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Salt Spring Conservation Project: Crowdfunding Campaign Goal - $1.2M

Your donation will be doubled through a generous match. You can help preserve a threatened ecosystem and its species. BC Parks Foundation, in collaboration with a group of conservation-minded Salt Spring Island residents, is working to purchase and protect 31.2 acres of land on the south end of Salt Spring Island. You can be a part of ensuring this rare, pristine, mature coastal Douglas fir habitat is preserved forever. Thanks to these passionate individuals and a generous grant from the Salt Spring Island Foundation, we’ve already raised $350,000. We need to raise the remaining funds by May 15—please donate today! “The chance to save for posterity a large parcel of coastal Douglas fir forest and a wetland is an opportunity not to be missed. Close to 10% of the parcel is one of the most precious wildlife habitats on Salt Spring—a wetland with a boggy meadow, year-round swamps and ponds....In the face of hotter, drier summers and relentless development, the Lumley property…
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Capital Region Extreme Heat Information Portal Launch

Victoria, BC– The Capital Regional District (CRD), in collaboration with municipal partners, Island Health and the Province, is launching the Capital Region Extreme Heat Information Portal to help residents and community planners explore and understand the capital region's vulnerability and exposure to extreme heat. The capital region is experiencing hotter summer temperatures, with more extreme heat days and heatwaves. In the summer of 2021, BC experienced an extreme heat wave that claimed more than 700 lives, with 24 of those in the capital region. “As a result of climate change, we can expect our region to continue to be at risk for extreme heat events,” said CRD Board Chair, Colin Plant. “Preparing for and learning how to adapt to these events requires immediate actions. This initiative is an excellent example of working together with our local governments to develop regional resources to address climate impacts now, and into the future”. The CRD’s Climate Action s…
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Walking Together - Stqeeye' Presents to Probus Members at Xwaaqw’um

WALKING TOGETHER - Stqeeye’ Presents to Probus Members at Xwaaqw’um The sun came out for a beautiful presentation by the Stqeeye’ Learning Society, near the water in Xwaaqw’um (Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park) on Tuesday morning. Brianna Thorne, Education Coordinator, presented alongside her daughter Sulatiye’ (Maiya Modeste), the P’hwulhp (Garry Oak) Restoration Project Coordinator, detailing both the history of the Quw’utsun people on Salt Spring Island and Stqeeye’s history as a fast-growing organization doing land and wetlands restoration work in Xwaaqw’um village area. The presentation was well attended by members of the Salt Spring chapter of the Probus Club, a volunteer-based, non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian fellowship organization with over 4,000 clubs worldwide that provides fellowship, friendship, and fun for those in their retirement and semi-retirement years. Probus Member Heather Neville, an avid birder, gave a moving land acknowledgement to start the c…
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ASK Salt Spring Welcomes MLA Adam Olsen

April 5 Fifteen joined us for all or part of our time together as we welcomed MLA Adam Olsen and Constituency Advocate Jerram Gawley to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. Adam began by offering our Territorial Acknowledgement, initiating a conversation about housing that lasted for our entire time together. He began by introducing us to Bill 13 – Land Title and Property Law Amendment Act being debated in the Legislature. This bill proposes to remove discriminatory barriers concerning First Nations land ownership. Currently, First Nations in BC are unable to acquire, hold, and dispose of land in the name of the First Nation.They are required, instead, to set up an alternate arrangement, such as a corporation. While Adam believes that passage of this legislation may have limited impact, its importance is that it will remove one of many discriminatory laws that were designed decades ago to intentionally create barriers for First Nations. These barriers have resulted in th…
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Salt Spring Island RCMP – 1 st Quarter Report for 2024

In the first three months of 2024, Salt Spring Island RCMP responded to 563 calls for service, an average of over six calls per day ranging from traffic-related reports, bylaw infractions, liquor-related complaints, marine enforcement and Criminal Code investigations. Firearms offences (4), sexual assaults (9) and mental health-related incidents (42) were also reported to Police during this quarter. In addition to the six calls per day, Salt Spring RCMP also conducted 423 foot patrols in downtown Ganges and various parks (averaging 4+ per day), 162 licenced premises checks (bar walks) and issued approximately 200 warnings and violation tickets to drivers & registered owners for Motor Vehicle Act violations; 25 impaired drivers were taken off the road during this period. In the first quarter of 2024, foot patrols, bar checks, and traffic enforcement had all increased in number when compared with the same period in 2023. Salt Spring RCMP also conducted various public s…
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Obituary: Cherri Sylvia Wells

