VILLAGE VOICE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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JULY 2021
VILLAGE VOICE
SUMMER EDITION
INSIDE THIS ISSUE MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
YOUTH CENTRE
page 2 Haawa, Thank You and Merci,
Queen Charlotte for coming together and
STUDENT BURSARIES
supporting each other and our
page 3 community throughout the pandemic.
WILDFIRE UPDATES Covid-19 has challenged all of us in so
page 3 many ways and it is nice to know that we
VOLLEYBALL live in a community that cares.
page 4
By now the majority of community
MEET YOUR COUNCIL
members that are allowed have received
page 5
their second vaccination. On behalf of the
MUNICIPAL UPDATES Village of Queen Charlotte Council and
page 6 staff I would like to say how appreciative
we are of everyone's efforts in rolling out the mass vaccination program in our community. It was nice to see
how smooth the clinics worked at the community hall and how excited students at the high school were when
Northern Health staff utilized the school gym to set up a mass vaccination site.
One thing we must remember is we all are going to be dealing with opening up differently, just as we all dealt
with Covid-19 in our own way. Please respect each other as we start being able to socialize with each other
again.
Summer is here and it is hot, so please follow all water and fire restrictions. We had a small wildfire on the back
roads about 8 kilometers from town. This is a reminder that wildfires can and do occur here on Haida Gwaii.
The Village of Queen Charlotte would like to thank everyone involved with putting the fire out and protecting
our community.
Over the past couple of months, the Village Council and staff have been working hard updating the format of
our Strategic Plan. Please take a look at it on the Village of Queen Charlotte website. A lot of hard work went
into creating a document that is easily understood and is achievable. Council has also been recruiting a new
Chief Administration Officer for our community and a number of excellent candidates have put their names
forward. We are looking to have the position filled in the near future.
Please reach out to your Council members on any matters of concern. Your Council is committed to making the
Village of Queen Charlotte a better, more accessible, and inclusive place to live and visit. Have a great summer.
Respectfully,
Kris Olsen “Dluujuu”
Mayor, Village of Queen Charlotte
QC YOUTH CENTRE!
We are so excited to introduce our new
Youth Centre coordinator, Jay Myers!
Jay Myers first moved to Haida Gwaii in 2012 and is grateful to call it
home. With a grassroots background of mental health/addictions work,
music education, and community organizing, Jay is keen to be
promoting healthy lifestyles on Haida Gwaii. He loves playing and
producing music, sailing his lil' dinghy (and generally being outdoors),
having adventures with the fam, and food growing and gathering. Jay is
passionate about organizing around matters of social and ecological
injustice and is excited to effect positive change on the islands.
Jay out on the water with Declan
The QC Youth Centre has lots in store this summer! Follow our Facebook page (QC Youth
Centre) to find out about workshop and engagement opportunities.
Contact jmyers@queencharlotte.ca to register.
These include:
Drop-in day, for all youth aged 8-19! We will be open for drop-ins and outdoor play,
supervised by the Youth Centre coordinator(s).
Thursday afternoons from 2-6pm
Dance classes for kids (5-11): try out a range of fun styles in a fun, friendly environment
- ballet, jazz, hip hop, rhythm and sound!
Mon-Fri July 19th - 23rd, 10:45am - 12pm.
Lino printing workshop for teens (13-18): learn how to carve lino blocks to make
prints - print with multiple colours, on fabrics, and with different patterns!
Wed-Fri July 21st - 23rd, 1-5pm.
Skateboarding & street art workshops in mid-August
Bike clinics & other outdoor events
We are excited to be collaborating with the Skidegate Youth Centre to co-deliver
programming and expand our reach.
Everyone is welcome to drop by the Community Pride Picnic on Sunday, July
11th from 2-5pm in the QCYC field, featuring the Minstrel Cramps, snacks,
resources, and activities!
2021 STUDENT BURSARIES
Congratulations to Annika Martynuik, Myles Husband and
Caden Ives for being awarded the 2021 Village of Queen
Charlotte Bursaries!
Annika is working towards her Bachelor of Education from Vancouver
Island University with the goal of becoming an elementary school
teacher for SD50. Myles is attending the University of Northern BC
where he will be majoring in BSc. Biology. He plans on staying in the
North to work with Indigenous peoples and rural communities to
solve ecological problems.
Caden Ives is attending the
.BC Institute of Technology to become an x-ray tech on Haida
Gwaii. Congratulations to the recipients, keep up the good
work! Information on the $500 Bursary can be found on the
Village website, Policy FIN-004
Left: Myles Husband & Mayor Olsen. Above: Annika Martynuik & Councillor
Pineault who donated an additional $500 so each applicant could receive a
bursary. Caden Ives is off-island and was unavailable for a photo.
CAMPFIRE BAN & WILDFIRE SAFETY
REMINDER: BC Wildfire Service issued a Campfire and Open Burning ban across all of BC
on June 30, 2021. This prohibition continues until October 15th, or otherwise rescinded.
In addition to campfires, Category 2, and Category 3 open fires, the following activities
are also prohibited:
The use of fireworks
The use of sky lanterns
The use of burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
The use of binary exploding targets
The use of tiki and similar kinds of torches
The use of chimineas
The use of outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian
Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada (ULC) rating
The use of air curtain burners in Cariboo, Coastal, Northwest, Prince George and
Southeast fire centres.
For more information,
please refer to the news release:
http://ow.ly/V7aO50Fksx7
COMMUNITY PARK VOLLEYBALL
In June, the Grade 11/12 Outdoor Ed Physical Education
class at GidGalang Kuuyas Naay approached Council
with a request to add a temporary volleyball net to a
community space in town, both for their own use and as
a legacy project for the community.
