot of small lots.

[0:02:07] Voice 5: i guess in line with trustee peterson we do have a clear-cut logging issue but it's under pmfl so

[0:02:12] Voice 5: i just excluded that for my comments

[0:02:16] Trustee Maude: for main island we really don't have any sort of large

[0:02:22] Trustee Maude: tree removal issues that have sort of been brought to my attention at all and uh janine's certainly

[0:02:27] Trustee Maude: not talked about it but they honestly like our our biggest threat or or is unfortunately mother

[0:02:33] Trustee Maude: nature with the deer um that's what's what's sort of the big concerns that we have in our community

[0:02:40] Trustee Maude: but as far as tree removal by humans and and large-scale logging it basically doesn't exist

[0:02:45] Trustee Maude: over here yeah

[0:02:48] Trustee Morrison: we're similar to some of the other islands in that we're getting tree removal so and

[0:02:53] Trustee Morrison: more recently in the last two years i would say we're getting um residential sort of lot areas

[0:03:01] Trustee Morrison: is one big one the one that was in the paper but um some smaller lots cleared boundary to boundary

[0:03:07] Trustee Morrison: or significant um removal along foreshore areas where there is views or in the some of the wood

[0:03:16] Trustee Morrison: law woodland areas people um either topping trees which is a little bit different uh for views

[0:03:24] Trustee Morrison: or lemming trees where there's potential for damage so um all of that is a challenge my own

[0:03:32] Trustee Morrison: lot before i bought it a whole bunch of the trees were topped by the neighbor um and i think that

[0:03:37] Trustee Morrison: was a little bit of a challenge um in concert with this owner but they were absentee owners

[0:03:43] Trustee Morrison: and so and but that wasn't so much for views that was for light for gardening so like thinking about

[0:03:52] Trustee Morrison: that is actually going to be important i think like what is the allowance for people to be able

[0:03:56] Trustee Morrison: to get sunlight onto gardens to be able to ensure that we have like local food abilities while at

[0:04:04] Trustee Morrison: the same time not cutting every tree um so some balance between that i think is what we need

[0:04:09] Trustee Morrison: and then the last one is um there is uh i think a desire on this island to maintain big trees

[0:04:19] Trustee Morrison: so to think about like there is a big tree registry going on here and um you know those

[0:04:26] Trustee Morrison: trees are located in private locations and we have some we have some you know available data to

[0:04:32] Trustee Morrison: figure out where those trees are and register them um and that's that's a question should that

[0:04:38] Trustee Morrison: be a community resource or is that a private land rights issue so it'd be good to have other people

[0:04:43] Trustee Morrison: a way in on that okay

[0:04:48] Voice 5: comment to claire i just wanted to um i guess because this is a trust area

[0:04:53] Voice 5: and we have seen that huge influx of people coming in the past two years and they're very city people

[0:04:58] Voice 5: from our experience living here um they just clear it like they don't want the trees and it's a it's

[0:05:06] Voice 5: like a real issue because we are trust area and so how are we keeping this a preserve and protect

[0:05:11] Voice 5: mandate when everyone can do whatever they want with all the trees on their property and what

[0:05:15] Voice 5: what we're experiencing now is they don't want trees on their property.

[0:05:21] Voice 7: Okay. Thank you for those comments. With your consent, we'll move on to number B and maybe

[0:05:26] Voice 7: at the very end, if we have time, we'll circle back and add to any other, you can supplement

[0:05:29] Voice 7: any answers. Would that work? So B is asking you to envision an authority that focuses on

[0:05:35] Voice 7: protected species of trees, big trees, area-based contiguous area, sorry, area-based contiguous

[0:05:41] Voice 7: areas protection or small lots versus large lots so I would turn it to you back to you for

[0:05:47] Voice 7: discussion on those four points and what your preferences might be like

[0:05:56] Voice 5: would we do an order

[0:05:57] Voice 7: of numbers or yeah expressing what your values are what would your vision be um if in your I

[0:06:03] Voice 7: would suggest in your local trust area what would you like to provide leadership around

[0:06:06] Voice 7: um any if

[0:06:07] Voice 7: you see a bylaw being implemented what would you like to see I think whatever

[0:06:11] Voice 5: ever focuses on the most protection for the majority of trees. I mean, while big trees are

[0:06:17] Voice 5: important and species without the biodiversity in the area, um, to support those trees, it's kind

[0:06:23] Voice 5: of meaningless or even useless. So I think anything that would achieve, uh, protected

[0:06:29] Voice 5: biodiverse areas.

[0:06:32] Trustee Morrison: Yeah. And I also push back against these categorizations as individual

[0:06:36] Trustee Morrison: individual foci, because if we're, if we're protecting, like, I think we need an integrated

[0:06:41] Trustee Morrison: plan for protection, right. And, you know, if we're protecting contiguous areas, well, what does

[0:06:49] Trustee Morrison: that mean? Is there more value in some areas than others? Yeah, there probably is related to like

[0:06:55] Trustee Morrison: species biodiversity, or, you know, age differentiation of tree species, you know, and

[0:07:00] Trustee Morrison: and tree composition sorry species composition and so i i don't i don't think it's really an

[0:07:07] Trustee Morrison: issue of small lot versus big lot i think that's the one i wouldn't necessarily focus on because

[0:07:13] Trustee Morrison: it's we're not talking about the humans here we're talking actually about like how do we protect the

[0:07:19] Trustee Morrison: integrity of the forest still living here and having the uses that we have on the land but

[0:07:24] Trustee Morrison: protecting the integrity of the forest and the wildlife they support yeah

[0:07:32] Voice 2: i would just say that

[0:07:33] Voice 2: But, I mean, although I, you know, people get excited about big trees and they certainly have, there's certainly a lot of value there.

[0:07:43] Voice 2: You know, especially on the Skeete, we have a fairly extensive forest cover still, you know, due to our larger lots.

[0:07:52] Voice 2: I think that, you know, looking at protected species of trees, I think there's some value there.

[0:07:57] Voice 2: Of course, being in the coastal Douglas fir zone, that's, you know, those couldn't, much as we want to protect them, if we were to try and to put them as a species to protect, that constitutes the majority of wood that people actually use for lumber, for firewood.

[0:08:18] Voice 2: and uh and it's uh you know that would be really problematic here to to to protect the one tree

[0:08:27] Voice 2: that is you know that the area is uh the ecosystem is named for um just because it's it's abundant

[0:08:34] Voice 2: here and it would be really problematic so um yeah i'm not sure we don't really like to say

[0:08:41] Voice 2: don't have a lot of small lots i think that's a less of an issue here and um yeah it's it's

[0:08:50] Voice 3: a thorny one i i

[0:08:55] Trustee Maude: think when it comes to um anything for for our island where we're seeing a

[0:09:01] Trustee Maude: lot of issues is with the arbutus um we we basically have no our juvenile arbutus at all

[0:09:08] Trustee Maude: so the protection of the arbutus as a species um i think there's some wisdom there um

[0:09:15] Trustee Maude: going down the rest of the list we're really not there like our island's been clear-cut three times

[0:09:20] Trustee Maude: um so big trees don't really exist um as far as what what you if you talk about fairy creek and

[0:09:29] Trustee Maude: all the monumental stuff we don't really have much in the way of old growth left um so it's

[0:09:36] Trustee Maude: sort of shutting the the barn door after the horse is gone um so i the one thing on our i want to say

[0:09:45] Trustee Maude: that there are there are species at risk but other than that we're kind of done yeah

[0:09:55] Voice 2: on the ski there's

[0:09:56] Voice 2: basically one quarter section that uh has never been logged and then another fairly large lot that

[0:10:04] Voice 2: It has quite a few first growth trees remaining.

[0:10:09] Voice 2: But, you know, in general, most of the island, as you say, has been logged a couple of times.

[0:10:17] Voice 2: And so the big trees are just individuals at this point.

[0:10:22] Trustee Morrison: Yeah. And I just realized actually looking at this list that the thing I think is missing off this list,

[0:10:27] Trustee Morrison: if we were to have a list like this, is culturally important areas.

