NEW REGIONAL DISTRICTS EMBRACE OPPORTUNITIES

VICTORIA – The Comox Valley Regional District and the Strathcona Regional District have become the two newest regional districts in British Columbia, Community Services Minister Ida Chong announced. The inaugural board meetings were held today. “The two new regional districts will ultimately lead to stronger regions on central Vancouver Island, better equipped to manage growth as well as environmental protection and provide services for residents,” said Chong. “These regional districts have an incredible opportunity here and we will continue to work with the board of directors of both districts to ensure a smooth transition for residents.” The two regional districts were formerly combined under the Comox Strathcona Regional District (CSRD), which was established about 40 years ago. The Province of British Columbia is responsible for the creation or change of regional districts. Given the geographical size of the CSRD, its diverse needs and interests, the Province initiated the restructure to improve opportunities for decision-making on issues that are important to each region. The change will result in two regional districts that can address the important issues facing each area: The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) will encompass the communities of Campbell River, Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos, as well as the rural communities in the area. The communities of Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland, as well as the rural communities in the area, will be part of the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD).
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Don Quixote Note: A History of this process can be found at CSRD Restructure *Update
The Comox Strathcona Regional District (CSRD) was established on August 19, 1965 and was the first regional district in BC.
eight member municipalities and nine electoral areas together form the CSRD whose boundaries cover approximately 20,000 square kilometers and serves a population of 101,595 residents (2006 census). The region’s borders on Vancouver Island extend from Cook Creek in the south, north and west to include Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis, Zeballos and Kyuquot, and east to Denman, Hornby, Cortes, Quadra and the Discovery Islands plus a portion of the mainland north of Powell River.