The public is again welcome to visit Islands Trust offices in person with the reminder that masks and physical distancing are continued requirements. Islands Trust doors are open at all three office locations: Gabriola Island, Salt Spring Island, and Victoria.

At this time, each Islands Trust office has different days and times of opening and capacity limits:

Salt Spring Office Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4: 30 p.m.
1 – 500 Lower Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island
Maximum two people in addition to staff

“We’re pleased to welcome people back into our offices,” shared Russ Hotsenpiller, Chief Administrative Officer, Islands Trust. “Face-to-face contact has been missed, but it hasn’t curtailed our activity. Since the pandemic started, Islands Trust has experienced a surge of development applications resulting in longer processing times. Staff is working to maximum capacity, and there is a backlog. If you’re considering a development application submission, please understand there are longer than usual wait times, and we ask for your understanding and patience.”

Compared to the Islands Trust five-year average, development applications more than doubled on Salt Spring Island to 105% in the first quarter of this year. In the rest of the southern islands, applications went up 90%, and they also increased by 56% in the northern islands.