Thetis committee orders investigation of shellfish aquaculture site

Trustees directed staff to investigate non-permitted uses in the marine area covered by a provincial licence and to write to the applicant about local zoning requirements.[^1]

The Denman Firestarter · Governance · 2026-09-28 · Thetis Island

The Thetis Island Local Trust Committee directed bylaw enforcement staff to investigate non-permitted uses in the marine area where a provincial licence was issued for shellfish aquaculture.^[1] The committee also asked staff to write to the applicant, confirming that the applicable land-use bylaws do not permit marine aquaculture and that rezoning is required.^[1]

The minutes say the province issued a 30-year Licence of Occupation for aquaculture operations at the entrance to Preedy Harbour, where aquaculture is not a permitted use.^[1] The applicant’s rezoning applications, submitted in 2020 and 2022, were denied and the files closed, according to the minutes.^[1]

The committee’s resolutions also asked the Islands Trust Executive Committee to advocate to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs about the licence and directed communications staff to prepare a short statement for local circulation.^[1]

During the meeting recording, planning staff described the licence as covering a proposed geoduck aquaculture site and said the rezoning files were closed, with no rezoning application open at that point.^[2] Staff recommended a letter to the applicant about the committee’s zoning jurisdiction and a resolution to proactively enforce the bylaws in the marine area.^[2]

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