November 9, 2026
Dear Islands Grapevine Editor,
Open letter to Local Trustees Borthwick and Ross:
Premier Doerksen has promised to rescind Bill 44 because there is no matching infrastructure to facilitate drastic increases in population. Bill 44 forces all local governments (including the Trust) to update their housing bylaws to grow their capacity to provide more housing. Bill 44 is a direct conflict with the reason the Trust was created which was- to put place before people.
With a 27% population increase on gulf islands since 2020 compared to a 7.6% increase elsewhere in BC, the last thing these special places needed is a direct generic order to supersize our carrying capacity. The trouble is, we do not know what our carrying capacity is because according to Trust staff- it would be expensive and time consuming to find out!
So now with the addition of secondary suites being allowed (which are not even factored in as a unit of density) on all R2, A and F zones as well as permitting alternative dwelling options such as Recreation Vehicles, the madness continues. Cluster housing, tiny villages etc. also threaten to turn quiet, rural neighbourhoods into urban sprawl!
This would be the ultimate nightmare for anyone who had been dreaming and saving for years for a small piece of quiet, rustic country life on a small gulf island to realize that your neighbour has applied for a zoning change for cluster housing. Now instead of two neighbours, you have a dozen or more people next door! At that point because you are opposed to the drastic changes to your neighbourhood and conflict with your neighbour, you have no choice but to sell (at a loss) and leave. Is this really where we are going?
Edi Johnston
Denman resident
