Developing Housing Solutions on Cortes Island

We are hosting two upcoming events on the weekend of July 11th. The first is a 3 day workshop on chip slip natural building. There are opportunities to drop in for 3 hour sessions as well. Please email us to register.

As a part of our effort to support housing on Cortes, the Cortes Housing Society (CHS) is working to address the significant challenges that employers and employees face finding adequate housing in the summer. Seasonal housing challenges are impacting local organizations and business’s ability to retain existing employees and attract new seasonal workers during peak season.

The Cortes Community Health Association and the Cortes Housing Society have been working together this past month. Thanks to a Gender Equity Grant from Cortes Island Community Foundation (CICF) and the Community Foundations of Canada, the CCHA is offering rural skills workshops for women on Cortes. They are using our new Cortes Wood Makerspace as a venue for building useful things.

With clear skies and summer just around the corner, are you concerned about your well water supply and having enough water for crops and household needs? What can we do to protect groundwater sources on Cortes Island and ensure that development is sustainable over the long-term?

Things are moving ahead at Rainbow Ridge. The land is now cleared for 24 townhomes. Three logging truck loads will be locally milled into timber for our community building. Lower grade wood will provide firewood for islanders and donations to the school wetlands project.

A big thanks to everyone who joined us at our “Opportunities in the Trades” forum on April 14th. We had a great discussion about the importance of training the next generation of tradespeople and the resources that are available to support this effort.