[0:10:32] Trustee Morrison: areas so that there's potentially not necessarily individual trees and I get I really want to push

[0:10:38] Trustee Morrison: back against like trees I know we have to get specific in terms of like a bylaw but I also

[0:10:43] Trustee Morrison: really want the point from from my perspective is like integrated forest protection as opposed to

[0:10:50] Trustee Morrison: individual tree protection so like what is the structure of forests or the characteristics that

[0:10:56] Trustee Morrison: we want to foster because some of it's going to be like how do we reclaim it if it's like third

[0:11:00] Trustee Morrison: growth forest how do we actually reclaim structure and then um and we should think about that because

[0:11:06] Trustee Morrison: that can be done and then um and in that case it might be tree cutting that's going to redo it

[0:11:12] Trustee Morrison: that's going to do it you might have to go in and thin so there's some like issues about

[0:11:18] Trustee Morrison: how we're framing this too that we need to be careful about because we're not saying don't

[0:11:22] Trustee Morrison: cut trees we're saying maintain healthy forests right and and maintain healthy forests in a way

[0:11:28] Trustee Morrison: that helps them grow and sequester carbon have cultural values all of those things together

[0:11:36] Voice 5: there's some good sustainable forestry like uh ecoforestry practices that would cover that too

[0:11:43] Voice 5: thank

[0:11:46] Voice 7: you anything else to add on this point before we move to c okay so c um asks you to

[0:11:52] Voice 7: think about scope if you were to have such a bylaw would you apply it to your entire local

[0:11:57] Voice 7: cool trust area or simply selected areas I

[0:12:01] Voice 3: would apply it to the entire area I would be tempted to

[0:12:10] Trustee Morrison: sorry

[0:12:11] Voice 2: go

[0:12:12] Trustee Morrison: ahead well

[0:12:15] Voice 2: I was going to say I think it could be really problematic trying to apply it to

[0:12:20] Voice 2: select selected areas um in terms of you know individuals feeling you know unfairly uh treated

[0:12:31] Voice 2: did um by a bylaw that you know selected their area and yet not some another one i think if if

[0:12:39] Voice 2: we were to do it here the the way to be seen as being fair would would be for the entire um area

[0:12:47] Voice 2: that being said there's certainly merit in thinking about selected areas but i think in

[0:12:51] Voice 2: terms of being perceived like the fairness would be very problematic to to do selected areas

[0:12:57] Voice 2: is

[0:13:01] Trustee Morrison: yeah I think for us the issue is that we have magic lake estates and I think you still need

[0:13:08] Trustee Morrison: some version of it here but I actually think because the lots are so small and it's already

[0:13:14] Trustee Morrison: divided up that way that you might end up having to have different like there's some rules that

[0:13:20] Trustee Morrison: just might not make sense they would just be very complicated to apply here having said that I'd

[0:13:28] Trustee Morrison: still want some version of it here um because but um because this is where we're getting a lot

[0:13:36] Trustee Morrison: of cutting and i also think we need to say really clearly as we communicate this and i actually

[0:13:42] Trustee Morrison: think we need to be proactive in our communication around this that the trust is not trying to stop

[0:13:50] Trustee Morrison: every person from cutting trees completely i've had a community member who didn't realize it was

[0:13:55] Trustee Morrison: the local trustee say that to me that oh you know we better go cut all these trees because we're

[0:14:00] Trustee Morrison: literally not going to be able to cut a single tree and like that is totally not what I think

[0:14:04] Trustee Morrison: any trustee witness would say but we're trying to like maintain healthy cutting practices in ways

[0:14:10] Trustee Morrison: that are gonna make our islands healthy yeah

[0:14:18] Voice 2: thinking out loud here I think if we're gonna

[0:14:23] Voice 2: go to some kind of a selected area saying there would have to be some like um some kind of

[0:14:29] Voice 2: scientific rationale to do areas um much in the way when we're talking about um like our our water

[0:14:40] Voice 2: water plan for the island we you know we've discussed a you know one plan for the whole

[0:14:44] Voice 2: island or sort of area based but then that's that's going to be totally tied in with like

[0:14:49] Voice 2: science and i think that would make in terms of people feeling discriminated against i think that

[0:14:54] Voice 2: would could help um but still real tricky i

[0:15:01] Voice 5: do think we have an opportunity to salvage what

[0:15:03] Voice 5: little trust area we have left and what in you know this area that is supposed to be different

[0:15:10] Voice 5: and slowly just is turning into every other area and i think it's uh we really have to grab that

[0:15:16] Voice 5: opportunity because we may let people have the rights to continue cutting trees and then not

[0:15:21] Voice 5: not have any life left because we have no water because the tables have dropped because the trees

[0:15:26] Voice 5: were cut and we're at zero so pretty passionate about tree cutting bylaw here okay

[0:15:35] Voice 7: uh trustee

[0:15:36] Voice 7: maude i don't know if i missed do we hear did we ever hear from you on this topic um

[0:15:40] Trustee Maude: i i really

[0:15:41] Trustee Maude: kind of uh am building about the whole thing um i i think you have the entire local trust area

[0:15:49] Trustee Maude: because I agree that you know trying to sort of narrow it down to select properties or select

[0:15:55] Trustee Maude: areas I think it's going to cause more issues okay

[0:16:02] Voice 7: well thank you all any other comments on

[0:16:04] Voice 7: C before we move on okay I think

[0:16:07] Trustee Morrison: that the last thing I would say is I would actually prefer it

[0:16:10] Trustee Morrison: to be everywhere and work out the challenges that that is than to see it be problematic or

[0:16:15] Trustee Morrison: hard to implement because we partition it okay

[0:16:21] Voice 7: great um so question B is asking if your local

[0:16:25] Voice 7: trust area and the region implemented a regulatory authority for trees how would you measure the

[0:16:30] Voice 7: success i

[0:16:44] Voice 5: guess lots of bylaw enforcement phone calls

[0:16:50] i

[0:16:53] Trustee Morrison: would like to see changes in the mapping that like we've had mapping about forest recover

[0:16:58] Trustee Morrison: and penders forests are actually quite fragmented already and i would like to see changes like

[0:17:06] Trustee Morrison: every so often maps produced that showed changes that showed more forests as opposed to less that

[0:17:14] Trustee Morrison: we're actually regaining back forests in places because people aren't you know are thinking more

[0:17:19] Trustee Morrison: learning together about why trees are important and are actually

[0:17:21] Voice 3: regrowing areas yeah

[0:17:32] Voice 2: i think on

[0:17:33] Voice 2: luskete um you know again that's our lot size makes things very different and there isn't a

[0:17:42] Voice 2: lot of um there's not a lot of uh of you know large-scale tree removal that isn't actually like

[0:17:49] Voice 2: logging and there's not it hasn't been a serious logging operation in many years

[0:17:55] Voice 2: um you know the majority was really small scale lumber and uh and firewood as far as tree removal

[0:18:05] Voice 2: oval um you know when you when you clear uh an acre or so in a 10 acre lot that doesn't have the

[0:18:16] Voice 2: same kind of um impact i think on the forest overall as when you're looking at smaller lots

[0:18:23] Voice 2: quite adjacent being being cleared um so i think really the for luskete it would be about you know

[0:18:33] Voice 2: stopping large-scale clear cutting.

