The Cortes Housing Society (CHS) just announced a successful collaborative grant application to improve and expand a trail system intersecting several community spaces in Mansons Landing. 

CHS worked with the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA) and the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) to apply for a grant called the "Healthy Community Initiatives" from the Government of Canada. The grant will award $99,000 to the organizations to build trails and improve the public patio at Mansons Hall. The applicants were notified of the success this past August. Once the paperwork was finalized, the non-profits were allowed to make the news public in mid-October.

Sandra Wood, executive director for CHS, spoke about the importance of the collaboration, in order to win the grant.

“It's about teamwork and partnership and stretching these dollars so that they help as many of the nonprofits on the island as possible.”

In addition to this successful grant process, CHS has joined with CCEDA to apply for another grant related to the new infrastructure. The grant is called the "Natural Infrastructure Fund" and is being awarded by the Government of Canada. If awarded to the Cortes Island community, this grant will help fund a stormwater mitigation design that includes a natural holding pond and bioswales that run through the properties that CHS and CCEDA own. The trails and the natural infrastructure all contribute to improved active transportation options for locals and visitors of Cortes Island.

To hear more about how these nonprofits collaborated on Cortes listen to the CKTZ News Update below: