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Islands 2050

First Reading of the draft Islands Trust Policy Statement

Islands Trust Council gave First Reading to the draft Policy Statement at its meeting of July 29, 2025.

Read the draft Policy Statement

Public Engagement

Phase 4 of public engagement on the draft Policy Statement ran from August 2025 to February 2, 2026. Referral of the draft Policy Statement bylaw to Indigenous Governing Bodies and government agencies coincided with public engagement.

Input on the draft Policy Statement was received through several engagement opportunities to support broad participation. The public was invited to provide feedback through an online survey, with a paper version of the survey with pre-paid postage available at select on-island locations. The public could also email Islands Trust Council or their local trustees, attend community information meetings or town halls, or appear as a delegation at an Islands Trust Council meeting.

Feedback received during Phase 4 of public engagement will be summarized in a report at a future Islands Trust Council meeting to help inform Islands Trust Council’s next steps on the project.

While the formal public engagement phase is now closed, you can still share your thoughts and ask questions about the draft Policy Statement by e-mail at islands2050@islandstrust.bc.ca or by calling 250-405-5151.

Correspondence received at the islands2050 address will be posted to the project website.

Feedback received in the previous rounds of engagement is reflected in the new draft Policy Statement. Read more about what we heard in previous rounds of engagement in the project library below.

Planned Next Steps

Spring 2026

Islands Trust Council will receive a report with the results of Phase 4 public engagement, as well as agency and Indigenous Governing Body referral responses, and will consider next steps.

Questions? email us: islands2050@islandstrust.bc.ca

The Islands Trust Policy Statement

The Islands Trust Policy Statement shapes land use planning across the Islands Trust Area, but the current version has not been meaningfully updated since 1994. A lot has changed over the past 30 years.

In 2019, Islands Trust launched the Policy Statement Amendment Project (Islands 2050) to update the Islands Trust Policy Statement to adapt to current and future challenges and opportunities, and to reflect its commitments related to Reconciliation, climate change, and affordable housing. Learn more about this draft Policy Statement here.

Public feedback from Phase 4 of engagement (August 2025 – February 2026) will be considered by Islands Trust Council. Public feedback from this phase of engagement will be in a What We Heard Report, available in April, 2026.

A recording of a virtual Town Hall about the draft Policy Statement is available to view on the Islands Trust YouTube channel here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Islands 2050 Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to frequently asked questions about the Islands Trust Policy Statement Amendment Project and its process.

Click to enlarge

*Timelines subject to change

Meeting dates

Please click on the + below to view the meetings recordings, agendas, and minutes of Trust Council, Committee of the Whole, and Trust Program Committee meetings in 2024 and 2025 where the draft Policy Statement was considered.

Meeting Dates (2024, 2025)

Access meetings agendas and recordings of Islands Trust Council, Trust Programs Committee, and Committee of the Whole meetings at the links below.

Meetings in 2024

Meetings in 2025

Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies

Guided by Trust Council’s 2019 Reconciliation Declaration and Action Plan, Islands Trust has and is continuing to undertake early engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies in the Trust Area. This work is informed by “Truth Precedes Reconciliation” section (1.1)of the Islands Trust Object: Past, Present, and Future Discussion Paper.

Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies is ongoing and shared with Islands Trust Trustees as it is received.

Details about previous engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies

June 2019-May 2021: All First Nations in the Trust Area are invited to engage in the Policy Statement Amendment Project, with First Nations (Cowichan Tribes, Snuneymuxw First Nation, Tla’amin First Nation and the Tseil Waututh First Nation, and the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council) participating. The engagement consisted of a mix of Policy Statement specific meetings and meetings held for other purposes. Trust Council received an engagement status report in July of 2021.

September 2021-June 2022: All First Nations in the Trust Area invited to engage, with six First Nations (Cowichan Tribes, Tla’amin First Nation, K’omoks First Nation, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nation, Lyackson First Nation, and the Snuneymuxw First Nation), the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, and the Coast Salish People of Galiano participating. In this phase, Islands Trust provided to, and received feedback on, the first draft of the Policy Statement. Trust Council received an engagement update report in June of 2022 (see documents below).

September 2023-Spring 2024: All First Nations in the Trust Area invited to engage. Phase 3 engagement took place with nine Indigenous Governing Bodies (Cowichan Tribes, Lyackson First Nation, Halalt First Nation, Penelakut Tribes, K’omoks First Nation, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nation,  Ts’uubaa-asatx First Nation, shíshálh First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation).  In this phase, Islands Trust received feedback on the second draft of the Policy Statement.  This input was brought forward to Trust Council in the summer of 2025 to inform its consideration of First Reading of the draft Policy Statement bylaw.

*all related documents can be found in the Project Library below

Future Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies

Fall 2025-Spring 2026: Phase 4 engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies is underway and consists of:

  • Fall-Winter 2025: Formal referral of the Policy Statement to all Indigenous Governing Bodies in the Islands Trust Area
  • Spring 2026: Islands Trust Council to receive referral feedback and summary report
  • Spring-Winter 2026: Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies continues as needed until adoption of the bylaw

Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies is ongoing and shared with Islands Trust trustees as it is received.

*Dates are subject to change

Questions?

Contact
E: islands2050@islandstrust.bc.ca
T: 250-405-5177

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Project Library

  • About the Project
  • Agency Referrals Phase 1 2021-2022
  • Agency Referrals Phase 1b 2023
  • Delegation Presentations
  • Discussion Paper
  • Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies Phase 1 2019-2021
  • Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies Phase 2 2022
  • Engagement with Indigenous Governing Bodies Phase 3 2023-2024
  • News Releases
  • Policy Statement drafts
  • Previously Adopted Versions of the Policy Statement
  • Public Correspondence 2019-2023
  • Public Correspondence 2024-2026
  • Public Legal Opinions