This year will be an important one for the future of Savary Island. The Savary Island Official Community Plan (OCP) Review will begin later this year. The OCP was passed in 2006 after 11 long years of seasonal meetings and many drafts. The Savary OCP expresses the values and sentiments of the community about the future of Savary. However, the Savary OCP has no regulatory language apart from the amendment adding a Development Permit on the Heart of Savary protecting it as a Heritage Conservation area. Instead, it stands largely as a policy document with voluntary guidelines. As a result, the community values expressed in the OCP are for the most part ignored. At the same time, development on Savary has more than doubled. This alarming fact makes it clear that the sustainability of Savary is under threat.

SILT’s letter to the qathet Regional District expresses our concerns. We understand that there will be OCP surveys in the coming months and an OCP Advisory Committee of the qathet Regional District will be established. We invite your participation and will keep you informed as things progress.

Please follow this link to read the letter.