Fonds consists of materials created or collected by Directors of Cortes Electoral Area during their terms of office. Because outgoing Directors may turn their current files over to their successors, the papers of one Director may contain materials generated during a previous term.
Fonds includes minutes of Cortes Advisory Planning Commission meetings; minutes of Regional Board and committee meetings with related background material; records of public hearings; correspondence; community plans and by-laws with associated planning material; licenses for the use of foreshore and crown land; and materials relating to island issues such as parks, aquaculture, forestry, garbage disposal, recycling and water quality.
Fonds is arranged into sous-fonds based on accession of records and contains four sous-fonds: Linda Gagnon, Regional Director; Ralph Nursall, Regional Director; George Sirk, Regional Director; and Jeanette Hiebert, Regional Director.
The Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) was the elected representative to the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona (RDCS), one of 28 regional districts in British Columbia. The RDCS covered an area of North Vancouver Island and surrounding islands which included the municipalities of Campbell River, Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos, and 10 rural Electoral Areas. Initially enabled by the Municipal Act of 1965, Regional Districts act as a regional government over issues affecting their entire region. In the absence of incorporated municipalities, they function as the "local" government for rural areas by providing planning and land use regulations, and facilitating the delivery of services such as garbage disposal, fire protection and house numbering. Cortes Island was designated Electoral Area I when the RDCS was formed in 1968, and was the smallest electoral area in both population and size. In 2008 the RDCS was split, and Cortes Island became Area B in the newly-formed Strathcona Regional District.
Cortes was represented on the RDCS by one Director, elected for a three year term, who appointed an Alternate Director and an Advisory Planning Commission (APC). From 1968 until 1984, the Cortes Island APC was formed by the elected executive of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association. The first Director of Area I was George Griffin (1968-1973), followed by Gilean Douglas (1973-1978), Irv Reedel (1978-1981), David Hansen (1981-1984), Bruce Ellingsen (1984-1987), Linda Gagnon (1987-1990), Ralph Nursall (1990-1996), George Sirk (1996-2005) and Jeanette (Jenny) Hiebert (2005-2008).
Custodial History
Material in the Linda Gagnon, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2002.001) was passed on to her successor, Ralph Nursall, at the end of her term. It was donated to CIMAS in 2002 by Ralph Nursall. Material in the Ralph Nursall, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2003.001) was donated to CIMAS by Nursall in 2003 and in 2008 (Accession 2008.001). Material in the George Sirk, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2004.004) was donated to CIMAS by Sirk in 2004. Material in the Jeanette Hiebert Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2019.015) was donated to CIMAS by Hiebert in 2019.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of materials created or collected by Directors of Cortes Electoral Area during their terms of office. Because outgoing Directors may turn their current files over to their successors, the papers of one Director may contain materials generated during a previous term.
Fonds includes minutes of Cortes Advisory Planning Commission meetings; minutes of Regional Board and committee meetings with related background material; records of public hearings; correspondence; community plans and by-laws with associated planning material; licenses for the use of foreshore and crown land; and materials relating to island issues such as parks, aquaculture, forestry, garbage disposal, recycling and water quality.
Fonds is arranged into sous-fonds based on accession of records and contains four sous-fonds: Linda Gagnon, Regional Director; Ralph Nursall, Regional Director; George Sirk, Regional Director; and Jeanette Hiebert, Regional Director.
The Gilean Douglas fonds contains records from Douglas's term as Regional Director (1973 to 1978). The Cortes Island Ratepayers Association fonds contains material relating to Cortes' incorporation into the Regional District, and minutes, correspondence and other materials from the APC (1968-1984).
Series contains information on historic Crown Grants and subsequent title changes compiled by Doreen Thompson during her research for the CIMAS Windows on Whaletown exhibit in 1999. The area covered includes the northern part of Cortes Island, from just south of Gorge Harbour. Material includes maps, photocopies of original Crown Grants and other title documents, lists of subdivisions, and notes on changes of title.
Records were organized by Section or Plan number in large envelopes with a cover map and notes about the properties researched on the envelope back. They trace the ownership of parcels of land from the first grant or purchase from the Crown to 1999. Original order has been maintained.
Series contains information on historic Crown Grants and subsequent title changes compiled by Doreen Thompson during her research for the CIMAS Windows on Whaletown exhibit in 1999. The area covered includes the northern part of Cortes Island, from just south of Gorge Harbour. Material includes maps, photocopies of original Crown Grants and other title documents, lists of subdivisions, and notes on changes of title.
Records were organized by Section or Plan number in large envelopes with a cover map and notes about the properties researched on the envelope back. They trace the ownership of parcels of land from the first grant or purchase from the Crown to 1999. Original order has been maintained.
File contains a photocopied section map of the northern part of Cortes Island (from just south of Gorge Harbour), coloured to indicate areas for which a Crown Grant was located and areas of ungranted Crown land which still appear to be owned by the government. Scale is 1 mile to 1 inch.
File contains a photocopied section map of the northern part of Cortes Island (from just south of Gorge Harbour), coloured to indicate areas for which a Crown Grant was located and areas of ungranted Crown land which still appear to be owned by the government. Scale is 1 mile to 1 inch.
