ASK Salt Spring

ASK Salt Spring Welcomes Two of Your Local Community Commissioners (LCC)

This ASK Salt Spring gathering welcomed CRD Local Community Commissioners (LCC) Brian Webster and Gayle Baker. After his Territorial Acknowledgement, Brian, wearing his apple-farming hat, leapt fearlessly into the currently raging spongy moth spraying controversy. Brian brought science into the discussion, warning us against letting fear and assumptions overwhelm science-based conclusions. We learned that the spongy moth, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymantria_dispar) is, in the first phase of its life cycle, an invasive leaf-eating caterpillar that defoliates trees. Trees that are already stressed due to climate change and other challenges, can die from this defoliation. While all deciduous trees are at risk, of particular concern are our rare and precious Garry Oaks (https://ohgarryoaksociety.org/what-is-a-garry-oak/). In addition to the ecological threat to Garry Oaks, a spongy moth infestation brings serious financial consequences to local farmers as this caterpilla…

ASK Salt Spring Welcomes our Fire Folks

April 26 A total of 13 joined us to welcome Fire Trustee Chair, Rollie Cook, and Chief Administrative Officer, Rodney Dieleman, to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. While the numbers were not large, the conversation was lively and rich. After our Territorial Acknowledgment, we asked our guests what excited and delighted them. Rodney spoke briefly about his joy living on Salt Spring and all the new opportunities awaiting him. Having just purchased a boat, he is looking forward to exploring our coast and learning entirely new ways of fishing. A world quite different from the rivers of his former home, he is looking forward to new adventures. Rollie, dashing to be with us from his sheep-raising and planting duties, shared his joy with our lovely spring. He also shared his great pleasure that, just that day, construction on the new firehall had begun. After seven years of planning, he is over the moon that the on-the-ground work for our new firehall is finally underway. Expe…

ASK Salt Spring Welcomes Owen Page, our MoTi Area Manager

April 19 Fifteen joined us for all or part of our time together at this ASK Salt Spring gathering that welcomed our Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) Area Manager Owen Page. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, we asked Owen what excites and delights him. Personally, he was looking forward to watching a great basketball playoff while enjoying a beer that evening. Professionally, he loves spending time in the communities for which he is responsible, always listening, learning, and seeking the best use of the resources he has been allocated. Later ,when asked if the number of Salt Spring emails were a bit overwhelming, he responded a resounding No. He appreciates hearing our suggestions. He is able to address some. Others he routes to the correct managers, keeping track and advocating for them, as appropriate. When asked to detail his area of responsibility, we learned that, although the Gulf Islands are split between three Area Managers, leaving Owen …

ASK Salt Spring Welcomes Two Local Community Commissioners

April 12- Ten welcomed two of your Local Community Commissioners, Ben Corno and Gayle Baker, to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. While the numbers were small, the conversation was rich, masterfully facilitated by Ron Cooke. We began with a Territorial Acknowledgement from Ben, introducing himself in the Indigenous way of also recognizing his parents. When asked what excites and delights us, Gayle responded that she was delighted to be happily home after an amazing trip that began in Brazil and ended in Rome. She spoke briefly about her satisfaction with small projects that are moving along toward completion, like the new bus shelter next to the Visitors’ Center, a proposed ICBC study of our Ganges crosswalks, the soon-to-be-released prioritization of our top road safety concerns, and the recent award of a grant to complete the Merchant Mews pathway. She expressed her determination not to focus upon the areas in which she sees herself failing, like moving swiftly toward soluti…

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…

ASK Salt Spring – ALL ABOUT FOOD March 2024

ASK Salt Spring – ALL ABOUT FOOD March 2024 With over 20 participants, the ASK Salt Spring meeting on “All About Food” got underway at 11:00 AM at the SIMs Board Room. This week’s moderator was Sheila Dobie, Co-Chair of the Salt Spring Island’s Farmland Trust. Guest speakers included Jon Cooksey, a Board member of the SSI Farmland Trust, Pam Tarr, Advocacy Lead with Transition Salt Spring (TSS), and Jason Roy Allen, Co-owner of the Hen and Hound Brasserie and incoming President of the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce. In addition to local producers, food security advocates and interested citizens, in attendance were CRD Director Gary Holman, Local Community Commission (LCC) member Brian Webster, Island Community Services Executive Director Rob Grant, Damian Inwood with CHiR FM, and Natasha Kong, TSS Communications Lead. After the introductions, Sheila gave the territorial acknowledgement based on a poem written by Victoria, BC, poet Zoe Dickinson. Jon Cooksey spo…