[0:18:39] Trustee Maude: I think it's interesting each island is sort of unique in

[0:18:41] Trustee Maude: nature this way because like main island we're basically we're getting close to build out

[0:18:47] Trustee Maude: and if you compared aerial photographs of main island say from 30 years ago to today there's

[0:18:54] Trustee Maude: substantial more tree cover now than there was then and I don't think there's been a logging

[0:19:00] Trustee Maude: truck go off this island in 30 years um so we're we're basically i think we've gone past that

[0:19:08] Trustee Maude: development phase and and it's it's now basically human beings have settled into to sort of the

[0:19:14] Trustee Maude: environment that they have and they're not cutting trees they're planting trees and uh i and that's

[0:19:21] Trustee Maude: why i kind of say is on our island it's it's not really a huge issue and i think and and how would

[0:19:27] Trustee Maude: we measure success it it would be complicated because as i say year over year there's more and

[0:19:33] Trustee Maude: more um of growth um not more and more trees being taken off so i think we're a little bit

[0:19:39] Trustee Maude: different than the other kids okay

[0:19:46] Voice 7: thank you for your comments about measuring success um with your

[0:19:51] Voice 7: consent we'll move on to e um which would be what would you see as acceptable exemptions to which

[0:19:56] Voice 7: we're cutting bylaw what reasons would you give people to not have to comply or not be scoped in

[0:20:03] Voice 7: I suppose I

[0:20:05] Voice 5: think um dangerous trees like the one that the Michozen sample had some good ones in

[0:20:11] Voice 5: there um I guess what the thing I would we of course the uh wildfire you know uh risk clearing

[0:20:19] Voice 5: but using more of a west coast template or something not so like merit-based because

[0:20:26] Voice 5: people just like raise the forest around their house and I look at them I'm like dude you still

[0:20:32] Voice 5: still have a 40 foot tree that can fall in your house it's just further away and now and more at

[0:20:37] Voice 5: risk because it doesn't have the trees it had before with the wind break and stuff so it's not

[0:20:43] Voice 5: a lot of science going on with the with the wildfire risk clearing right now but I do think

[0:20:49] Voice 5: there is studies happening I think SFU has one right now too on more pacific coast wildfire risk

[0:20:55] Voice 5: clearing which is like leaving undergrowth and and more trees anyway that's one of the just one

[0:21:00] Voice 5: of the thoughts there yeah

[0:21:07] Voice 2: i tend to agree with um you know some some sort of exemption for uh

[0:21:12] Voice 2: well of course as you say like danger tree you know um and uh and and some form of uh of uh

[0:21:23] Voice 2: wildfire or forest fire mitigation clearing and and again like say the a west coast template

[0:21:30] Voice 2: it would be certainly more appropriate than something from a very different type of environment

[0:21:38] Trustee Maude: i would concur that from what i saw quickly what rush showed as the chosen

[0:21:44] Trustee Maude: exemption sort of seemed to be making common sense sorry

[0:21:50] Voice 7: that's the last part of that comment

[0:21:52] Voice 7: i'm not sure if robert did could you say that again trustee mom um

[0:21:56] Trustee Maude: i would i was just saying

[0:21:57] Trustee Maude: i concur that um the chosen um examples that russ was showing briefly there they seemed to

[0:22:03] Trustee Maude: to sort of have a common sense sort of set of exemptions there but i think that everybody

[0:22:09] Trustee Maude: would agree upon okay

[0:22:10] Trustee Morrison: thank you i think i think the other thing that um which i think is already

[0:22:17] Trustee Morrison: might already be exempt but like um common nesting trees like that those would be

[0:22:24] Trustee Morrison: um things that you'd have to make special alternative arrangements for the like regular

[0:22:31] Trustee Morrison: nesters if it was to come down because I think one of the things we get to is people clear trees

[0:22:37] Trustee Morrison: for houses but they could put their house in a different spot if there was like really a tree

[0:22:43] Trustee Morrison: that was a major issue so I would say nesting trees need to be not exceptions but we need to

[0:22:50] Trustee Morrison: do it the other way like exceptions in terms of like if you're clearing your house you can't clear

[0:22:55] Trustee Morrison: a nesting tree like considered yeah and um

[0:23:00] Trustee Maude: yeah is that not already illegal i

[0:23:03] Trustee Morrison: was thinking it is

[0:23:04] Trustee Morrison: so it might just be a default de facto thing already but um i'm not sure eagle trees are

[0:23:13] Voice 5: yeah i

[0:23:13] Trustee Morrison: think it is yeah

[0:23:14] Trustee Morrison: um the other one that i was wondering about exemptions is we get this

[0:23:23] Trustee Morrison: in magic lake a lot where you have because of the small building lots um it's not so much what

[0:23:30] Trustee Morrison: tara was talking about where it's clearing because you want to push the trees back away from your

[0:23:34] Trustee Morrison: house for fire issues because that you literally clear every tree off around here if you did that

[0:23:38] Trustee Morrison: but um it's about damaging roots so like you know thinking about damaged trees and and why they might

[0:23:49] Trustee Morrison: be damage or preventing damage like both on both sides of that how to prevent damage when you're

[0:23:53] Trustee Morrison: building and also if there is damage when you're building that's really justifiable like how to

[0:23:58] Trustee Morrison: handle it any

[0:24:03] Voice 7: other comments on e you're doing very well for time we've got three questions left

[0:24:09] Voice 7: and 15 minutes left so you're doing right on right on the mark so if there's no further questions

[0:24:14] Voice 7: we'll move on to f which asks you that given that a new regulatory process immediately implemented

[0:24:21] Voice 7: method are you in favor of additional resources including forestry expertise be added to the

[0:24:27] Voice 7: islands trust um

[0:24:31] Voice 5: i think i'm always in favor of education and uh specialist assets that would

[0:24:39] Voice 5: help us with our policies um one of the interesting things that governance review asked me was

[0:24:44] Voice 5: they just brought up they didn't ask me they just suggested are you surprised there's not more

[0:24:48] Voice 5: specialist staff on at the trust and i was like well you know i never even thought about it

[0:24:53] Voice 5: and because I really value our freshwater specialist he's in many of our massive

[0:24:59] Voice 5: rezonings we're doing right now it would be almost impossible some of the questions I have

[0:25:03] Voice 5: and the fellow trustees so if we were going to do something like a forest tree cutting bylaw I mean

[0:25:11] Voice 5: having a specialist on staff that could really advise policymakers and decision makers that

[0:25:17] Voice 5: literally don't have a clue in a lot of these areas would be really valuable I think though

[0:25:23] Trustee Morrison: if we had a specialist one of the things that I would want to see is that like we have a

[0:25:29] Trustee Morrison: professional reliance model right now and nothing against our professionals but it can be very

[0:25:35] Trustee Morrison: problematic if the professional is paid for by the applicant so because there is just a bias built

[0:25:41] Trustee Morrison: into that system and so if we had expertise on staff I'd want their expertise to be able to be

[0:25:48] Trustee Morrison: considered equally to that of any professional forest or others who are um coming on deck from

[0:25:54] Trustee Morrison: applicants that's a good point yeah

[0:25:58] Voice 2: that's a really good point deb

[0:26:00] Trustee Morrison: we got we've gotten pinned on that one a couple times it's very frustrating

[0:26:04] Trustee Morrison: yeah

[0:26:05] Voice 4: i

[0:26:08] Trustee Maude: would just i sort of i'm on the other side of the fence where you know

[0:26:13] Trustee Maude: i'm reluctant to be adding more positions um especially the especially type position

[0:26:19] Trustee Maude: like this which which could carry a bias um is i'd be more comfortable relying on outside

[0:26:27] Trustee Maude: advice than basically hiring more staff yeah

[0:26:33] Voice 4: i

[0:26:37] Voice 2: was thinking about that too david and

[0:26:40] Voice 2: and um you know if the if if that sort of professional reliance thing like in the

[0:26:47] Voice 2: the chosen thing there, you know, talk about the applicant hiring a forester or a qualified

[0:26:53] Voice 2: environmental professional. Yeah, I mean, it would be, I think it would be valuable to be able to

[0:27:04] Voice 2: balance, you know, that paid for outside advice with some in-house advice. And at the same time,

[0:27:16] Voice 2: course we already have some issues with um uh people feeling that you know folks that work for

[0:27:23] Voice 2: the islands trust are are sort of given their marching orders and um and so that that is an

[0:27:31] Voice 2: issue as far as as far as how it's going to be perceived in by the public i

[0:27:38] Voice 5: guess another thought

[0:27:38] Voice 5: too is budgetary wise if the concerns were having um a specialist on staff would be from what i

[0:27:45] Voice 5: I understand in my FPC meetings, hiring consultants on an ad hoc basis for specialty projects,

[0:27:51] Voice 5: it actually costs more. It can cost more because you don't have someone who has in-depth knowledge

[0:27:57] Voice 5: of the policies and working with the 26 trustees and 13 different islands. So anyway, that's just

[0:28:04] Voice 5: an additional comment.

