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BC Parks Response to July 2026 HIRRA Letter

BC Parks has sent a letter of response to HIRRA’s letter: BC Parks response to HIRRA 20260731

At the July 8 HIRRA meeting, members approved sending a letter to BC Parks and other relevant agencies requesting meaningful community consultation and collaborative planning for BC Parks on Hornby Island.
This is the letter that was sent to BC Parks staff and elected officials:

July 12, 2026

To: Derek Moore, Area Supervisor, Von Donop

Re: BC Parks Consultation with Hornby Island

On behalf of the members of the Hornby Island Residents & Ratepayers Association (HIRRA), this letter concerns BC Parks’ approach to consultation with our community regarding park development plans. We learned from you recently that despite earlier plans for you to attend our July 2026 HIRRA meeting to share updates, BC Parks had decided not to offer any consultation opportunities to Hornby Island until next year, and then only on a very specific schedule related to Phase 2 of the Tribune Bay Park Campsite development.

This is not only alarming and disappointing in relation to the specific park development plans for Phase 2, about which our community has concerns, but in principle as an indication of a unilaterally imposed approach to consultation, withheld at the decision of BC Parks regardless of the wishes of our community.  In the last few decades, Hornby Islanders have fundraised and coordinated to place large tracts of our precious land base in the care of BC Parks.  These significant long-term efforts were undertaken with the intention that this arrangement would provide protection and environmental stewardship, and that BC Parks would act as a responsive partner in our mutual aim of caring for our land. 

Non-negotiable and unilateral withdrawal from consultation with the Hornby community about Parks development on this island is not the action of a partner, and contributes directly to the increasing feelings of resentment and frustration in the community, and to loss of community members’ trust in BC Parks.  It is also not in keeping with the spirit or letter of BC Parks’ own policies regarding community consultation.  Furthermore, it is a regrettable departure from a previously highly consultative and mutual relationship with our community.

Regardless of BC Parks’ internal timeline for Tribune Bay Phase 2, we respectfully request that BC Parks reconsider the decision regarding putting off consultation and communication with the Hornby community. 

We want BC Parks to live up to the obligations of being a land steward and community partner on Hornby Island, and the true intent of its own policies on consultation, by returning to engaging regularly and meaningfully in dialogue with Hornby residents regarding park development.  We also want transparency around how community feedback is considered and integrated into Parks’ plans for our island, and for BC Parks to model the highest standards of environmental impact assessment and mitigation in implementing those plans.

With this letter we are requesting that, as a first step to reopening consultation and dialogue, BC Parks commit to sending a representative, in person, to the next HIRRA meeting, taking place on Wednesday, September 9^th. We would like to use that opportunity to agree jointly on a process and timeline for meaningful consultation regarding the Tribune Bay Park Campsite Phase 2. 

We look forward to a positive response to our request for meaningful local consultation about the treasured BC Parks land on Hornby Island and re-establishing a collaborative approach to planning. 

Sincerely,

[signed by President and 2nd Vice President]

For the HIRRA Executive on behalf of HIRRA Membership

CC:
The Honourable Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks

Mr. John Hawkings, Executive Lead, BC Parks and Conservation Officer Service

Mr. Rumon Carter, Executive Director, BC Parks Service Transformation

Mr. Gord Johns, MP for Courtenay-Alberni

The Honourable Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, and MLA for Mid-Island Pacific Rim

Ms. Linda Hepner, the shadow minister for Environment and Park

Mr. Daniel Arbour, Comox Valley Regional District Director

Hornby Island Local Trust Committee

Conservancy Hornby Island

Notes from the April 26, 2026 Community Conversation

Topic: “Governance and succession planning in a changing climate”

Four HIRRA Executive members plus 40 other participants at the Hornby Community Hall

Following up on last Community Conversation (Nov. 2025). No particular agenda, just an opportunity to share perspectives. Open to everyone to speak and listen.
NOTE: The order of comments has been rearranged, and some people’s remarks split into multiple sections, in order to organize the comments roughly into six common themes:

• Suburbanization and other changes
• Vision and planning
• Funding, grant writing, taxes
• Volunteering
• Communications
• Value of what we have

Themes:

1. Suburbanization and other changes:
   • Hornby needs to respond to systemic cultural change, including changes in access to housing over generations. People who provide essential services are often not able to live in the areas they serve.
   • It seems that younger people have higher living costs and less time to volunteer for non-profits.
   • Concern about “sudden suburbanization” changing rural nature of Hornby (e.g. cutting down all trees and putting up a lot of lights). Is. Trust often does not seem responsive to issues.
   • Need to consider pros and cons of any “improvements.” Heat pump is an example of “suburban” amenities that save a lot of time, make housing more accessible, and are less polluting, but also result in losing out on connection to the land and nature through chopping wood.
   • Increased density and public transit can be useful responses to climate change reality.
   • One person was very impacted by destruction of iconic Thatch pub. Repurposing building materials is really important. Living closely with Mother nature is very important. Person participated in protest of planned tree cutting at Gravelly Bay. Why was there no protest about the Tribune Bay Campground destruction? Why did the Province not consult with the community? Why are we so focussed on “safety” that we are have to clear cut “danger trees?” Maybe we need to live with less!

2. Vision and planning:
   • We need to have a plan to move forward in a way that works for the future. How do we access the plan and implement it? What is our 5-year plan and onward? What do we love and what do we not like so much about Hornby?
   • Organizations use the Community Vision as a guide to planning and projects.
   • Community Vision is great, but how do we get from here to there? Who can we learn from?
   • Trust Official Community Plan needs to be influenced by (or combined with) the Community Vision.
   • One of the keys to succession planning is to rationalize/amalgamate/combine organizational structures (so there isn’t duplication of effort…e.g. conservation, food security, recreation). Reduce “silos.”
   • And, sometimes it is good to have diverse organizations with specific focuses.
   • CAST (Community Action Solutions Together) is a twice-yearly networking meeting for island groups to share information and support each other. CAST brings organizations together and helps groups not duplicate effort. Not a formal group that makes decisions or takes action. Appreciation for HICEEC and other groups who fund venue, lunch and minutes.
   • HICEEC is interested in having another Housing Network meeting.
   • Health network and CAST are both great opportunities for sharing support and ideas between groups. Funding available from HICEEC and Community Fund for projects.
   • Suggestion to form a “Foresight Committee” combination lobby group and think tank that would find opportunities to influence wider world decisions.
   • Email coming soon for community input on Roadside Trail from Co-op to Sandpiper neighbourhood. Seeking engaged people to spearhead consultation for the project. Approved in CVRD’s 5-yr plan, but will be at least five years before they start building it. Hornby Village Centre Planning group also looking at Roadside Trails in the four corners area. Currently just one trail that makes it to the intersection.
   • How do we get to where we want to go? Hornby Village Centre Planning will be undertaking some visioning and planning for the inevitable changes that are happening to the island. There are a lot of changes already happening with new Co-op, campground, Beulah Creek Nursery, so how can we make the changes we want? Group is hoping to apply for a Provincial Active Transportation grant to upgrade the intersection.
   • Consider Hornby doing a study on tax implications of becoming a municipality.
   • Strategic planning is very helpful, especially when driven by clear data.
   • Collectively we have a lot of power. We could get together, share skills and knowledge that would create solutions and influence government decisions.

3. Funding, grant writing, taxes:

• Frustrating how much time was spent discussing relatively “small” tax matters. One person collected CVRD tax data into a longitudinal data set which is useful to assess what is actually driving our rising costs. Good idea to “crunch some numbers.” Some people are willing to increase taxes in order to have increased services.
• Governments are putting money into funding that need to be applied for. Suggestion to hire professionals (possibly funded from taxes) to write grants for island organizations.
• Lots of grant funding available for “projects” but not much for “operational costs” for essential services. Grants are not a sustainable option for long-term funding.
• No way to budget based on grants. No guaranteed funding! Need a wholesale societal shift in our way of doing things. The current system doesn’t work. The solution has to be bigger than individual groups or individuals. How do we find ourselves in confrontation when we are all seeking the same basic needs? Collectively we have strength.
• Lots of grant writers on Hornby. People often don’t share what they are doing, sometimes because we are in competition for the same scarce resources.
• Doug Carrick’s booklet about Canada’s taxes is very interesting. Used to pay more taxes and get more services. Currently 150 large companies pay NO taxes. Suggestion to tax companies more to support housing, etc. How do we put pressure on the government to do it?

