Services and Local Societies

Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society

Main Gallery

The Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society is a registered charity whose mandate is to collect, preserve and present the social and natural history of Cortes and the surrounding islands. Located at 957 Beasley Road, the Cortes Museum features Cortes Island's Visitor Information Booth, a beautiful heritage garden, social and natural history exhibits, a von Donop logging shed, an archives collection, and a gift shop. Admission is free; donations are welcome.

Hours: 
Summer – Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Winter – Friday and Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information, please visit the Cortes Museum website or the Cortes Museum Special Events Section on Tideline.

Box 422 Mansons Landing BC V0P 1K0

Phone: 250-935-6340
Email: museum@cortesmuseum.com

Wild Cortes

Cortes Island Museum's Natural History Centre

Located at Linnea Education Centre, 1255 Sutil Point Road, Wild Cortes is the permanent off-site Natural History Education Centre of the Cortes Island Museum & Archives.

Wild Cortes and the EcoLab are part of the Cortes Wild! partnership which works together to create exhibits, provide extensive educational materials and microscopes, and promote greater awareness about ecology and environmental challenges facing Cortes Island and surrounding regions.

Hours: 
Summer – Tuesday to Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m.
Winter – Friday and Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. You can also book a personal tour; call Cortes Island Museum at 250-935-6340

Email: wildcortes@cortesmuseum.com
Website: Wild Cortes

Visitor Information

Cortes Island Visitor Information is located in the Cortes Island Museum. Open hours are the same as the Main Gallery, 957 Beasley Road.

Some maps and brochures are available anytime on the museum's porch.

Website: https://cortesmuseum.com/visit-us/

Cortes Island Information Book

The Book is no longer published. For past issues, see Cortes Island Museum's Collections database.

Cortes Island Information Book is a resource for visitors to Cortes Island. Updated annually, published since 1997.

Email: cortesinfobook@gmail.com
See it online: Cortes Island Information Book

 

Cortes Island Post Offices

You will find three post offices on Cortes Island. One is in Manson’s Hall, one at the Squirrel Cove Store and the third one is the quaint little "federal building" in Whaletown, moved from a location close to the ferry to a new location next to the Gorge Community Hall in Whaletown. They are open part days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Squirrel Cove is open Monday to Friday, 9–5.

Mansons Landing, V0P 1K0, located in Manson's Hall
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:30 – 11 am, 2 – 4:30 pm
Tuesday,  9 –12 (no mail in/out)
Cut off for mail out: 8:30

Squirrel Cove, V0P 1T0, located in Squirrel Cove General Store
Monday to Friday,  9 – 5.

Whaletown, V0P 1Z0, located next to the Gorge Hall
Monday, Wednesday, Friday,  7:30 – 10:30 am, 1 – 4 pm
Tuesday, 9 – 12 (no mail in/out)
Cut off for mail out: 8:30

Cortes Island School

Cortes Island Elementary/Junior Secondary is part of School District 72 (Campbell River). Cortes Island Elementary/Junior Secondary strives to meet the diverse needs of every child. Its core values are Caring, Learning, Community, Diversity and Safety. The school is located on Beasley Road in Manson's Landing.

Phone: 250-935-6313

 

Friends of Cortes Island

Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) is a charitable society and umbrella organization that promotes awareness and respect for the earth and its people throughout Cortes Island and beyond, recognizing that human well-being is ultimately dependent on fully-functioning healthy ecosystems.

FOCI manages a variety of local projects and initiatives, including marine stewardship; water conservation; and parks and sustainability education. Please contact FOCI about memberships, donations, volunteering, or any of their work. Feel free to visit their Resource Centre (located by Manson's Hall and the radio station) for books, pamphlets, videos, maps and more!

Contact: 250-935-0087
Email: friendsofcortes@gmail.com

Hours: FOCI's Resource Centre is open Fridays, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

 

Cortes Community Forest Co-Operative

The Cortes Community Forest Co-Operative has a vision for the stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems.

Website:
Cortes Community Forest Co-Operative

 

Cortes Community Radio

Cortes Community Radio at 89.5 CKTZ-FM has brought Cortes Islanders together via the airwaves. With excellent programming, savvy radio hosts, and endless amounts of great music, Cortes Radio is popular throughout the Discovery Islands and all around the world. For more information (including a program schedule), and/or to listen online, visit the Cortes Community Radio Section on Tideline.

Contact: 250-935-0200 Cortes Radio

Box 210 Mansons Landing BC V0P 1K0
Email: cortesradio@gmail.com
Hours: 24 hours a day, with automated programming overnight and when no DJ is available. Occasionally off the air late Monday evening for equipment maintenance.

 

Cortes Island Seniors Society

The Cortes Island Seniors Society (CISS) is a registered non-profit, charitable society that is active in community affairs. The CISS coordinates social events, community gatherings, monthly meetings, and other activities for its members. The Society also constructed and is now managing a Seniors Village of ten cottages with gardens on Beasley Road in Manson's Landing.

One of the Society's initiatives is the Seniors Helping Seniors project. Volunteers of this project provide company, transportation, and practical assistance to Cortes Island seniors.

Contact:  Gina at seniorscortes@gmail.com.

Website: Tideline page

Reel Youth

Reel Youth is a not-for-profit, media empowerment program supporting youth, adults and organizations to create and distribute engaging films about the issues they care about most. Over the past six years, Reel Youth has produced over 800 films with 2,500 people in BC, Alberta, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Morocco, Vietnam, India and Nepal. All programs are customized to meet the specific needs and desires of each community.

Cortes Island Family Support Program

The Cortes Island Family Support Program exists to support island families in becoming healthy, strong and resilient. Projects of the program include the annual Cortes Island Wellness Fair, parenting workshops and direct support to families in need. Through the program, confidential support is available for families experiencing financial, emotional and health challenges.

Power of Hope Workshops

Power of hope runs 8-day summer camps for teens ages 14 to 18 who want to explore the arts and take an active role in their communities. Approximately 40 youth & 25 staff from all over Canada attend each camp, which takes place on the beautiful setting of Linnaea Farm each July.

Cortes Island Emergency Social Services Program

Cortes Island's Emergency Support Services Team (ESS) operates under the Province of BC’s Emergency Social Services Program. The Emergency Social Services Program provides short-term assistance to families and individuals who are forced to leave their homes because of fire, flood, earthquake or other emergencies. This assistance includes food, lodging, clothing, emotional support, and family reunification. The Cortes Island ESS Team is totally volunteer-based with overall leadership coming under the ESS Director, Chris Dragseth.

Contact: 250-935-6801

Southern Cortes Community Association

Manson’s Hall is operated by the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA). In addition to managing all the hall’s leases, the SCCA also runs a weekly Friday market for local arts, crafts and food producers and provides space for the Cortes Food Bank.