[0:28:06] Trustee Morrison: And actually the other issue there too, which is a really interesting

[0:28:09] Trustee Morrison: one is um like if i'm an applicant and i don't want to hire an external professional but i have

[0:28:17] Trustee Morrison: to have professional advice right can i send pictures of my dangerous tree leaning over my

[0:28:23] Trustee Morrison: house to the island's trust person and say is that a dangerous tree can i cut it right like

[0:28:29] Trustee Morrison: that would potentially lessen the cost for um community members who didn't want to go through

[0:28:36] Trustee Morrison: a whole like it's an exempt tree right like so but they just need a statement saying it's an exempt

[0:28:41] Trustee Morrison: tree yeah

[0:28:44] Voice 2: that's a good point t-dub any

[0:28:50] Voice 3: further comments on this

[0:28:51] Voice 7: topic okay let's move on so g

[0:28:56] Voice 7: asks you what would be some benefits of such a regulatory power in connection with wildfire risk

[0:29:02] Voice 7: resiliency and healthy forests i

[0:29:11] Voice 5: think i i mean there's i think it'd be a there's a huge

[0:29:15] Voice 5: educational aspect to it by having I think by having the trust actually managing the forest

[0:29:20] Voice 5: in a way in kind of an ecoforestry way um it's a trust area we should I can't believe we don't

[0:29:26] Voice 5: have this that's that's all I have to say there I

[0:29:39] Voice 3: was super surprised we didn't have it either

[0:29:41] Trustee Morrison: when I first started at the trust I was like really so given that you know BC is like you

[0:29:47] Trustee Morrison: you know, number one is industry is forestry. And like, somehow we don't have control of that

[0:29:53] Trustee Morrison: issue here. That just blows me away, especially on private property. And now we're faced, I agree.

[0:30:00] Trustee Morrison: with you here like we're getting at least on the penders we're getting a lot there's amazing people

[0:30:04] Trustee Morrison: here who've been here for a long time and really care for the environment and many of the new

[0:30:09] Trustee Morrison: people do too but we're getting an eclectic mix of others in into the fold who are more city

[0:30:16] Trustee Morrison: oriented and don't even think twice about taking every tree off their property and that's disturbing

[0:30:23] Trustee Morrison: because literally anyone and everyone could do it right i don't think i answered the question

[0:30:34] Trustee Morrison: so much though but like what would be some of the benefits so benefits in terms of wildfire risk

[0:30:40] Trustee Morrison: is that we actually would keep the islands cooler so we'd have more water so that there's more

[0:30:47] Trustee Morrison: potential for you know being able to actually fight forest fires because we'll have water

[0:30:52] Trustee Morrison: are available if we take forest cover off which is a potential you know consequence of not

[0:30:58] Trustee Morrison: protecting it and then we potentially dry out and lower the biodiversity and you know all of those

[0:31:04] Trustee Morrison: negatives so the opposite is equally true if you protect the forest you protect the bird biodiversity

[0:31:10] Trustee Morrison: the native species biodiversity you know but it has to be properly managed you can't have like

[0:31:17] Trustee Morrison: like second growth unmanaged forests, which are just like fire risk central, where there's all

[0:31:22] Trustee Morrison: like same age stems and there's no biodiversity underneath. You can't have that. That's not what

[0:31:26] Trustee Morrison: we're talking about. So in that situation, I mean, Sydney Island is a paragon of properly

[0:31:34] Trustee Morrison: managed forest, you know, really good thinning and cutting and opening up gaps for new species,

[0:31:41] Trustee Morrison: for diverse species to like grow and that's what we want to see yeah

[0:31:54] Voice 2: i agree that that there's

[0:31:55] Voice 2: you know in terms of wildfire risk and and and healthy for us i mean they they do those two

[0:32:03] Voice 2: things actually sort of work in in concert together if you're um like you're saying as

[0:32:10] Voice 2: far as you know the second second and third growth for us that um the kind of mitigation that you do

[0:32:19] Voice 2: for wildfire risk or for or for enhancing the health of the forest kind of work in concert

[0:32:24] Voice 2: there so in in many cases anyway but

[0:32:30] Trustee Maude: i think the other question would be is how does that

[0:32:32] Trustee Maude: dovetail into the the regulatory power um is that forest management there's lots of benefits to it

[0:32:40] Trustee Maude: but we're talking about uh regulating uh tree cutting um so i'm just trying to sort of figure

[0:32:48] Trustee Maude: out like the the question is how what's the benefit of the regulatory power i do kind of

[0:32:53] Trustee Maude: struggle with that answer so

[0:32:55] Trustee Morrison: one of the things i've been thinking about dave is i was thinking

[0:32:59] Trustee Morrison: like maybe the islands trust grown version of this is about maintaining canopy and maintaining

[0:33:06] Trustee Morrison: structure right it's not about the individual tree move and so like from that perspective

[0:33:12] Trustee Morrison: what we're trying to do is make sure that people don't remove all canopy and damage the

[0:33:18] Trustee Morrison: ability to maintain that canopy in such a way that we lose, we lose tree cover. Right. And so

[0:33:28] Trustee Morrison: it's because, okay, so I'm not quite sure how to explain it. But I think it's not. So

[0:33:36] Trustee Morrison: I think it's okay to give cutting permission for people to do forest management to go in and thin

[0:33:44] Trustee Morrison: stands and to make them healthier as long as they're not creating holes in the canopy that

[0:33:50] Trustee Morrison: then heat the ground and so that a lot you know is if we write the policy in such a way

[0:33:57] Trustee Morrison: you can probably go in and do all sorts of ecoforestry management and work in spaces but

[0:34:03] Trustee Morrison: what you can't do is you can't go in and like clear an acre right that's what's not that's what

[0:34:10] Trustee Morrison: what we're trying to avoid I think and

[0:34:12] Voice 5: those ecoforestry principles would also be we would

[0:34:15] Voice 5: land wildfire risk assessment like better the resiliency and also provide firewood like it's

[0:34:23] Voice 5: everything that people are concerned about from what I've heard in the letters and whatnot about

[0:34:28] Voice 5: tree cutting having an eco like a strong ecoforestry policy would really assist all of

[0:34:35] Voice 5: that and the island stress conservancy or local conservancies can really help with that as well

[0:34:39] Voice 5: and

[0:34:41] Trustee Morrison: that's back to my initial point of we do not want to be framing this as a tree cutting bylaw

[0:34:45] Trustee Morrison: i think it's really problematic to frame it as a tree cutting bylaw what we're talking about

[0:34:49] Trustee Morrison: is a healthy forest bylaw yeah

[0:34:54] Voice 2: i agree with that too it's um it's i think it's really triggering

[0:34:59] Voice 2: to talk about it as a as a tree cutting bylaw okay

[0:35:06] Voice 7: thank you i'll move us on to the final

[0:35:09] Voice 7: question here with about four minutes left how could this authority assist with culturally

[0:35:14] Voice 7: culturally modified tree protection in your local trust area I wanted

[0:35:34] Voice 2: to say that yeah

[0:35:35] Trustee Morrison: go ahead Tim

[0:35:36] Voice 2: sorry I was just going to say that um on the skeedy at any rate there's um is very little

[0:35:45] Voice 2: awareness uh of culturally modified trees and I I have a feeling that much of what may have

[0:35:55] Voice 2: been culturally modified has already been um cut in previous um you know basically full island

[0:36:04] Voice 2: logging operations through the early part of the last century and then again there's a major

[0:36:10] Voice 2: major logging operations in the 50s i actually am not aware of any remaining culturally modified

[0:36:18] Voice 2: trees uh in our area which isn't to say that there aren't it's impossible that there are aren't any

[0:36:24] Voice 2: but i i just don't think it's um certainly not something any thing people are seem to be aware

[0:36:31] Voice 2: of or have talked about here not aware of any of them remaining and

[0:36:36] Trustee Morrison: here i would actually push back

[0:36:38] Trustee Morrison: a little bit too because culturally modified trees is a super narrow way about thinking about

[0:36:42] Trustee Morrison: indigenous uses of forests and so i i think that's the other issue that i see in this framing is that

[0:36:50] Trustee Morrison: if there are known culturally modified trees that have historic cultural value yeah we should be

[0:36:56] Trustee Morrison: protecting those just under cultural dpas or other types of things that are like clear and and saw or