File contains information for the following properties:
E. H. Vaughn: 1893, Crown Grant for fractional N 1/2 of Sec. 22; 90 acres for $90.00.
James P. Allen: 1913, Crown Grant for NW 34 acres of Sec. 23; $170.00
Bernard Robinson Allen: 1919, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 23, 159 acres
Charles Allen: 1912, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 33; 160 acres for $160.00
Harold Marshall Wood: Crown Grant for E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 46 (east of Carrington Bay); 81 acres for $1.00.
File contains the following maps, stored in the Map Cabinet:
Subdivision Plan of parcel C & E, NW 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1976
Subdivision of the fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 21, 1966; with names of property owners penciled in
Subdivision Plan of Parcel C and part of Parcel E of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1975
Subdivision Plan of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21 and W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 34
(Files 17 through 19 are from the same envelope.)
File contains information for the following properties:
E. H. Vaughn: 1893, Crown Grant for fractional N 1/2 of Sec. 22; 90 acres for $90.00.
James P. Allen: 1913, Crown Grant for NW 34 acres of Sec. 23; $170.00
Bernard Robinson Allen: 1919, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 23, 159 acres
Charles Allen: 1912, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Sec. 33; 160 acres for $160.00
Harold Marshall Wood: Crown Grant for E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 46 (east of Carrington Bay); 81 acres for $1.00.
File contains the following maps, stored in the Map Cabinet:
Subdivision Plan of parcel C & E, NW 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1976
Subdivision of the fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 21, 1966; with names of property owners penciled in
Subdivision Plan of Parcel C and part of Parcel E of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21, 1975
Subdivision Plan of fractional NE 1/4 of Sec. 21 and W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 34
(Files 17 through 19 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a photocopied part of a map showing the locations of researched property in the Whaletown Lagoon and Whaletown Harbour area. The map is glued to an envelope which has a list of Crown grants and other conveyances on the back.
It contains photocopies of original land grants and other conveyances for the following:
Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec 35 and W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 34
Joseph Youart: 1900, Crown Grant for Fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 35 (sold to Alice Robertson in 1908; "Burnside" is still in the Robertson family).
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant for the Fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 35
Charles Strange: 1914, Crown Grant for the NW 1/4 of Sec 35
File contains a photocopied part of a map showing the locations of researched property in the Whaletown Lagoon and Whaletown Harbour area. The map is glued to an envelope which has a list of Crown grants and other conveyances on the back.
It contains photocopies of original land grants and other conveyances for the following:
Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec 35 and W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 34
Joseph Youart: 1900, Crown Grant for Fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 35 (sold to Alice Robertson in 1908; "Burnside" is still in the Robertson family).
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant for the Fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 35
Charles Strange: 1914, Crown Grant for the NW 1/4 of Sec 35
File contains a map key to the areas of Sections 17, 18, 19, 22 and 34 (south of Gorge Harbour) which were researched (Information in Files 3-7).
It contains photocopies of original land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
Reginald James Smith: 1946, Crown Grant 165414I for fractional SE 1/4 of Sec 23, 1946 (the Thunder Road subdivision at the eastern end of Gorge Harbour).
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a map key to the areas of Sections 17, 18, 19, 22 and 34 (south of Gorge Harbour) which were researched (Information in Files 3-7).
It contains photocopies of original land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
Reginald James Smith: 1946, Crown Grant 165414I for fractional SE 1/4 of Sec 23, 1946 (the Thunder Road subdivision at the eastern end of Gorge Harbour).
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
File contains title information and photocopies of land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
John Williams: 1914, Crown Grant for the fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 22 and fractional NW 1/4 of Sec 22 (east of Gorge Harbour entrance)
John Williams: 1914, Crown Grant for the fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 22 and frac. NW 1/4 of Sec 18 (west of the Gorge Harbour entrance)
File contains three oversize maps which are stored in the map cabinet: Map of Section 22, Plan VIP52378, Lots A,B,C (blueprint map; 85 cm x 54 cm, 1985); map of Plan 27966 (blueprint map; 55 cm x 43 cm, 1974); photocopy of map of fractional NW 1/4 Sec 17 (55 cm x 43 cm, 1973)
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
File contains title information and photocopies of land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
John Williams: 1914, Crown Grant for the fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 22 and fractional NW 1/4 of Sec 22 (east of Gorge Harbour entrance)
John Williams: 1914, Crown Grant for the fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 22 and frac. NW 1/4 of Sec 18 (west of the Gorge Harbour entrance)
File contains three oversize maps which are stored in the map cabinet: Map of Section 22, Plan VIP52378, Lots A,B,C (blueprint map; 85 cm x 54 cm, 1985); map of Plan 27966 (blueprint map; 55 cm x 43 cm, 1974); photocopy of map of fractional NW 1/4 Sec 17 (55 cm x 43 cm, 1973)
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a coloured map with researched properties coloured in, and title information and photocopies of land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
Edward James Breeze: 1931, Crown Grant for District Lot 1373 (parts of Section 23 and Section 17, at the southeast end of Gorge Harbour by Anvil Lake)
Frank Harper: 1913, Crown Grant for the NE 96 acres of Section 23 (at the northeast end of Gorge Harbour)
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
File contains a coloured map with researched properties coloured in, and title information and photocopies of land grants and subsequent conveyances for the following:
Edward James Breeze: 1931, Crown Grant for District Lot 1373 (parts of Section 23 and Section 17, at the southeast end of Gorge Harbour by Anvil Lake)
Frank Harper: 1913, Crown Grant for the NE 96 acres of Section 23 (at the northeast end of Gorge Harbour)
(Files 3 through 7 are from the same envelope.)