The request was approved, and with the assistance of
Public Works, the students and teacher Ross Flemming,
have erected a volleyball net in the field at the
Community Park (Bear Park). They hope it will encourage
people to get outside and active, and have residents
build and maintain volleyball skills.
Thank You!
TO THE STUDENTS AT GKNSS
COVID-19 UPDATE & VACCINATIONS
All communities on Haida Gwaii are now in alignment with the BC Provincial guidelines and restrictions.
As of July 1st, 2021, the Province is in Phase 3, with updates to mask recommendations, guidelines for
businesses and events, Canada-wide recreational travel and more.
Please continue to refer to www.gov.bc.ca/covid-19 for up-to-date information.
The BC COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard updates cases, vaccination rates and more.
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data#COVID-19Dashboard
VACCINATION UPDATES
Easing of restrictions has largely been the result of increased
vaccination rates and a decrease in COVID-19 cases. Northern Follow Northern Health -
Health has completed it's phase of mass-vaccination clinics on Haida Haida Gwaii & Area on
Gwaii, and as of July 6th, 2021 83% of the population 12+ has
received at least one dose.
Facebook
Drop-in clinics will be occurring at the Haida Gwaii Hospital with no or contact your health care
appointment required, and you can also register with provider for updates!
getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca if you cannot make a pop-up clinic.
MEET YOUR COUNCIL - Ayla Pearson
Each edition, one of the Village Councillors will provide an update on
something they are working on. Ayla Pearson was elected via by-election in
November 2020. Here, she is sharing in her own words, why she ran for
Council and what she is working on.
Happy Summer! I hope you have had a chance to enjoy this warm weather. It
has been nice to see the boat launch busy again and photos from the top of
Sleeping Beauty.
I was elected in the November by-election and am excited to be stepping in
to this role to serve our community. A good backstory helps to paint a clearer picture, so here is a bit of
what inspired me to run for Council. Several years ago, a group of my friends got together with the goal of
getting more engaged with local politics because we saw it impacting our daily lives without an
understanding of how it all worked. We started to attend meetings, ask questions, and we got familiar with
the processes and lingo. This experience gave me an admiration for municipal administration as I could
see how quickly policies and by-laws can be passed and the role public input has in shaping them to fit
the spirit of our community.
I am currently appointed to be the alternate on the Misty Isles Economic
Development Society (MIEDS) board and alternate on the North Coast
Regional District (NCRD). Jennifer Rutt, Executive Director of MIEDS recently
gave a presentation on their current projects during our June 7th Council
meeting. A few of the highlights include hiring Hyland Fraser as a contractor
to help with the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) negotiations for the
Community Forest, working on creating a Haida Gwaii Online Marketplace
to help local businesses reach a larger audience by increasing their selling
cycle from the three month tourist season to year-round, and investing in a
plastic shredder to help contribute to the Clean Oceans project. Since over
90% of marine debris picked up is plastic, this device will assist with the
recycling of ocean plastic or the ability to convert it into other useable
products. Check out the June 7th recording on Facebook or the website to
watch the whole presentation.
The Village has awarded three student bursaries this year to Myles Husband, Annika Martynuik and Caden
Ives. We had planned on two bursaries out this year, because one wasn't awarded in 2020 due to COVID,
but Councillor Pineault donated an additional $500 so all three applicants could receive funding. I know
how important it is to support the youth of our community, and how it helps students, as that was me a
few years ago. I was grateful to be a bursary recipient in 2013. I hope they all have another successful year
in their studies.
Finally, there recently was a proposal from the Grade 11/12 Outdoor Education Physical Education class at
GidGalang Kuuyas Naay (GKN) to put up a volleyball net on Village property. The students worked
collaboratively with the Village staff to erect a volleyball net in 'Bear' Park (the Community Park). If you’re a
volleyball player like me, you will be happy there is a place to play in our community this summer!
MUNICIPAL UPDATES
WATER RESTRICTIONS
With the hot, dry weather Phase 1 Water Restrictions have been implemented for the Village of Queen
Charlotte. Let's all do our part to ensure the availability of water for our homes and community.
NOTICE:
LEVEL 1 WATER RESTRICTIONS
AS OF JULY 7, 2021
Driveways and walkways may only be swept with a broom.
Please do not refill swimming pools or hot tubs unnecessarily.
Watering of lawns is not permitted.
Vehicle washing is allowed, but limited to washing with a hand-held hose fitted
with a restrictive device only, and we ask this to be kept to a minimum.
Gardens and flower beds may be watered with a hose fitted with a restrictive
device.
You are permitted to use water on:
Odd numbered houses on odd numbered days
Even numbered houses on even numbered days
Village of Queen Charlotte Municipal Office Hours
8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday
Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm for lunch.
Closed Statutory Holidays
CONTACT US
Mayor Kris Olsen Interim Operations Manager - Mary Kellie Box 580
Councillor Jesse Embree Superintendent of Public Works - Ben Greenough 903A Oceanview Drive
Councillor Ayla Pearson CFO - Allison Sinkins Queen Charlotte, BC, V0T 1S0
Councillor Lisa Pineault Deputy Clerk - Sandra Brown Phone: 250 559 4765
Councillor Sean Young Development Clerk - Jeni Bulbrook Fax: 250 559 4742
Communications/Finance Clerk - Carolyn Beaumont
Youth Coordinator - Jay Myers office@queencharlotte.ca
www.queencharlotte.ca
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