[0:37:01] Trustee Morrison: even under the archaeology like well however there should be a mechanism to protect them

[0:37:06] Trustee Morrison: but what i've heard in our collaborations here is that we we actually want to engage in

[0:37:12] Trustee Morrison: restoration efforts for native species that are forest species we want to engage in

[0:37:17] Trustee Morrison: um you know first nations in the region want to be partners in thinking about forest management

[0:37:24] Trustee Morrison: and thinking about um you know species diversity because there's current cultural uses of the

[0:37:30] Trustee Morrison: forest that we need to be thinking about yeah

[0:37:41] Trustee Maude: and i would sort of concur with that um first off

[0:37:44] Trustee Maude: is it um again because most of the like our island and i assume others have been

[0:37:51] Trustee Maude: they're cut several times there's probably nothing left um but certainly is is putting

[0:37:58] Trustee Maude: wording with within uh the regulations that's that's um sort of a no-brainer um but the other

[0:38:07] Trustee Maude: thing and and we heard it um in in july from from um the first nations people on galeano

[0:38:14] Trustee Maude: Ano and Salt Spring, that their traditional use of the forest continues to this day, and

[0:38:24] Trustee Maude: certainly, you know, that has to be respected, and within any regulations that we do, we

[0:38:33] Trustee Maude: have to be sensitive to that, and that's not easy enough.

[0:38:39] Trustee Maude: um you look at the largest operation of logging in the last 25 30 years in the gulf islands

[0:38:46] Trustee Maude: happened on main island and saturn islands on the reserves so it's um we have to be respective

[0:38:53] Trustee Maude: of that all

[0:39:02] Voice 7: right thank you all are there any before we um return to the larger group are

[0:39:06] Voice 7: there any questions you want to return to and supplement your answers um

[0:39:10] Voice 5: i think i was just

[0:39:11] Voice 5: really surprised at a place like my chosen has a tree cutting bylaw and the island's trust area

[0:39:16] Voice 5: it doesn't it really surprised me that's it is

[0:39:21] Trustee Morrison: it incorporated yes yeah

[0:39:24] Voice 3: yeah

[0:39:28] Voice 7: they're a district

[0:39:29] Voice 7: district of mitchell's and i believe right well thank you all for your active participation in

[0:39:35] Voice 7: group three um we'll head back into the larger group now using the link that laurie provided

[0:39:40] Voice 7: i just trust council meeting

[0:39:42] Voice 2: oh

[0:39:42] Voice 7: i see another comment i

[0:39:46] Voice 2: well i just remembered that uh one of

[0:39:48] Voice 2: us is supposed to report out and we didn't talk about that in the beginning and who's

[0:39:53] Voice 2: going to do it and who took notes i

[0:39:58] Trustee Morrison: think tim would be excellent report i

[0:40:00] Voice 3: was gonna say shotgun

[0:40:01] Voice 5: not me that's show

[0:40:06] Voice 2: him find the nomination

[0:40:13] Voice 2: no

[0:40:13] Trustee Morrison: i can't i've been up since 3 30 i can't look at my i just can't

[0:40:19] Trustee Morrison: i

[0:40:20] Voice 5: have no good excuse all

[0:40:24] Voice 3: right kim david trustee

[0:40:30] Voice 2: has rockefeller has no good excuse

[0:40:33] Voice 5: other than i can't speak in a group larger than four people

[0:40:40] Voice 2: i i'm i just don't know if i can sort of come up with a synopsis but i if i had thought about it

[0:40:50] Voice 2: beginning i could have taken notes should

[0:40:53] Trustee Morrison: we nominate claire robert

[0:40:57] Trustee Morrison: is that possible

[0:41:02] Trustee Morrison: we

[0:41:02] Voice 7: should nominate robert robert would you like to take that assignment i'm

[0:41:09] Voice 4: not a trustee

[0:41:12] Voice 7: so anyone willing if not i mean staff can report on your behalf but at this point we've got sort

[0:41:17] Voice 7: of eight minutes for the until the end of the session so I don't think it'll be too substantive

[0:41:21] Voice 7: in terms of reporting I think you could I think a theme that if any of you choose to speak would

[0:41:26] Voice 7: be around your notion about like forest canopy protection as a priority so you know I heard

[0:41:31] Voice 7: themes around sustaining biodiversity I heard a general support from the council moving forward

[0:41:37] Voice 7: to at least get the authority for local trust committees to have the option for tree cutting

[0:41:41] Voice 7: bylaws so I think those would be themes you could report out in a minute or two and I also

[0:41:51] Voice 7: All right. So if you could please exit this meeting and rejoin the Maine Trust Council

[0:41:56] Voice 7: meeting, we'll see you over there. Thank you all. Thanks, Robert.

[0:42:04] Voice 3: You're welcome.

Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 1 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
Trust Council 
Minutes of Regular Meeting 
 
Date: 
Location: 
September 21, 2021 - September 23, 2021 
Electronic Zoom Meeting 
 
 
Members Attending: Michael Kaile, Bowen Island Municipality 
Laura Busheikin, Denman Island 
David Critchley, Denman Island 
Scott Colbourne, Gabriola Island 
Kees Langereis, Gabriola Island 
Tahirih Rockafella, Galiano Island 
Jane Wolverton, Galiano Island  
Kate-Louise Stamford, Gambier Island 
Alex Allen, Hornby Island 
Grant Scott, Hornby Island 
Peter Johnston, Lasqueti Island 
 
Timothy Peterson, Lasqueti Island 
 
Jeanine Dodds, Mayne Island  
 
David Maude, Mayne Island  
Ben McConchie, North Pender Island (regrets unless noted otherwise) 
Deb Morrison, North Pender Island 
Peter Grove, Salt Spring Island 
Paul Brent, Saturna Island (regrets unless noted otherwise) 
Lee Middleton, Saturna Island (regrets) 
Cameron Thorn, South Pender Island (absent unless noted otherwise) 
Steve Wright,  South Pender Island (regrets unless noted otherwise) 
Doug Fenton, Thetis Island 
 
Staff Present: Russ Hotsenpiller, Chief Administrative Officer (Victoria Boardroom)  
Robert Kojima, Acting Director, Local Planning Services 
Clare Frater, Director, Trust Area Services  
Julia Mobbs, Director, Administrative Services 
Carmen Thiel, Legislative Services Manager (Victoria Boardroom) 
Kate Emmings, Manager, Islands Trust Conservancy 
Warren Dingman, Manager, Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement 
Lisa Wilcox, Senior Intergovernmental Policy Advisor 
Dilani Hippola, Senior Policy Advisor  
Lori Foster, Executive Coordinator (Victoria Boardroom) 
 
 
 
Executive  Present: Peter Luckham, Chair, Thetis Island (Victoria Boardroom) 
Sue Ellen Fast, Vice Chair, Bowen Island Municipality 
Laura Patrick, Vice Chair, Salt Spring Island  
Dan Rogers, Vice Chair, Gambier/Keats Island 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 2 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
Tuesday, September 21, 2021 
 
The meeting was conducted electronically via Zoom and livestreamed.  There were between 2-3 
members of the public attending the meeting and it was reported there were 114 livestream views.  
 
1. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT / CALL TO ORDER 
 
Chair Luckham recognized that September 30
th
 is the first National Day for Truth and 
Reconciliation to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and 
communities.   
 
At 1:03 p.m., Chair Luckham called the meeting to order. 
 
The following trustees sent regrets or were absent when the meeting began: 
 Lee Middleton, Saturna, (regrets) 
 Ben McConchie, North Pender, (regrets) 
 Paul Brent, Saturna – (regrets) arrived at 2:31 p.m., 
 Cameron Thorn, South Pender – (absent) arrived at 2:49 p.m. 
 
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
 
Chair Luckham called for any additions to the agenda, there were none. 
 
By general consent, the agenda was adopted as presented. 
 
3. GENERAL BUSINESS ARISING 
 
3.1 Consent Agenda Items 
 
3.1.1 July Trust Council Special Meeting DRAFT minutes 
 
By general consent, Trust Council adopted item 3.1.1., the July Trust Council 
Special Meeting draft minutes as presented. 
 
