Latest News
Get our latest community updates and invitations to events & activities.
Community Orchard Planting Celebration & Workshop
This Earth Day, we invite you to come together at Rainbow Ridge for something truly special: planting the roots of a community orchard that will grow and nourish for years to come.
What did we achieve in 2025?
We are pleased to report that 2025/26 was a banner year for our organization and for housing initiatives on Cortes, and we are seeing the culmination of several years of hard work coming to fruition.
Welcome to the Cortes Wood Makerspace!
Our community makerspace is up and running with 20 members so far. It is an incredible workshop with a great assortment of tools, including a kiln on loan from Ellingsen Woods and a planer/moulder for making tongue & groove boards.
Results of the 2026 Cortes Housing Survey
Drumroll please… Here are the results of the 2026 Housing Survey. Thank you to the hundreds of people who took the time to answer our questions!
Exploring New Ways to Support Housing on Cortes
Over the past few years, the Cortes Housing Society (CHS) has been working with the community on local housing challenges — from building homes at Rainbow Ridge to hosting forums, surveys, and conversations that bring many voices together.
What are your housing needs? Please complete this survey.
Two years ago we worked with Cortes Island’s Regional Director, Mark Vonesch, to create a housing survey to help us understand the challenges that people face, the reality of housing on Cortes, and how our local government and housing society can have a positive impact.
Community Housing on Cortes Becomes a Reality
We have made big progress at Rainbow Ridge in the last few months. Our Community Building is finished, and we are now using the space to run our office. The building is powered entirely by solar energy while we wait for BC Hydro to complete their design.
Cortes Wood Makerspace Grand Opening
We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our community wood shop. Shopmaster, Hannu Huuskonen and his team of dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly for the past year to renovate the space and gather the tools needed to provide a beautiful facility for you to make your woodworking dreams a reality.
Check out these Cortes eco-maps
We are excited to announce the release of our interactive Cortes Community Ecosystem Maps (CCEM). Over the past year we have been working in partnership with the Cortes Community Forest and other dedicated community members, with the help and expertise of mapping specialist Eve Flager, to develop a series of maps illustrating the current ecological and human landscape of Cortes Island.
September at Rainbow Ridge
There’s lots of progress to report.
Public Hearing on Zoning
This is a critical moment to make your voice heard and show your support. The SRD will be hosting a public hearing to discuss the proposed bylaw on Monday, September 8th @ 5pm at Manson’s Hall. We encourage you to attend and share your perspective.
Results of the Cortes Aquifer Study
We are pleased to present the findings of the Cortes Island Aquifer Health Assessment, a study commissioned by the Cortes Housing Society to map and assess the health of our island aquifers. This report, made possible with funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC, gives us the critical data needed to responsibly plan for the years ahead.
Upcoming
Events
In-Person & Online.
Grand Opening for the Cortes Wood Makerspace
Listen to this interview by Roy Hales, where our shopmaster and his team of dedicated volunteers host an opening celebration for the Cortes Wood Makerspace.
Ecosystems Mapping Project Launch
Come out and have a look at the new eco-map series for Cortes Island and enjoy the presentation by mapping specialist, Eve Flager.
Natural Building Workshop
Learn how to build chip slip walls for energy-efficient homes that utilize renewable, locally-available materials.
Aquifer Study Update
Watch this presentation by hydrologists from GW Solutions who discuss the state of our aquifers and their progress in mapping them during a meeting with community members in Manson’s Hall.
Opportunities in the Trades
The Cortes Housing Society hosted “Opportunities in the Trades” at Manson’s Hall and on Zoom on April 14th. Presenters from North Island College, Skilled Trades BC, North Island Employment, Roots to Roofs Community Development and Citizen Design Build shared their expertise and resources for getting started in the trades.
Land Share Models: A Learning Forum
Listen to this Forum on Land Sharing from March 8, 2025. Islanders discuss their experiences sharing land on Cortes. You will be amazed and inspired with the variety of ways they have managed to make home ownership more affordable.
Home Energy Workshop
Learn how to save money and lower your carbon footprint at two free workshops on Tuesday, February 18th (2 pm and 6:30 pm) at Manson's Hall.  Folks from Ecotrust Canada will explain how to access government rebates to upgrade your home and install heat pumps.
Information and envisioning event for the Cortes Wood Makerspace.
CWM is a project of Cortes Housing Society aiming to provide a professional woodworking shop accessible to Cortes home owners, builders and hobbyists. For more information email: CWM@cortescommunityhousing.org
Modular Housing for Rural Communities
The Cortes Housing Society and Folk U along with the BC Rural Center and the Rural Islands Economic Partnership (RIEP) are hosting an online zoom housing forum on modular housing in rural communities. You’ll meet a few of newest and most exciting modular housing manufacturers in BC, learn about their processes, and have a chance to ask them questions.Â
Increasing Rentals Housing Forum
Zoom Housing Forum June 15th- Increasing Rentals Rural island communities are struggling to build rental housing due to high labour and material costs and lower rents.