Advocacy 

Advocacy is the act of influencing and working with other agencies and decision-makers. Islands Trust relies on cooperation to help protect the fragile ecosystems of the trust area.

That means collaborating on laws, regulations, policies, programs, budgets and other decisions related to the preserve and protect mandate.

A group of people sitting at round tables with white table cloths talking.

Some of the ways we ask for or encourage collaborative actions are:

  • Writing letters to decision-makers from a designated spokesperson, usually the Chair
  • Meeting with ministers and other decision-makers
  • Entering agreements
  • Hosting forums and multi-stakeholder meetings
  • Sponsoring resolutions and/or suggesting presentations at the annual conventions of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).

During the 2018-2022 term, the Islands Trust has advocated on a wide variety of topics including agriculture, aquaculture, anchorages, climate change, economic sustainability, forest protection, freshwater sustainability, governance, herring fishery, housing affordability, marine protection, oil spills and shipping, reconciliation, and transportation. To read advocacy letters sent on these topics, visit the Advocacy Letters page.

Examples of two focus areas of the advocacy program include:

Anchorages

Anchorages in the Islands Trust Area include Plumper Sound, Cowichan Bay, Houston Passage, and Trincomali Channel. Learn more

Oil Spills and Marine Shipping

An oil spill within the Islands Trust Area could have devastating impacts on the abundant biodiversity of the region. Learn more