Island United Seeks to Expand Quarry

De Clarke/ Cortes Currents - A short notice recently appeared in the Cortes Tideline, advising residents of the intention of Island United to quadruple the size of their quarry. The quarry (traditionally known as “the Pit”) is located in the Whaletown area, some distance into the bush on Jimmy Smith Grade. Island United is a rock, gravel and construction firm owned and operated by local resident Howard Nielsen, who bought the operation a few years ago from long-time owner Dave McCoy. Although the Tideline posting is undated, the appearance of the same notice in the British Columbia Gazette on April 9th suggests that it may have been posted simultaneously to various provincial/regional media on the same date. The gist of the proposal is as follows: 2385425 Alberta Ltd. is applying to update the tenure holder on the file, increase the size of the tenure from 1.25ha to 5.16ha and notify the Ministry of Forests of the application to the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals to approve washing as a permitted activity, introduce a concrete plant onsite and increase the annual extraction rate to 39,999 tonnes a year. […] There is no Official Community Plan for Cortes Island. The Electoral Area “I” (Cortes Island) Zoning Bylaw, 2002 governs the area and designates the lands as Forestry One (F-1). Quarrying is considered a compatible use within Forestry One zoned lands. Cortes Island’s Vital Signs – 2024 Report dictates the need for year round jobs and new construction to feed sustainable employers. As such, the Cortes Island Quarry is integral to the economic growth of the Island.