Islands Trust is committed to delivering accurate information to the public and often collaborates with the news media to achieve this. However, occasionally it becomes necessary to provide corrections or clarifications. This page aims to provide a central location for directly presenting the factual information in response to inaccuracies.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Does Islands Trust record meetings?
Yes! Islands Trust records Trust Council meetings and committee meetings, with exceptions when technological limitations prevent recording in a specific venue.
To find meeting recordings, look up the date of the meeting you want to view in Meetings & Events, select the meeting you want to view, and then select “Watch Recording”.
Recordings are for convenience only and are not the official record of a meeting; minutes are the official record.
If you can’t find a specific recording or minutes, or have any other questions, contact us.
How many times a year does Trust Council meet and what is the cost?
The Islands Trust Council typically meets four times a year to discuss Trust-wide business. These meetings usually take place from Tuesday until Thursday noon. They can be either electronic or in-person, as decided by Trust Council. In-person meetings are often a hybrid model, meaning that up to 10 trustees can choose to attend the in-person meeting online. The cost of bringing together trustees from across the Trust Area to one location for a three-day meeting, including technology, meals and accommodation costs, is approximately of $31, 000, depending on location and number of participants.
More information about Islands Trust financials can be found in our Annual Report here.
What are closed meetings and why does Islands Trust have them?
Elected officials can decide to have a closed meeting under specific circumstances by passing a resolution that outlines the basis for closure. This basis could include discussions related to personal information, labor relations, security, land matters, law enforcement, litigation, legal advice, and other specific topics, with certain restrictions and requirements in place.
More information about closed meetings for local governments in British Columbia can be found here.
Where is the public comment period during Committee of the Whole meetings?
There is no public comment period during Committee of the Whole meetings. These meetings are working sessions where Trust Council members sit as a committee to discuss issues in depth, deliberate on policies, and develop recommendations. Public comment period is included in Trust Council’s regular quarterly meetings.
In addition to Trust Council, public comment opportunities are available during:
- Standing Committee meetings (Regional Planning Committee, Trust Programs Committee, Governance Committee, and Financial Planning Committee)
- And at all local trust committee regular meetings
- Islands Trust Conservancy Board meetings
To learn more about how you can participate in meetings or share your views in other ways, visit:
islandstrust.bc.ca/contact-us/share-your-views
A property that is under a NAPTEP conservation covenant receive a property tax exemption. Who covers these costs?
Property owners that choose to register a conservation covenant through the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) receive an annual property tax exemption of 65% on the protected portion of their land. Islands Trust and Islands Trust Conservancy prepared some data in 2005 for islands in the CRD around the hypothetical tax shift due to the implementation of the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP). At the time, the shift of taxes if for an anticipated 1% uptake of eligible landowners was estimated to result in an average annual tax increase per taxpayer of approximately:
- 0.01 cents for property owners throughout the province
- 1 to 6 cents for taxpayers in regional districts in the Islands Trust Area
- 40 to 45 cents for Islands Trust Area taxpayers
As of January 2024, 27 eligible landowners have entered NAPTEP, this is less than a 1% uptake of eligible landowners. The slow growth of NAPTEP ensures conservation of important natural areas with minimal cost to tax payers.
Can I record a public meeting?
A member of the public can record public meetings, but the Chair of the meeting must be informed before you begin recording. The Chair will inform everyone present at the meeting that it will be personally recorded. If a member of the public is uncomfortable being recorded while they are speaking, the Chair may require that the person recording temporarily stop the recording.
All meetings are recorded by Islands Trust and can be viewed on the meeting page here: https://islandstrust.bc.ca/whats-happening/meetings-and-events/
Questions?
If you have a fact you would like Islands Trust to fact check, please fill out the form:
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