Gambier Island residents voiced concern over a recent wave of anonymous bylaw complaints during the June 24 Local Trust Committee (LTC) meeting.
The complaints, which targeted five properties, were accompanied by a letter from an unnamed group and a same-day visit from Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) bylaw officers — an event that left many residents feeling blindsided.
“I cannot overstate the negative impact this notice has had on the community,” said Trustee Kate-Louise Stamford. “Neighbours are afraid they’re being watched, they’re being targeted specifically, or that there’s some small infraction that can be discovered.”
The letter outlined the group’s intent to actively monitor and report bylaw compliance issues across the island, naming specific properties.
In an email to Coast Reporter, Stamford said the letter she received was signed by a group identifying itself as Gambier Islanders for a Law Abiding Community (GIFLAC). The group has not been officially recognized or described in public records but has been referenced by some residents in connection with recent bylaw complaint activity.
Back in May, Gambier Island Community Association (GICA) also clarified in an email to their members that GICA is not associated with GIFLAC, despite the latter organization claiming that their work is “in line with GICA's REDIP projects.”
One of the targeted residents, Sophia, addressed the LTC directly at the meeting: “It’s been very, very concerning. It’s deeply impacted the entire island, not just the southwest peninsula … It is seen as an abuse of process, according to the SCRD bylaw policy.”
The incident has raised broader questions about the use of anonymous complaints in rural communities. “To use bylaw complaints as an anonymous threat or to teach the consequences of not obeying, quote-unquote, is not in the spirit of living in a rural community,” said Stamford.
To address the issue, the LTC adopted a new Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement Policy, which includes provisions to address “vexatious” or “retaliatory” complaints.
The policy aims to ensure that enforcement is fair, transparent, and not weaponized.
The committee also requested a staff report to explore clearer definitions and more flexible regulations around accessory buildings—an issue at the heart of several complaints.
As the community continues to process the incident, trustees emphasized the importance of moving forward constructively. “Just want to make sure we can work together to get beyond what essentially was a poison pen letter,” said Stamford.
Jordan Copp is Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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