I recently attended an Ask Salt Spring meeting where Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries, was the guest speaker. During the meeting, he discussed BC Ferries' recent business decision to home port the Crofton/Vesuvius ferry to the Crofton side—a decision that sparked heated debate among local government officials and BC Ferries employees in attendance.

The Local Trust Committee and Islands Trust officials demanded that BC Ferries consult with local government before making decisions that impact Salt Spring residents. While I don't wish to undermine the legitimate concerns raised by BC Ferries employees, I believe we need to examine the root causes behind this decision.

Mr. Jimenez clearly stated that one of the primary factors was the cost of living on Salt Spring and the lack of affordable housing for BC Ferries employees. He cited that the average home price on Salt Spring was $1.2 million, while homes in the Crofton catchment area cost roughly half that amount—providing a significantly better quality of life for employees.

BC Ferries is not responsible for Salt Spring's affordable housing shortage. That responsibility lies with 50 years of restrictive governance by the Islands Trust that have, to a degree, protected the environment we all love, but endangered the future of our community in the process. BC Ferries' decision to home port in Crofton is merely a consequence of the Islands Trust's limitations on affordable housing development. When LTC officials claim that no affordable housing projects have come before them for approval, it's because Islands Trust staff often prevent these proposals from reaching the decision-making stage, or making it so difficult and costly for developers that they give up and build somewhere else. Between the high price of land and the risks associated with getting approvals from Islands Trust and CRD, it makes it nearly impossible for developers to build here. So as we have seen, the only affordable housing being built is from BC Housing that doesn't require Islands Trust approval (i.e., the Drake Road project).

This BC Ferries decision represents a consequence of poor governance, it won't be the last time we see employers move their workforce off-island due to housing constraints. This decision by BC Ferries will have great impact on those families affected and the community as a whole, including a significant economic impact to an already fragile Salt Spring economy.

The BC Ferries decision is a wake-up call. If we continue down this path of over-restrictive development policies, we'll see more essential services and employers leave Salt Spring Island, ultimately undermining the very community character we all want to protect.

Jason Roy-Allen, President Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce