Neighbourhoods on Gabriola

A vision for Gabriola Neighbourhood Network (GNN)—Gabriola is a network of connected neighbourhoods that foster collaboration, communication, celebration, and climate change resilience.

Existing neighbourhoods

Here is a map of Gabriola with organized neighbourhoods shown in colour. Each neighbourhood typically has one or more designated contact people. If you want to contact them, email us at info@SustainableGabriola.ca and we’ll forward your inquiry to the contact.

Here’s the colour key, by name, of the organized neighbourhoods currently on our map.

Why Gabriola Neighbourhood Network?

Neighbourhoods are key to sustainability and resilience.

Within the Gabriola Climate-12 project, the importance of small connected neighbourhoods has come up repeatedly. When focusing on food and water security, transportation, fire safety, emergency response, or health and well-being connected neighbourhoods can be one of Gabriola’s key approaches to our adaptation to the climate crisis.

The initiative started in May 2024 with the “Gabr’hoods” event at the Community Hall. Neighbourhood representatives spoke about how their neighbourhood events and activities created resilience and prepared them for emergencies. A large map of the island was taped onto the floor and people gathered in their neighbourhood area to discuss next steps. GNN has formed from those initial meetings.

Participants emphasized that neighbourhoods, where people know and support each other, are key to surviving disasters like forest fires and earthquakes, or even lesser impacts like a snow dump or extended power outage.

The GNN is focused on neighbourhood group formation and building communication channels. The formation of neighbourhood groups is essential before other kinds of services and supports can be utilized. So far, about 20 neighbourhood groups have self-organized on Gabriola, and there’s an opportunity for many more.

GNN Objectives

  • Connect with organized neighbourhoods and their primary contact(s), providing support and information.
  • Facilitate the creation of new neighbourhood groups.
  • Add all neighbourhood groups to a Network and incorporate into the Neighbourhood Map.
  • Communicate with the Network via website and neighbourhood contacts regarding funding opportunities, events, and resources (such as C-12 water guide, FireSmart booklet, Emergency muster stations, Small Neighbourhood Grants, etc.).
  • Collaborate with other relevant organizations to provide information and support to neighbourhoods through the Network.

If you would like more information about building community resilience, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, please contact us at info@SustainableGabriola.ca.

Resources for Gabriola Neighbourhood organizers

We are populating this list with more resources as GNN develops.