3.2 Discussion / Decision Items 
 
3.2.1 Trustee Roundtable 
 
Trustees participated in a round table session giving verbal updates highlighting 
local trust area business items, recently attended meetings and forums. 
 
The meeting recessed for a break at 2:09 p.m. and reconvened at 2:30 p.m. 
 
Trustee Brent joined the meeting at 2:31 p.m. 
 
4. EXECUTIVE 
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 3 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
4.1 Consent Agenda Items 
 
Items pulled from the consent agenda for discussion / decision were 4.1.1., Trust 
Council Follow Up Action List and 4.1.3., Continuous Learning Plan. 
 
By general consent, Trust Council adopted the recommendations as presented in items 
4.1.2. and 4.1.4. 
4.1.2 Strategic Plan Update  
Receive for information. 
4.1.4 Executive Committee Work Program Report 
Approve the work program report as presented. 
 
Discussion / Decision 
 
4.1.1. Trust Council Follow Up Action List 
 
Trustee Langereis requested clarification on FUAL item #1 regarding who meets 
with the minister to request further funding. 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller cited collaboration with the Island Trust Conservancy. 
 
By general consent, the Trust Council Follow Up Action List was received for 
information. 
 
4.1.3 Continuous Learning Plan 
 
Trustee Busheikin spoke to trustee learning opportunities with a possible 
workshop regarding community engagement processes and best practices.  
 
TC-2021-079 
It was Moved by Trustee Busheikin and Seconded by Trustee Fenton, 
That Trust Council prioritize public engagement tools and approaches as a 
priority topic for future learning opportunities.  
CARRIED 
 
Trustee Thorn joined the meeting at 2:49 p.m. 
 
4.2 Discussion / Decision Items 
 
4.2.1 Chief Administrative Officer's (CAO) Report 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller spoke to the report in the agenda package. 
 
Discussion followed on COVID updates. 
 
4.2.2 Update on development of electronic meetings capability for Local Trust 
Committee, Trust Council and Council Committees – Briefing 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 4 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
CAO Hotsenpiller spoke to the briefing which outlines how local trust committee 
(LTC) meetings will be implemented electronically by LTC chairs using electronic 
tool kits at live, in-person meetings. 
 
There will be an introduction for chairs to the kits by technology services with 
collaborative management by staff during meetings. 
  
4.2.3 Amendments to Trust Council Policy 2.1.2 Standards of Conduct – RFD 
 
Legislative Services Manager Thiel introduced the request for decision as 
presented in the report.  Discussion followed. 
 
TC-2021-080 
It was Moved by Trustee Morrison and Seconded by Trustee Wright, 
That Trust Council request further amendments to Policy 2.1.2 prior to 
adoption. 
 
TC-2021-081 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Brent, 
That motion TC-2021-080 be amended as follows: after the word “request” add 
“trustees to provide to Executive Committee” after the word “further” add “or 
different” after the word “adoption” add “and this matter be deferred until 
December Trust Council”. 
CARRIED 
The question on the main motion, as amended, was put. 
 
That Trust Council request trustees to provide to Executive Committee further 
or different amendments to Policy 2.1.2 prior to adoption and this matter be 
deferred until December Trust Council. 
CARRIED 
 
By general consent, item 4.2.4 was addressed after item 10.2.4 and item 4.2.5 was addressed after item 
16. 
 
The meeting recessed for a break at 3:33 p.m. and reconvened at 3:45 p.m. 
 
4.2.6 Backgrounder for Trust Council session on tree cutting authority – Briefing 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller introduced the briefing and shared District of Metchosin’s 
Tree Management Bylaw No. 287 as a sample from a local government showing 
content that may be considered. 
 
At 4:00 p.m., trustees moved into 4 electronic breakout rooms assigned with 6-7 
trustees each where questions from the session outline were discussed.  The 
breakout room meetings were recorded, livestreamed and available for the 
public to attend as a webinar.  
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 5 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
 
At 4:50 p.m. trustees reconvened back to the main meeting and heard a 
summary of discussion by a representative from each group. 
  
CAO Hotsenpiller will summarize the notes taken and bring a report back to the 
Executive Committee.  
 
The meeting recessed at 5:06 p.m. and reconvened at 7:00 p.m. for item 5.  
 
5. ENGAGEMENT 
 
5.1 Delegations 
 
Delegations were given ten (10) minutes each to address Trust Council. 
 
5.1.1 Salish Sea Institute 
 
Ginny Broadhurst, Director of the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington 
University shared a PowerPoint titled, “State of the Salish Sea” addressing 
urbanization/human impacts, climate change and cumulative effects.  She spoke 
to opportunities to collaborate across the boarder. 
 
5.1.2 Raincoast Conservation Foundation 
 
Shauna Doll, Gulf Islands Forest Project Coordinator with Raincoast 
Conservation Foundation presented a PowerPoint speaking to the Islands Trust 
Policy Statement review and requested ongoing advocacy to the Province on 
legal measures to protect the Coastal Douglas-fir zone.   
 
5.1.3 Michael Sketch 
 
Michael Sketch, North Pender Island resident, presented changes to the current 
structure of draft Policy Statement Bylaw No. 183, updated July 15
th
, and read 
his written submission titled “A rewritten Trust Policy Statement Bylaw V.3.4”. 
  
5.1.4 Stephen MacLean 
 
Stephen MacLean, Gabriola Island resident, addressed Trust Council with 
questions on the draft Policy Statement Bylaw No. 183, implementation of 
policy directives into islands official community plans and concerns regarding 
more authority around tree cutting regulations. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 6 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
5.1.5 Moving Around Pender 
 
Niall Parker, Chair of Moving Around Pender – an alternative transportation 
society -  presented a PowerPoint with a proposal to rationalize right-of-ways 
which would  increase the width of existing roadways for roadside trails that 
support more environmentally friendly modes of transportation such as walking, 
cycling and horses. 
 
5.2 Town Hall 
 
Mairead Boland, Saturna Island Residents and Ratepayers Association, addressed a 
procedural item regarding agenda publication deadlines and materials she circulated to 
trustees after the deadline, including a survey. 
 
Maxine Leichter, Salt Spring Island, commented on item 9.2.2 Shoreline and Residential 
Density Reports Strategic Plan report saying it was not appropriate for rural areas and 
neither is high density housing without appropriate sewer and water. 
 
Brian Young, Chair of Transition Salt Spring, requested Trust Council adopt scenario 3 
presented in the Islands 2050 Phase 3 Public Engagement request for decision 
supporting  deeper engagement with the public. 
 
Peter Pare, Pender Island resident, supports the Trust Policy Statement and regulations 
where forest practices are sustainable and restorative noting that planting trees is the 
most effective carbon capture. 
 
Daniel O’Donnell, Salt Spring Island resident, disagrees with Islands Trust regulating any 
type of tree cutting authority. 
 
Speaker, identified as Lisa from Pender Island, supports review of the Policy Statement 
and section 4.2 to protect the water supply urging implementation of rainwater 
harvesting tanks with a rebate incentive and to advocate to the Province and Capital 
Regional District. 
 
Jacinthe Eastick, Gabriola Island resident, spoke to islands in peril of sustainability citing 
the State of the Islands report and asked trustees to assume responsibility to protect 
them through policy. 
 
Chair Luckham asked if there were any more speakers wishing to address Trust Council. 
 
John Cowhig, Salt Spring Island 17 year resident, stated gratitude for living here and 
asked trustees to act as representatives of the residents and not their personal 
ideologies. 
  
Gregory Nicolls, Pender Island resident, supports preserving and protecting the quality 
of the islands but requests flexibility if there is good reason for tree cutting and means 
of enforcing tree cutting rules. 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 7 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
Dawn Cressman, 30 year island resident from Mayne, Salt Spring and Saturna, supports 
rainwater collection, that it should be part of the building permit process and requested 
autonomy for the islands being recognized as individual. 
 
Paul Petrie, South Pender Island, commented on previous town hall speakers, supports   
limiting the rate and scale of growth and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation 
presentation and requested trustees have the courage to stand up for all British 
Columbians. 
 
Chair Luckham called for any further speakers to town hall. 
 