Cherri Sylvia Wells, February 22, 1937 - March 21, 2024 Cherri passed away gracefully on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the age of 87. As per her wishes, she found her final rest in the comfort of her home, surrounded by loved ones. This would not have been possible without the support of Lady Minto Home Care. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Woodly for his compassionate care over the years and for all he did to make her final months as peaceful as possible. Cherri’s journey began on February 22, 1937, in Gray Creek, B.C. She was the beloved daughter of Julia and Thomas Wells. Her mother, Julia, was born in Canora, Saskatchewan, and her family had immigrated from Ukraine to start their lives in Canada. Thomas had immigrated from Norfolk, England, when he was 21 to begin his new life. He ended up in Saskatchewan (Endeavour), working on a farm where he met Julia. They moved to Gray Creek, B.C., and had three children. Sadly, Cherri’s older brother drowned when th…
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This Tourist Season Brings a Change for B.C. Liquor Manufacturers

New policy will help B.C. liquor manufacturers enhance visitor experiences As the summer tourism season approaches, British Columbia’s wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries are gearing up to offer enhanced tour and service experiences for visitors. “Recent years have been difficult for wineries and tourism across the province, and we are taking action to support these valuable businesses,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The changes we are making will create better experiences for visitors of wineries and liquor manufacturers across the province, helping them – and all of B.C. – to be a more competitive and desirable destination for visitors. ” In response to industry feedback, the Province has implemented a suite of policy changes to enhance visitor experiences at wineries and other liquor-manufacturing sites this summer. Improvements to the customer experience include: - allowing people to sit and enjoy samples wh…
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  • - April 8, 2024

North Pender Island Protects Habitat for Rare Species

Expansion of Conservation Covenant on North Pender Island Protects Habitat for Rare Species Lək̓ʷəŋən, METULIYE/Victoria, B.C. - Islands Trust Conservancy’s Nighthawk Hill covenant has been doubled in size to protect 1.879 hectares (4.6 acres) of forest, woodland, and rocky outcrops on North Pender Island. The covenant includes protection for the provincially red listed Douglas-fir – arbutus ecological community and provides important habitat for species at risk including Common Nighthawk, which is a species of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act. Andy Nowak and Mary Reher came to Pender Island in the 1980’s and bought a property in 2000. As development pressure increased on the island, they felt it was important to place a conservation covenant to protect and steward the vulnerable species and ecosystems on their land. The Nighthawk Hill conservation covenant is registered through the Islands Trust’s Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTE…
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BC Ferries’ People Receive Substantial Wage Increase

VICTORIA – BC Ferries’ unionized team members are set to receive a one-year 7.75 per cent general wage increase, with many jobs receiving extra “special increases” including some licensed mariners receiving up to an additional 10.0 per cent, better reflecting the significant daily contributions they make and more closely aligning their pay with compensation standards across the industry. Today’s settlement is retroactive to October 1, 2023. “We know wages haven’t kept up for our people and that more was needed for us to get back to being an employer of choice. I’m grateful to our people for the patience they demonstrated over the last few months,” said Nicolas Jimenez, President and CEO of BC Ferries. “Getting to this point has been a long time coming. The offer we put on the table six months ago was a very good one then, and it’s still a very good one today – even more so when you consider it’s a one-year increase. In fact, it's one of the largest increases in the compan…
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Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee March 2024 Update

This report summarizes the meeting highlights for the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee March 7 Regular meeting. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meeting. At the March 7th meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: - Approved development variance permit (SS-DVP-2023.18, 103 Tantramar Drive) to vary: the minimum front line setback of 7.5 m to 0.0 m to permit an existing garage, stairs and rock wall; the natural boundary of the sea setback from 15 m to 4.36 m and to 5.8 m to permit a rock wall extension and an existing deck, stairs and bench; and, the natural boundary of the sea setback of 15 m to 11.8 m to permit an existing septic field replacement. - Approved a partial discharge of a s. 219 Restrictive Covenant and s. 218 Statutory Right Away Agreement for the purposes of land acquisition and road dedication by the Ministry of Transportation and Infr…
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