4. Volunteering:

• How do we inspire and engage with the next generation?
• Sometimes long-term volunteers hang on for too long. Suggestion for term limits on HIRRA Committees (e.g. 4 years).
• One person grew up in Sweden where there was no volunteerism because it was “stealing from the workers.” It is amazing to be able to contribute to the community through volunteering! Many younger people are actively participating in the Community School, Fire Department. People come from all kinds of backgrounds.
• Lots of younger people involved in organizations they are passionate about.
• Influx of many new people to the island, including part-time people becoming full-time. Need to bring them in and help them understand that their input is crucial to maintaining our community. Message to new people: How will you contribute? How do we invite and inform new people about the value of volunteering and building relationships?

5. Communications:

• How does CAST get their information out to a wider audience or for people to be aware that there is an opportunity to attend? Email list of group representatives.
• How do we make groups more interesting to the new ways that people access information (Instagram and other social media instead of First Edition and email)?
• Could there be a community web-site hub (by HIRRA?) with links to other island groups, maybe posting AGM minutes?
• New person finding it hard to quickly access what is happening on Hornby and how to contribute. Suggestion to have a non-profit fair at least once a year to inform people about all the groups on the island.
• A central organized community calendar has been set up to assist groups to organize meeting times, but requires people to post their events and meetings.
• com has an on-line events calendar available for use, but needs people to send in info to be posted.
• How do we effectively communicate with people? Several calendars and many communication channels.
• Often people are overwhelmed with information. There needs to be room for both diversity and some consolidation of effort and communication. Needs people to be willing to share information and maybe make one well-funded job for someone to help many organizations.

6. Value of what we have:

• HIRRA Exec. Administrator reviewed HIRRA’s responsibilities and interactions with other levels of governance. Non-profit member organization, not a municipality structure.
• Treasure HIRRA’s direct participatory democracy.
• Spirit of volunteerism is what makes Hornby so special.
• A great thing about Hornby–it has shady parking spaces at the gas bar for people with dogs.
• Hornby seems to have been built by activists. Sounds like we need more local and global activism. How do we do it?
• Lots of activists still here and still fighting. “Some people pull people out of the river. Some people go up river to figure out why they are falling in.” Most people can’t do both!
• Hornby is well-positioned to influence society. We can make changes! How do we work together. Efficient communication is key. Sometimes change can be dramatic.
• Grateful for the community for all the work we do.
• Hornby is unique in how we are able to make tax-funding decisions through direct democracy.
• Even with a full-time job (after 30 years on Hornby), one person had no way to afford land ownership. Joined a land co-op that enabled a secure place to call home. Several land co-ops on Hornby that seem like a good way to create affordable homes and allow more time for people to contribute to the community. Hard and scary to give up autonomy, but worthwhile. Could also be opportunities to share other resources (e.g. cars, laundry, chainsaws). Organizations can also work together and share resources. A caring community is better than any insurance!

2026 HIRRA AGM Appreciations 

Thank you to the 44 people who came to the HIRRA AGM on May 13, both in person and by Zoom, to review the 2025 year-end financial statements, to hear reports from the 13 Committees, and to “acclaim” volunteers standing for election for the coming year.Special appreciation for the many volunteers who keep HIRRA running:
~ Continuing Executive members Jeff, Patrick and Ted.
~ New Executive members Melanda Schmid-Ochieng and Len (Christina) Lenic.
~ Sixty-seven other volunteers who serve on HIRRA Committees and appointments.There are still nine vacancies on five Committees: Comfort Stations (Privy Council), Hall, Recreation, Fire Protection, and Emergency Preparedness. Please help us find enthusiastic people to direct and manage these services! Contact the HIRRA Executive Administrator for more information or to become a member.

View the 2025 year-end Financial Review here: HIRRA 2025 Audited Financial Statements

View the Committee Reports here: HIRRA Committee Reports for May 2026 AGM

AI Digital Assistance Use Policy approved

The DRAFT Digital Assistance/AI Use Policy was approved by the membership at the April HIRRA meeting. View here: HIRRA AI Digital Assistance Use Policy March 31-26

HIRRA Nov. 2025 General Survey Summary

Total of 52 responses

• 67% full-time residents
• 2% land-owners
• Time on Hornby ranged from 10 to 67 years (i.e. NO “newer” people)
• Age ranged from 43 to 90 (i.e. NO “younger” people)
• Slightly more female than male responses (some preferred not to say)
• 5% HIRRA members
• 50% felt HIRRA represents the community of Hornby Island (4 or 5 on a scale from 1 “not at all” to 5 “fully”)
• What specific changes could make HIRRA more representative? 35 written responses

Recurring comments: Increase members; increase attendance at HIRRA meetings; actively encourage new and younger members; increase communications/outreach; maintain hybrid meetings; unsure

• 68% felt HIRRA is effective at administering local services (4 or 5 on scale from not very effective to very effective)
• 41.7% felt HIRRA is effective as a forum for discussing and resolving community issues (4 or 5 on scale from not very effective to very effective), but 37.5% selected 3 (middling)
• 59% had confidence in the current Executive of HIRRA (4 or 5 on scale from no confidence to full confidence)
• Most important HIRRA functions: Administration of services and Community building
• Other functions you think are important: 16 Written responses

Recurring comments: No/not sure; be inclusive of part-time residents (some responses were not relevant—suggestions for new services/activities)

• 64% keep the name.
  Recurring comments: Of 22 written responses: 14 “no change” and some other suggestions: Municipality of Hornby Island, Hornby Community Association, Hornby Residents, Hornby Is Ratepayers Association, Busy Body Club, Hornby Local Government, Hornby Community Inclusion
• All Executive functions got high importance ratings: Facilitating meetings, Providing strong leadership and initiative, carrying out membership wishes
• Other important Executive functions? 19 written responses
  Recurring comments: No; supporting/administering services, financial oversight (some responses were not relevant—suggestions for new services/activities)
• Most important role of members was: “Be informed and ask relevant questions”
• Other important member roles? 17 written responses

Recurring comments: No; participate; volunteer; recruit new volunteers

• What did you like MOST about meetings? 35 written responses

Recurring comments: Friendly; respectful; efficient; hearing information discussions; community diversity

• What did you like LEAST about meetings? 34 written responses

Recurring comments: Overly long audience comments (rambling); disputes/conflict; too long generally; going out at night

• What would inspire you to become more active in HIRRA? 30 written responses

Recurring comments: more time; being younger; already did that; more information; issue they are interested in and can make a contribution to

• 47.7% middling morale of HIRRA (3 on a scale from 1 “very low” to 5 “very high”)
• Vision for HIRRA? 33 written responses

Recurring comments: Continue doing well– managing local services, representing residents and ratepayers, building community, being an inclusive forum for discussion; protect environment; more participation/inclusion;

• Comments and suggestions? 22 written responses

Recurring comments: Request for “don’t know” option in survey; share information; HIRRA doing a great job

~Thank you to everyone who completed the survey!~

Hornby Arts letter of support

The request from Hornby Arts for a letter of support for enhanced tax-funding from the CVRD was passed by the membership at the Feb. 11 HIRRA meeting.
Background PDF documents from the CVRD website (Minutes and agendas of Electoral Area Services Committee):
Hornby Arts Delegation with CVRD Dec 2025 re funding
CVRD staff report Arts and Culture funding 2025-29