Paul Dodd, island resident, addressed clear cutting on private lands and what the 
evidence is on each of the islands that gives rise to consider a tree cutting bylaw. 
 
Chair Luckham responded that council is still in the “definition” phase of tree cutting 
authority. 
 
David Dunnison, island resident, commented on desalination, the moratorium on docks 
by the province and consideration of FireSmart BC guidelines that discourage trees 
being within a certain distance from structures. 
 
Chair Luckham called for any further speakers, there were none. 
 
At 9:00 p.m., Chair Luckham recessed the meeting for the day thanking all who attended and viewed the 
livestream. 
  
Wednesday, September 22, 2021 
 
Chair Luckham called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m., and humbly stated gratitude to live and work on 
Coast Salish First Nations traditional and treaty territory. 
 
With the exception of Trustees Middleton, Wright, Thorn, Colbourne, Dodds, McConchie and Peterson, 
there were 19 trustees present (7 absent).  It was reported that there were 56 livestream viewers 
throughout the day. 
 
6. TRUST AREA SERVICES 
 
6.1 Consent Agenda Items 
 
Item 6.1.2 was pulled for discussion/decision. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 8 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
By general consent, Trust Council adopt the recommendations as presented in items 
6.1.1., 6.1.3., and 6.1.4.  
6.1.1 Trust Programs Committee Work Program Report 
Approve the work program report as presented. 
6.1.3 Islands Trust Conservancy Quarterly Report 
Receive for information. 
6.1.4 Islands Trust Conservancy Audit Report - Briefing 
Receive for information. 
 
Discussion/Decision 
 
6.1.2 Legislative Monitoring - Briefing 
 
Trustee Langereis asked if Islands Trust provided any feedback regarding the 
Provinces action plan on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
Act (DRIPA). 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller responded, no. 
 
By general consent, the briefing was received for information.  
 
At 9:09 a.m., Trustees Dodds, Peterson, McConchie and Colbourne joined the meeting. (23 trustees 
present) 
 
6.2 Discussion / Decision Items 
 
6.2.1 Director of Trust Area Services Report 
 
Director of Trust Area Services (DTAS) Frater summarized the report and spoke 
to staffing updates. 
 
6.2.2 Policy Statement Amendment Project Phase 3 Public Engagement Plan - RFD 
 
DTAS Frater summarized the report and introduced Molly Steeves. 
 
Molly Steeves, MODUS Planning and Engagement Consultant, presented a 
PowerPoint on next steps in the Islands 2050 Phase 3 Engagement Strategy.  
 
At 9:50 a.m., Trustee Thorn joined the meeting. (24 trustees present) 
 
A question period ensued.  
 
Trustees debated the engagement options as presented in the request for 
decision (RFD). 
 
 
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 9 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
TC-2021-082 
It was Moved by Trustee Morrison and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That Trust Council approve the Islands 2050 Phase 3 Public Engagement Project 
Charter scenario 3 and approve a budget of an additional $82,000, consisting of 
an additional transfer of $62,000 from the general revenue surplus fund and the 
remainder to be funded by any reallocation of funds from the approved 
2021/2022 budget to support implementation. 
CARRIED 
 
The meeting recessed at 10:40 a.m. and reconvened at 10:50 p.m. with 21 trustees present.  Missing 
were Trustees Morrison, Busheikin and Thorn. Trustees Middleton and Wright sent regrets. 
 
7. COLLABORATION 
 
7.1 Oil Spill Planning in the Islands Trust Area Presentation 
 
Chair Luckham introduced Sarah Hughes, Cory Maciver and Stephanie Hawkins from the 
Department of Fisheries Oceans and Coast Guard. 
 
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Coast Guard presenters shared a 
PowerPoint titled “Canadian Coast Guard Planning for Integrated Environmental 
Response” and answered trustee questions after the presentation. 
 
Discussion was heard on how to better inform island communities regarding 
jurisdictional response, capacity and function should an oil spill occur. 
 
Chair Luckham thanked the speakers for presenting. 
 
By general consent, Trust Council addressed item 6.2.3 next. 
 
6.2.3 Policy Direction: NAPTEP Fees - RFD 
 
Trustee Stamford, Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy Board, spoke to the 
request for decision regarding sponsorship of Natural Area Protection Tax 
Exemption Program (NAPTEP) application costs. 
 
TC-2021-083 
It was Moved by Trustee Stamford and Seconded by Trustee Peterson, 
That Trust Council direct staff to develop policy guidance for sponsorship of 
Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) applications and 
return to Trust Council for further review and approval. 
CARRIED 
 
The meeting recessed for a lunch break at 11:57 a.m. and reconvened at 1:00 p.m. 
 
 
 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 10 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
7.2 Vessel Drift and Response Analysis Presentation 
 
Chair Luckham introduced presenters Marta Green, Puget Sound Recovery Coordinator, 
and Council Member Jamie Stephens from San Juan County. 
 
Marta Green shared a PowerPoint titled, “Vessel Drift and Response Analysis for the 
Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Southern Strait of Georgia.” 
 
A question and answer period followed. 
 
San Juan County Council Member, Jamie Stephens, gave a verbal update noting new 
council members Christine Minney and Cindy Wolf.  He spoke to updates on the 
shoreline master plan; adopting a climate change resolution; affordable housing, 
vacation rental regulations, and tourism. 
 
Discussion followed. 
 
Chair Luckham thanked the San Juan County guests for joining the meeting. 
 
The meeting recessed for a break at 2:15 p.m. and reconvened at 2:30 p.m. 
 
7.3 Atl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Update 
 
Chair Luckham introduced Ruth Simons, President of the Atl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound 
Biosphere Region Initiative who was invited to Trust Council to share that 
Atl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound, on September 15
th
, had become recognized as Canada’s 19th 
biosphere region and 3
rd
 in British Columbia, she spoke to Atl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound’s 
future management plan.  
 
8. SELECT COMMITTEE UPDATE 
 
Select Committee Vice Chair, Trustee Langereis, provided a verbal update on the committee’s 
work, that the consultants are in the interview process with trustees, senior staff and ministry 
staff. 
 
9. REGIONAL PLANNING SERVICES 
 
9.1 Consent Agenda Items 
 
By general consent, Trust Council adopted the recommendations as presented in items 
9.1.1. to 9.1.2. 
9.1.1 Regional Planning Committee Work Program Report 
Approve the work program report as presented. 
9.1.2 Bylaw Enforcement Statistical Reports - Briefing 
Receive for information. 
 
9.2 Discussion / Decision Items 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 11 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
9.2.1 Director of Local Planning Services Report 
 
Acting Director of Local Planning Services (A/DLPS) Kojima, spoke to the report. 
 
9.2.2 Shoreline and Residential Density Reports Strategic Plan – RFD 
 
TC-2021-084 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Busheikin, 
That Trust Council refer the Residential Floor Area report back to the Regional 
Planning Committee and request that the report incorporate the work being 
done on North Pender and South Pender and to update the report to identify 
environmental benefit. 
CARRIED 
 
TC-2021-085 
Moved by Rogers/Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That Trust Council forward the “Shoreline Protection Model Bylaw Report” 
dated March 2021 to local trust committees and Bowen Island Municipality for 
information. 
 
CARRIED 
 
TC-2021-086 
It was Moved by Trustee Busheikin and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That Trust Council request local trust committees and Bowen Island Municipality 
to advise the Regional Planning Committee if they intend to undertake policy or 
regulatory amendments based on the recommendations in the “Residential 
Floor Area Ratio Model Bylaw Report” or the “Shoreline Protection Model Bylaw 
Report.“ 
 
TC-2021-087 
It was Moved by Trustee Busheikin and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That motion TC-2021-086 be amended by changing the word “request” to 
“invite.” 
CARRIED 
 
The question on motion TC-2021-086, as amended was put. 
 
