Islands Trust has launched a six-month public engagement campaign to gather feedback on its newly drafted Policy Statement, marking the first comprehensive review of the document in over three decades.
The engagement period follows the Trust Council’s decision to give the draft Policy Statement its first reading at the July 29 special meeting.
The Policy Statement outlines the overarching vision, principles, and policies guiding land use across the Islands Trust Area, which spans 13 major islands and more than 450 smaller islands between the B.C. mainland and southern Vancouver Island.
“The draft Policy Statement reflects input from island communities, Indigenous Governing Bodies and referral agencies gathered in earlier rounds of engagement,” said Laura Patrick, chair of Islands Trust Council, in the release. “Now we’re asking, have we got this right? Trust Council looks forward to hearing from the community in this next phase.”
Public input is being collected through an online survey, with postage-paid paper copies available soon at select locations throughout the Islands Trust Area.
The release notes that residents can also submit feedback by email, phone, in writing to Islands Trust Council, or by speaking at public input sessions during the September or December 2025 council meetings.
Local trust committees will host additional engagement opportunities to inform their recommendations, and a virtual town hall is scheduled for Sept. 10, where community members can hear more and ask questions.
The release explains that the Islands 2050 process began several years ago and aims to modernize the Policy Statement to align with evolving environmental, cultural, and governance priorities across the region.
The Policy Statement helps shape how communities grow and develop by guiding local plans, zoning rules, and long-term priorities across the islands.
Alongside public engagement, Islands Trust will continue government-to-government discussions with Indigenous governing bodies and conduct inter-agency referrals to “help inform Islands Trust Council’s ongoing consideration of the draft Policy Statement.”
To participate in the survey or learn more about the Islands 2050 process online, updates on future engagement opportunities are also available.
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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