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Obituary: Thomas Knoth

Thomas Knoth December 20, 1949, to February 1, 2025 Our beloved Thomas was ripped out of our lives on February 1st, by an aggressive cancer that swept through him in 11 short days. He had been happy and healthy up until then, working hard on our property, creating walking trails to be able to enjoy the land into old age. He was living his best life in his workshop, creating beautiful furniture and discovering the joy of lathe work and building fine pieces from wood he had collected. Thomas was bigger than life, full of ideas and projects, still waiting to be done. He leaves behind his long time life companions, Katharine, Christel and Ron, as well as his two children, Andreas and Janina, and grandchildren, Makena, Caeden, Amanda and Ryan. Thomas and Christel fell in love with Salt Spring Island, and the whole family moved to the farm on North Beach Rd from Germany in 1982, to fulfill Thomas and his father’s dream of living a life on the land, with nature and fishing in…
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Seeking Simple Salt Spring Solutions

January 31 In January, ASK Salt Spring has hosted some weighty conversations: - Difficult conversations guided by Restorative Justice, - FireSmarting our homes, and - Complex School District 64 decisions Seeking a break and a bit of fun, after our Territorial Acknowledgment, we considered what simple projects could make Salt Spring life just a bit better. While you may have suggested totally-different ideas, our small group of problem-solvers offered these: 1) Family Game Centre, 2) A Dinner Activity Club, 3) Easy Opening of Those Annoying Pill and Food Containers, and 4) Visitor Funding for Salt Spring Services and Infrastructure? 1) So, what do you mean by Family Game Centre? The idea began with a year ‘round ping pong table for all to enjoy. Soon the idea grew into an area with not only a ping pong table but also horseshoes and a bocci ball court. Where? While many ideas were kicked around, the eventual consensus was that Centennial Park was by far the best l…
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Road Clearing, Stay Safe and Avoid Necessary Travel

Although the snowfall warning has now ended, it will still take some time to the clear roads. Stay safe and avoid unnecessary travel for the road crews and first responders. A big thank you those who have kept critical systems running, especially the Emcon crews who have worked through the storm and the night. Please be patient, the crews have the priorities to follow, and the only time they will deviate from MOTI procedure unless the situation is an emergency circumstance. Emergency circumstances are determined through first responder requests via 911. Wondering what the priorities are? MoTI has a good article about plowing priorities and it explains why a route has a specific designation from the Trans BC Website below. Our maintenance contractors work hard every day to keep BC highways safe and traffic moving smoothly. Because British Columbia is a geographically diverse province, our contractors can face any number of unique challenges where highway main…
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Yael Wand Reflects on Her Time Leading Salt Spring Arts

One Saturday in 2022, Yael Wand was at the farmer’s market in Ganges and came upon a group of high school students playing music. As a musician herself, Yael knows good music when she hears it, and she thought the band, 19 Strings, was so good that she booked them as an opening act for the annual Summer Concert Series she had created in her role as executive director of Salt Spring Arts. This opportunity “opened a whole bunch of doors” for the young musicians, Yael says. “Supporting people who have that creative thing and want to bring it forward” is one of the things Yael has loved about her job with Salt Spring Arts. She explains, “We work to make sure this is a great place for artists to live. We work to make sure that community members can access the arts, that there’s great events and opportunities to participate in, and a big focus is on reaching young people and inspiring creativity.” As you may have heard, after 10 years of making her mark on Salt Spring Arts …
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2025 Country Grocer Valentine’s Day 'Island of Love' Photo Contest

Join Country Grocer and the Salt Spring Exchange in celebrating Love on Salt Spring Island for Valentine's Day! Enter our ‘Island of Love' photo contest for a chance to win one of three wonderful prizes to help you celebrate your love. To enter the contest, all you have to do is upload a photo of you and your sweetheart(s) using the form below. Show us your love! Whether you’re young and ecstatically in love, or in your 90s with a twinkle in your eye whenever you see each other, whether you’ve taken your “flirt” down a few notches over the years or you’ve taken your flirt up a few notches, share it with your community! Country Grocer is once again donating 3 prizes this year, just enter via the Salt Spring Exchange and you’ll have a chance to win: First Prize: Dinner for two at Hen & Hound’s Feast Restaurant on Feb 14 with wine pairings - all in value of $500! Second Prize: Country Grocer gift basket - Champagne and Chocolate (if over 19 years of age) T…
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Moratorium Partially Lifted - Effective March 31, 2025

