The Islands Trust Area is administered by a variety of governments.
Commonly requested information about government services related to the Islands Trust’s preserve and protect mandate are below. The Islands Trust Area is within treaty and territorial lands and waters of many First Nation governments which may have their own permitting requirements related to land use or applications. Engagement to First Nations may be required.
Government Services
- Agricultural Land Reserve Applications
- Archaeology Permits
- Building Inspection
- Noise Complaints
- Solid Waste
- Recycling
- Regional Parks
- Public Dock Maintenance/Use
- Dock Applications
- Groundwater Licence
- Working Around Water
- Highway Access Permits
- Liquor and Cannabis (non-medical) Licenses
- Parks and Protected Areas
- Road Maintenance
- Sand and Gravel Extraction Permits
- Subdivision Approvals
- Telecommunication Antenna Structure Approvals
- Trails on Provincially Managed (Crown) Land Authorizations
- Water Supply Management
Report a Concern
- Report Archaeology Site Damage
- Report Abandoned Vessel or Large Marine Debris
- Report Improper Use of Agricultural Land Reserve Lands
- Report Suspicious Fishing Activity or Work That Could be Harmful to Fish Habitat
- Report Low-Flying Aircraft
- Report Noise, Light or Dust from Ships at Anchor
- Report Poachers and Polluters
- Report an Oil Spill
- Report Violations or Incidents Involving Marine Mammals (Including Violations of Southern Resident Killer Whale Sanctuary Zones)
- Report Wild Bird Deaths
- Report Wildlife and Plant Data to the Province
- Report Invasive Species Observations
Agricultural Land Reserve Applications
Applications for non-farm uses, subdivision in the ALR, or for exclusion from the land reserve should be made through Bowen Island Municipality or your local trust committee.
Archaeology Permits
All archaeological sites in B.C. are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act. This applies whether sites are located on public or private land, and whether the site is known or unknown. Registered archaeological sites may not be disturbed in any manner without a permit.
Building Inspection
Bowen Island Municipality
Capital Regional District
Comox Valley Regional District
Cowichan Valley Regional District
Metro Vancouver
qathet Regional District
Sunshine Coast Regional District
Regional District of Nanaimo
Regional districts offer many more services to the islands beyond the land-use related ones listed. For most islands, regional district building inspection services require Islands Trust planning staff to interpret local zoning and land use bylaws prior to issuing building permits. (building inspection bylaws do not exist In the Denman and Hornby local trust areas, but local trust committee siting and use permits are required.) The qathet Regional District does not provide building inspection services on Lasqueti Island.
Dock Applications
Provincial requirements for dock construction
Front Counter BC
The relevant local trust committee, or Bowen Island Municipality, land use regulations apply in all areas and may limit or prohibit dock construction.
The Province of BC requires dock applications for Gabriola, Thetis, Mayne, Salt Spring, Saturna, Galiano, South Pender, part of Ballenas-Winchelsea, and most of North Pender local trust areas.
In the rest of Islands Trust Area, the Province allows “General Permissions” for dock construction, as long as development plans comply with certain criteria.
BC Integrated Land & Resource Registry provides information on over 280 different legal interests on provincially managed (Crown) land including tenures, regulated uses, land and resource use restrictions, and reservations.
Fire
Wildfire Reporting: 1-800-663-5555
Non-emergency Fire Inquiries
- Denman Island Volunteer Fire Dept.: 250-335-0345
- Gabriola Volunteer Fire Dept.: 250-247-9677
- S. Galiano Volunteer Fire Dept.: 250-539-2131
- N. Galiano Volunteer Fire Dept.: 250-539-5453
- Gambier Fire Equipment Group: 604-916-0531
- Hornby Island Fire Rescue: 250-335-2611
- Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue: 250-537-2531
- Saturna Island Fire Protection Society: info@sifps.ca
- Mayne Island Fire Rescue: 250-539-5156
- Pender Island Fire Rescue: 250-629-3321
- Thetis Island Volunteer Fire Dept.: 250-246-4834
Groundwater Licence
Front Counter BC (groundwater)
Front Counter BC (stream water)
If you divert and use groundwater for non-domestic purposes, you must now obtain a Province of BC water licence. Domestic groundwater users are encouraged to register their well with the province. Registering your well creates a record in the Provincial GWELLS database, to assist in groundwater research, and ensure that your well is considered by a decision-maker if it may be impacted by a new license application. Existing non-domestic groundwater users have until March 1, 2022, to apply for a water license to prove first use to establish first in time first in right (FITFIR) status of the water use.
Highway Access Permits
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Bowen Island Municipality
In local trust areas, highway use permits are required to create or change access off a provincial highway. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for the safety of all roads, lanes and unopened right-of-ways in the Islands Trust Area (except for Bowen Island, where the municipality is responsible).
Bowen Island Municipality Application and Driveway Design and Construction Guidelines.
Liquor and Cannabis (non-medical) Licenses
BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch
Liquor: Some applications for new licenses or expansion of existing licenses are referred to Bowen Island Municipality or the relevant local trust committee for comment and community input.
