The Islands Trust is governed by the Government of British Columbia’s Islands Trust Act which:
- Establishes the corporate bodies of the Islands Trust
- Identifies the Islands Trust Area and the “object” (mandate) of the Islands Trust
- Gives responsibilities and powers to the corporate bodies of the Islands Trust
- Transfers land-use planning powers from regional districts to local trust committees
- Prohibits a regional district from adopting bylaws, issuing permits or undertaking work contrary to a local trust committee bylaw
- Establishes the relationship with island municipalities
- Guides some governance procedures
- Provides for budget and requisition of taxes
Since 1974, the Islands Trust Act has been reviewed and amended several times.
The Islands Trust Mandate
The mandate is spelled out in the Islands Trust Act and provides the “purpose” for all Islands Trust corporate bodies:
“The object [mandate] of the Trust is to preserve and protect the Trust Area and its unique amenities and environment for the benefit of the residents of the Trust Area and of British Columbia in cooperation with municipalities, regional districts, improvement districts, First Nations, other persons and organizations and the government of British Columbia.”