Ownership of the property would be transferred to a not-for-profit housing cooperative established under the BC Cooperatives Act. This would not require subdivision and would take the property off the market in perpetuity: membership shares can only be reimbursed at par value (i.e. changes in market value are irrelevant to share value), and upon dissolution any assets must be distributed to another housing co-op established under the Act. We would also be happy to create a Housing Agreement with the Islands Trust / Denman LTC that outlines this and other aspects of the project.

We imagine a share purchase similar to that of COHO (approx $75K), which in some cases could be paid down over a period of time, thereby making home ownership available to those who cannot afford the full buy-in. We are hoping that the new housing cluster zone will allow tiny houses, yurts, and other less expensive housing options, to further increase affordability. There would also be a maximum reimbursable building share value, in order to discourage the construction of large dwellings and preserve affordability into the future.

In addition to their initial share purchase, each household would contribute a monthly amount for maintenance of the common spaces. We imagine this would be approximately $300, again similar to COHO.

Subsistence conservation refers to practices that protect species and their habitats in a way that considers and supports the needs of the human communities that share these habitats. We like to say that there is no subsistence without conservation, and no conservation without subsistence — attempts to separate human activity and ‘nature’ simply externalize the harms done by modern, on-grid, lifestyles.

As is evident from the attached map, 5400 NW Rd is blessed with ponds, seasonal streams, and wetlands that can support many species, including (we believe) 20-25 human beings. 30 years ago it was clearcut, then it was used as a gravel pit. Previous owners dug the “Big Pond” at the south end of the property, as well as the stream and ponds in the central valley. 

When we bought it, the property was abandoned and massively overgrown with scotch broom, bamboo, and other invasive species. As part of our practice of subsistence conservation, we have been carefully removing the invasives, and have mostly left the ponds and streams to do their thing, to the extent this is possible in a climate that is getting drier all the time. 

The existing housing area is at the top of the ridge that runs N-S along the property, and contains no sensitive areas. The part of the property we are proposing for the new housing cluster is in a regenerating forest composed mostly of fir and pine, and is also far from the streams, ponds, and wetlands.

The co-op’s rules will include sections that mandate the continuation of subsistence conservation practices in perpetuity, and prevent development near any sensitive areas.

Resources

Click here for a recent academic article that provides an overview of the historical development of relationships between concepts like biodiversity, sustainability, conservation, indigenous knowledge, subsistence, and poverty reduction.

Denman resident Erika Bland’s MA thesis (2018) is of particular interest, as it focuses on Denman Island. It is titled: “Closing the Rift Between Agriculture and Conservation: Explorations of Food Sovereignty on an Island in the Salish Sea.” It can be downloaded here.

Three acres would be set aside for our non-profit educational project, the Denman Centre for Autonomous Living and Learning (D-Centre). Since 2019 D-Centre has hosted talks, gatherings, folk dances, community gardening projects (Plan Bean and Corn Sisters), pitcooks (anchored by Kwakwaka’wakw elder Maxine Hayman Matilpi), and visits from UVic classes in Environmental Studies and Indigenous Studies. The D-Centre space has a cabin with off-grid power and water, an outdoor kitchen that can provide meals to visiting groups, a large camping area, and a wall tent that can host sessions and sleep 15 people. (See thesnag.org/dcentre for more information).

We are requesting that the event area include a 4 space, walk-in, tenting-only camping area, so we can welcome more people who share our values to participate in our events and daily life, and as a source of income for the project. The property is classified as a farm by BC Assessment, which we understand is one of the criteria for the approval of a campground under the proposed Denman bylaws 248/249; the other is that the land must be in the ALR. Unfortunately, ALR land is not available for collective housing projects, so we are asking that our property be allowed a camping area on the basis that it is a working farm, despite (fortunately, in this case) not being in the ALR.

At our info session, we heard the concern that we are planning to set up some kind of “party zone” for people from off the island. We want to make it clear that this is not our intention.

For at least 30 years it has been acknowledged that there is a housing crisis on the island. And over that period of time there have been several commissions, many surveys, dozens of public meetings, all oriented to trying to do something about it.

For example, in 2002, an Accessory Dwelling Advisory Committee was struck, to try to find a way to allow small dwelling units on some lots, in addition to the primary dwelling. After a year of deliberation and consultation, the committee was unable to reach a consensus and no action was taken. In 2023 a Housing Advisory Planning Commission (HAPC) was created, and tasked with coming up with recommendations on “all things housing.” The HAPC members were able to reach consensus on a number of detailed recommendations, one of which involved allowing one Additional Dwelling Unit in some zones. This idea was taken up by the Denman Local Trust Committee and presented for community discussion in 2025. Due to concerns expressed by some community members, the proposal was shelved.

The Denman Housing Action Plan presents an opportunity to break this impasse, through the creation of a new “cluster housing” zone. But even if that zone were to be created, implementing it would require a very happy coincidence of land that is big enough, has enough water, is not in the ALR, is not within 200m. of the shoreline, not under a conservation covenant that precludes human habitation, and not subject to other permit regulations that make it impossible to develop. This map, produced by the Islands Trust, shows that there very few properties remaining on Denman that could even be considered to see if they fit the bill. And that still leaves one final hurdle: the owner has to be willing to donate that land, or the property has to be on the market, and a group of very devoted people has to come up with the money to buy it.

Having meaningful relationships with the peoples whose lands we are on is a core value of our project, and as mentioned above, over the years we have helped to organize a number of events focused on colonialism, decolonization, and Indigenous resurgence. Our first event in 2019 was attended by Qualicum elder Xwantumaat (Carrie Reid). K’omoks Chief Nicole Rempel participated in the UVic Indigenous Studies class visit we hosted last year, and expressed interest in bringing K’omoks youth to do cultural programming at D-Centre. We intend to pursue this kind of connection with the K’omoks, and with other Indigenous nations whose traditional territories include Denman Island, such as the Qualicum, Pentlatch, and Tla’amin. We are also involved in supporting the Ma’amtagila land-reclamation site at Hiladi Village, just north of Sayward, as well as other Indigenous solidarity initiatives such as the Denman Rest and Recovery Network.

Given the ongoing discussions around the possibility of a 200 metre setback from the ocean that would exclude all new development on Denman, it is worth noting that according to our rough calculations, our western property line is 300 – 350m. from the water. We will also ensure that the changes to the land that we are proposing will not disrupt any archaeological sites or impinge upon areas of current cultural significance to Indigenous peoples.

Yes, our goal is to house as many people from Denman Island as possible. In discussions we’ve had with folks around this question, it’s been interesting to see a fair amount of divergence on who counts as a Denman person. How long do you have to have lived on the island? If you grew up here, how long living away takes you out of consideration? What about someone who lived here for a while as renter, got evicted, wanted to stay but had to move to the Comox Valley because there was nowhere on Denman for them to move to? Our take on this is an expansive one: we intend to give priority to people with a connection to Denman who share our intentionalities.

The short answer is: yes, whenever there is development of any sort, there will be more traffic.

First, we intend to have only one entry and exit for the new housing cluster, which will minimize the effects our project will have on our nearest neighbours,

We would also note that we intend to house as many people as possible who already live here, but are in a precarious situation. To the extent we do that, the net amount of traffic on the island will not increase. For those who are concerned about traffic, this makes what we are proposing superior to for-profit, market-driven development of large single-family homes that tend to be affordable only for off-island buyers.

As we live on the main road that leads to the ‘northlands’, we know what it’s like to live with the large-vehicle traffic that goes along with the construction this kind of subdivision. If the LTC allows tiny homes, yurts, and other small, affordable, moveable dwellings, the amount of traffic generated by construction will, again, be much less than that associated with the single-family, high-end market model.

At our info session, it was suggested that if there were more people who might use it, the Denman bus route could be extended further north, thereby creating a local, as well as island-wide, reduction in traffic.

The Islands Trust mandate to “preserve and protect … the unique amenities and environment” of the Trust Area is often invoked as a reason to defer action on the affordable housing crisis. First, we would note that this objection is rarely raised against for-profit development of single family dwellings, though it surely would be relevant in those cases as well.

But, more importantly, the Trust is supposed to be for the benefit of all “residents of the Trust Area and of British Columbia.” If the housing crisis means that people have to leave the island because there is nowhere for them to live, or cannot afford to move here because the only housing available costs millions of dollars, that is also a violation of the mandate.

It’s interesting to note that the Islands Trust itself has recognized that its mandate requires taking care of human beings as well as the land — it seems they are close to understanding that these two principles are intimately, and inextricably, related (see the discussion of subsistence conservation above).