Cannabis: The Province of BC licenses non-medical cannabis retail sales. The relevant local trust committee or Bowen Island Municipality, must recommend that a licence be issued before the province may consider whether to issue a cannabis retail licence.
Working Around Water
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Water Licensing and Rights
When you plan work in or around water, you must take care to minimize the potential risk to aquatic ecosystems and limit water pollution.
Parks and Protected Areas
Road Maintenance
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure contracts to:
Galiano, Mayne, North Pender, Salt Spring, South Pender, Saturna, Thetis: Emcon Services
Gabriola/Lasqueti: Mainroad Mid-Island Contracting
Denman/Hornby: Mainroad North Island Contracting
Sand and Gravel Extraction Permits
Subdivision Approvals
Bowen Island Municipality
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
The Approving Officer will issue a Preliminary Layout Review, if the application appears to be consistent with the local zoning bylaws.
Except for Bowen Island Municipality, the Approving Officer requires written confirmation from the Islands Trust planning staff that the proposed subdivision meets all local bylaws prior to issuing the PLA. Therefore, landowners should contact the Islands Trust planning staff early to discuss zoning issues.
Telecommunication Antenna Structure Approvals
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is the approving authority for telecommunication antenna structures and works, and requires input from local governments before issuing approvals. Bowen Island Municipality/the local trust committees performs three main functions:
- scrutinize the public consultation process and First Nations consultation
- clarify and communicate land use policies in relation to antenna structures
- concur or not concur on the proposal regarding land use planning and siting.
While Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada require local government input, the Federal agency could make a decision contrary to local wishes.
Cell Towers in Your Community: How Decisions are Made
Facts about Towers
Water Supply Management
Regional Districts:
Bowen Island Municipality
Capital Regional District
Comox Valley Regional District
Cowichan Valley Regional District
Metro Vancouver
qathet Regional District
Sunshine Coast Regional District
Regional District of Nanaimo
Improvement Districts:
Graham Lake Improvement District, Denman Island
Schmidt Improvement District, Denman Island
Galiano Estates Improvement District, Galiano Island
Gossip Island Improvement District, Galiano Island Local Trust Area
Montague Improvement District, Galiano Island
Spanish Hills Improvement District, Galiano Island
Wise Island Improvement District, Galiano Island Local Trust Area
Bennett Bay Waterworks District, Mayne Island
Campbell-Bennett Bay Improvement District, Mayne Island
Lighthouse Point Waterworks District, Mayne Island
Mayne Island Improvement District, Mayne Island
Village Point Improvement District, Mayne Island
Georgina Improvement District, Mayne Island
Razor Point Improvement District, North Pender Island
Trincomali Improvement District, South Pender Island
Harbour View Improvement District, Salt Spring Island
Mount Belcher Improvement District, Salt Spring Island
North Salt Spring Waterworks District, Salt Spring Island
Piers Island Improvement District, Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area
Scott Point Waterworks District, Salt Spring Island
Secret Island Waterworks District, Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area
Saturna Shores Improvement District, Saturna Island
Vaucroft Improvement District, North Thormanby Island Gambier Island Local Trust Area
In most areas of the Islands Trust, local water supply is supplied through private wells.
Some areas of the Islands Trust are supplied by community water systems. These systems are either operated by the regional district or privately as a strata corporation or as a community water system or improvement district.
Report Archaeology Site Damage
BC Archaeology Branch (via Front Counter BC) online form
1-877-952-7277 (Option 2) toll-free
It is illegal to damage or destroy a known or unknown archaeological site in BC.
Report Abandoned Vessel or Large Marine Debris
Report Improper Use of Agricultural Land Reserve Lands
Report Suspicious Fishing Activity or Work That Could be Harmful to Fish Habitat
DFO Observe, Record, Report Line:
1-800-465-4336
DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Report Low-Flying Aircraft
Transport Canada
1-604-666-5586
With sufficient evidence, Transport Canada can initiate enforcement against aircraft that fly below 500 feet (need identifying information/time/date/location) unless the aircraft is landing or taking off.
Report Noise, Light or Dust from Ships at Anchor
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Operations Centre online form.
Report Poachers and Polluters
Report an Oil Spill
BC Environmental Emergencies Program
1-800-663-3456 (land and freshwater spills)
1-800-OILS-911 (marine water spills)
Report Violations or Incidents Involving Marine Mammals (Including Violations of Southern Resident Killer Whale Sanctuary Zones)
Report Wild Bird Deaths
Please report a wild bird death by calling 1-866-431-BIRD (2473). Reports will be recorded, assessed to determine if further investigation is warranted, and if so, guidance will be provided on a case by case basis.
Report Wildlife and Plant Data to the Province
BC Conservation Data Centre
Anyone can submit wildlife and plant data to the province! If you have completed a scientific research project or just detected a species-at-risk in your backyard the BC Conservation Data Centre wants to know about it. The data and information you collect and submit informs wildlife management and conservation decision making in the Province.
Report Invasive Species Observations
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Invasive species are plants and animals not naturally found in B.C. that can potentially harm the natural environment or adversely affect people’s health. Report invasive species before they cause harm through the invasive plant database or through mobile apps.