That Trust Council invite local trust committees and Bowen Island Municipality 
to advise the Regional Planning Committee if they intend to undertake policy or 
regulatory amendments based on the recommendations in the “Residential 
Floor Area Ratio Model Bylaw Report” or the “Shoreline Protection Model Bylaw 
Report.“ 
CARRIED 
 
10. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 12 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
10.1 Consent Agenda Items 
 
By general consent, Trust Council adopted the recommendations as presented in items 
10.1.1. to 10.1.2. 
10.1.1 Financial Planning Committee Work Program Report 
Approve the work program report as presented. 
10.1.2 March 31, 2021 Allocated Financial Statements - Briefing 
Receive for information. 
 
10.2 Discussion / Decision Items 
 
Trustee Thorn joined the meeting at 3:53 p.m.  
 
10.2.1 Director of Administrative Services Report 
 
Director of Administrative Services (DAS) Mobbs spoke to report highlights. 
 
10.2.2 2020/21 Statement of Financial Information – RFD 
 
TC-2021-088 
It was Moved by Trustee Grove and Seconded by Trustee Brent, 
That Trust Council approve the 2020/21 Statement of Financial Information as 
presented. 
CARRIED 
 
10.2.3 June 30, 2021 Quarterly Financial Report - RFD 
 
TC-2021-089 
It was Moved by Trustee Grove and Seconded by Trustee Brent, 
That Trust Council approve the June 30, 2021 Financial Report as presented. 
 
CARRIED 
 
10.2.4 2022/23 Draft Budget Assumptions, Principles, and Timelines - Briefing 
 
Director Mobbs reviewed the briefing and answered questions. 
 
By general consent, Trust Council addressed item 4.2.4 next. 
 
4.2.4 Revised Policy 2.2.3 Trust Council Resolutions without Meeting – RFD 
 
TC-2021-090 
It was Moved by Trustee Morrison and Seconded by Trustee Brent, 
That procedures for Trust Council Section 13 Resolutions without Meeting 
section 4.3.3.4 be deleted. 
CARRIED 
 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 13 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
TC-2021-091  
It was Moved by Trustee Critchley and Seconded by Trustee Langereis, 
That the procedures for Trust Council Section 13 RWM section 3.1 be deleted. 
 
TC-2021-092 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That motion TC-2021-091 be referred to senior staff to receive advice whether 
deleting section 3.1 offends the principle of resolutions without meetings 
(RWM). 
CARRIED 
 
By general consent, the meeting recessed at 5:00 p.m. 
 
Thursday, September 23, 2021 
 
Chair Luckham called the open meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and acknowledged with gratitude that he 
was chairing Trust Council from Lekwungen territory at the Victoria office.   
 
Trustees Kaile, Dodds, Scott, and Thorn were absent.  Trustees Middleton and Wright sent regrets.  20 
trustees present. 
 
At 9:03 a.m., the meeting was closed to the public. 
 
11. CLOSED MEETING 
 
TC-2021-093 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Busheikin, 
That Islands Trust Council closed this meeting to the public subject to Se3ction 90(1) (g) and (i) 
of the Community Charter in order to consider matters related to labour relations or other 
employee relations; litigation or potential litigation affecting the Islands Trust and the receipt of 
advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that 
purpose; and that staff be invited to remain in the meeting. 
CARRIED  
 
At 11:07 a.m. the meeting was reopened to the public. 
 
There was one member of the public in attendance.  It was reported there were 38 livestream views for 
today’s meeting. 
 
Trustees Dodds and Scott joined the meeting at 11:07 a.m.  22 trustees present.   
 
12. RISE AND REPORT 
 
Chair Luckham stated that minutes of the in-camera March 11, 2021 meeting were adopted as 
presented. 
 
13. NEW BUSINESS ITEMS - None 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 14 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
14. SUMMARY / UPDATES 
14.1 Trustee Updates 
 
14.1.1 BC Ferries (Ferry Advisory Committee Chairs) 
 
14.1.1.1 Trustee Maude - Ferry Advisory Committee Update 
 
Trustee Maude‘s report was included in agenda package. 
 
14.1.2 First Nations 
 
Trustees Wolverton and Fenton noted that a number of trustees participated in 
the August 1, March for Children in Chemainus organized by Penelakut Tribe to 
honour the lost children from the Kuper Island residential school, but felt Islands 
Trust could have done better to communicate its support. 
 
14.1.2.1 Trustee Johnston - Xwe'etay/Lasqueti Archaeology Project 
 Report 
 
Trustee Johnston’s written report was included in the agenda 
package. 
 
14.1.3 Gulf Islands National Park Reserve Advisory Committee - None 
 
14.1.4 Salt Spring Island Watershed Protection Alliance (SSIWPA) 
 
Next meeting pending, the alliance met last June.   
 
14.1.5 Atl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound Community Forum 
 
The next forum is scheduled October 22
nd
 on Bowen.   
 
14.1.6 Southern Gulf Islands Community Forum 
 
The next forum is scheduled for tomorrow, September 24, supported by Trust 
Area Services secretariat.   Southern trustees are encouraged to attend.   
 
14.1.7 Baynes Sound Forum 
 
Trustee Critchley commented there are aspirations to holding another Baynes 
Sound Forum in next two months. 
 
14.1.8 Freighter Roundtable Update 
 
Trustee Fenton was unable to attend the last roundtable; however, the South 
Coast Ship Watch Alliance continues its work noting the passing of dedicated 
advocate, Chris Straw last March. 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 15 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
Chair Luckham reported Transport Canada was revisiting protocol agreements. 
 
 
14.2 Priorities Chart 
 
Received for information. 
 
14.3 Proposed December Trust Council Agenda Program 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller spoke to the planned in-person meeting in Victoria Nov 30 – Dec. 2, 
2021 and the draft schedule modeled on previous live meetings.  Discussion was heard 
on COVID safety.  The schedule will evolve with Executive Committee. 
 
14.4 Disposition of Delegations and Town Hall Requests 
 
Vice Chair Rogers requested resolutions pertaining to yesterday’s presentations, items 
7.2 and 7.3. be considered in this section of the agenda. 
 
Vessel Drift and Response Analysis Presentation (item 7.2) 
 
TC-2021-094 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That Trust Council request staff to prepare correspondence for the Chair to the 
appropriate ministries affirming Trust Council support for the location of a dedicated 
Emergency Response Towing Vessel in Sidney, B.C. 
CARRIED 
 
Oil Spill Planning in the Islands Trust Area Presentation (item 7.3) 
 
TC-2021-095 
It was Moved by Trustee Rogers and Seconded by Trustee Fast, 
That Trust Council request staff to provide a report outlining potential options for how 
the Trust and local trust committees can engage and assist with the Coast Guard Oil Spill 
response planning process. 
CARRIED 
 
15. CORRESPONDENCE 
 
15.1 H. Holm submission to Sept 21 Trust Council meeting letter dated Sept 2, 2021 
 
Received for information. 
 
15.2 J. Eastick email dated August 24, 2021 re: request to council 
 
Received for information. 
 
16. STRATEGIC PLAN (Amendments) 

 
Islands Trust Council Minutes ADOPTED Page 16 of 16 
September 21-23, 2021 
 
CAO Hotsenpiller spoke to providing a cover briefing with the next quarterly report. 
 
By general consent, item 4.2.5 was addressed next. 
 
4.2.5 Amendments to Trust Council Policy 7.6.1 FOI Policy and 7.6.2 FOI Procedure – 
RFD 
 
TC-2021-096 
It was Moved by Trustee Fast and Seconded by Trustee Wolverton, 
That Trust Council adopt amended Trust Council Policy 7.6.1 Freedom of 
Information and Protection of Privacy (attachment 1). 
 
CARRIED 
 
TC-2021-097 
It was Moved by Trustee Fast and Seconded by Trustee Fenton, 
That Trust Council adopt amended Trust Council Policy 7.6.2 Freedom of 
Information and Protection of Privacy Procedure (attachment 3). 
 
CARRIED 
17. NEXT MEETING 
 
The next Trust Council meeting is scheduled to be held in-person in Victoria, November 30 to 
December 2, 2021. 
 
18. ADJOURNMENT 
 
TC-2021-098 
It was Moved by Trustee Fast and Seconded by Trustee Fenton, 
That the meeting be adjourned at 12:08 p.m. 
 
 
_________________________ 
Peter Luckham, Chair 
 
Certified Correct 
 
_________________________ 
Lori Foster, Executive Coordinator/Recorder