PRESS RELEASE – January 30, 2025 North Salt Spring Waterworks District Approves Partial Lift of Moratorium on Maxwell Lake System. Following the completion of detailed analyses of water supply reliability and water system infrastructure, and several months of community engagement and feedback, the North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) Board has approved a partial lift of its water moratorium policy (Moratorium) that has been in place since 2014. The NSSWD Board and staff have taken great efforts to responsibly manage Salt Spring Island’s largest yet limited water supply by using a science-based approach to assess future water supply reliability and potential improvements. While there is considerable demand for housing on Salt Spring Island, NSSWD is taking a cautious approach with this significant change for our community. It has been determined that the current supply availability for the Maxwell system can assist with the current housing need in the Ganges area…
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B.C. Helps Fruit Growers Prepare for Extreme Weather

New funding is available to help tree-fruit growers prepare their orchards for extreme weather so people can continue to enjoy the B.C. peaches, cherries and apples that so many farming families and communities depend on. “Last summer, British Columbians saw almost no local cherries available and missed out on having delicious Okanagan peaches to enjoy,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “We know these climate impacts will continue, which is why we’re helping growers with a new program so their crops and businesses become more resilient in the face of increasingly challenging growing conditions.” The new $5-million Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program will help fund things such as protective covers, energy-efficient heaters and wind machines to help during periods of extreme cold, as well as canopy sprinklers and shade protection to help ward off the effects of extreme heat. The program also is open to applications for innovative projects to support ind…
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Minister’s Statement on RCMP Investigation in Fairy Creek

Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement in response to reported tree spiking in the Fairy Creek watershed: “Last week, I was notified that there are reports of tree spiking in the Fairy Creek area of southern Vancouver Island. “Spiking a tree, or even attempting to, is a dangerous criminal activity that puts the health and safety of B.C.’s forestry workers at risk. These reports are incredibly alarming and I condemn this criminal behaviour. “We immediately notified both the forestry licensee and the local First Nation. We have also referred this matter to the RCMP. An investigation is ongoing. “If anyone has any information, I encourage them to contact the Nanaimo RCMP detachment at 250 754-2345 and reference this file number: NA25-2275.” Definition of Tree Spiking from Wikipedia: Tree spiking involves hammering a metal rod, nail or other material into a tree trunk, either inserting it at the base of the trunk where a logger …
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Ocean Wise Secures Government of Canada Funding to Advance Sustainable Development Goals in Coastal Fishing Communities

New funding will open the door for Canadian community-based fisheries to be recognized for sustainable practices. January 30, 2025 - Ocean Wise has received nearly $850,000 in funding to support alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in three Indigenous fishing communities. Funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program, the project, Advancing Sustainable Development in Fishery-Reliant Coastal Communities, marks a significant milestone in recognizing Canadian small-scale fisheries, advancing their sustainability, and increasing access to local, sustainable seafood for Canadians. Small-scale fisheries account for 40 percent of seafood harvested globally and employing 90 percent of workers in the seafood sector. But only eight percent of global small-scale fisheries have been assessed for sustainability (Illuminating Hidden Harvests, FAO). Many of these fisheries are not evaluated for sustainability bec…
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Province Extends Fairy Creek Old-Growth Deferral

The Province has approved a legal order to extend temporary protections in the Fairy Creek watershed until Sept. 30, 2026. The extension applies to the same forest lands as those deferred in June 2021. “I am working to put people and communities back at the heart of forestry,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “True, lasting and meaningful reconciliation begins with partnering and working with First Nations. Together, we can build a strong, robust and sustainable forest sector for the next 100 years.” These temporary protections will allow discussions on the long-term management of the Fairy Creek watershed to continue in partnership with Pacheedaht First Nation. This action is consistent with government’s commitments to reconciliation and to protecting British Columbia’s oldest and rarest forest ecosystems. The Fairy Creek deferral protects almost 1,200 hectares, which is all the Crown land in the Fairy Creek watershed. The entire watershed falls within the Pa…
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