ASK Salt Spring meeting with Gary Holman, CRD Director & Brian Webster, LLC Commissioner

ASK SALT SPRING – MEETING MINUTES 8 MARCH 2024 On March 8 th , twelve joined the ASK Salt Spring gathering at SIMs to meet with Gary Holman,CRD Director and Local Community Commissioner, and Brian Webster, LCC Commissioner. The meeting was facilitated by Grant Fredrickson, the new Events Coordinator for ASK Salt Spring. Grant is a member of the Salt Spring Community Alliance and will be facilitating the gatherings until Gayle Baker returns next month. Brian gave the territorial acknowledgment and expressed on behalf of the group the long-term commitment toward reconciliation to repair past harms to First Nations and ensure these are not repeated in the future. Gary and Brian were then invited to introduce themselves and hopes for the LCC.Brian said that he is a newcomer to politics and that he has a long list of issues that he hopes to address before his time with the Commission is over in two and a half years. Gary clarified that while the terms for Commissioners are…

ASK Salt Spring Welcomes Andrew Gaetz, Operations Manager of Emcon

March 1, fifteen joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Andrew Gaetz, Operations Manager for Emcon, our road maintenance contractor. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, we asked Andrew what excited and delighted him. He immediately responded that he was very pleased that the recent vacuum sweeping of Ganges had gone so well, with only a few parked cars impeding the much-needed sweeping of our village streets. Also swept was an area of grave concern for cyclists: The barriers along the curves of Lower Ganges Road north of Booth Canal Road. Emcon is contracted to sweep all major Salt Spring streets by May 15 and minor roads by June 15. This February 22 sweeping, requiring a large vacuum sweeper brought over from Vancouver Island, was over and above Emcon’s sweeping requirements. When Andrew was acknowledged for this unexpected gift, he commented that he fully-understood Salt Spring’s commitment to active transportation and was happy to do what he can to free our s…

ASK Salt Spring welcomes RCMP Sergeant Clive Seabrook

Eighteen joined us for all or part of our time together at this ASK Salt Spring gathering welcoming RCMP Sergeant Clive Seabrook. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Clive told us what excites and delights him: Living and working on Salt Spring! Already into his fourth year with us, he continues to love working in our community, feeling the same excitement he felt upon his arrival. He credited the support he gets from Salt Springers as an important part of his continued delight working here. As you may know, Salt Spring is classified as a community requiring officers to be relocated every four years. As many of us believe Salt Spring to be a near-perfect place to live, this required relocation is a surprise to many. Clive explained that small communities bring their owns challenges as well as benefits. One of these challenges is the small number of officers are on call between shifts and are often called into guard prisoners and other duties. While on call, officers mu…

ASK Salt Spring explores multi-organization collaborations supporting complex local initiatives

Thirty-two joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Nora Layard, Chair of Transition Salt Spring Enterprise Coop - TSSEC; Shannon Cowan, Executive Director of the Salt Spring Island Foundation; Robert Steinbach, Country Grocer’s Community Relations and Business Development; and Julie Kemble, Chair of the Arts Council. They joined us to discuss their role in funding local initiatives as well as partnering in multi-organization collaborations to support more complex local initiatives. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, each of our guests were asked what excited and delighted them. Julie began, sharing her enthusiasm for our topic of funding local projects, especially support for our arts. She also shared that she is thoroughly enjoying her work with the highly-skilled Arts Council Board which has recently unveiled its five-year strategic plan. Speaking of the Arts Council’s ability to fund arts projects, Julie typified them as little grants but went on to tell u…

ASK Salt Spring with Local Community Commissioners Ben Corno, Brian Webster, Earl Rook, Gayle Baker and Electoral Director, Gary Holman

Thirty joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome our Local Community Commissioners (LCC) Ben Corno (bcorno@crd.bc.ca), Brian Webster (bwebster@crd.bc.ca), Earl Rook (erook@crd.bc.ca), Gayle Baker (gbaker@crd.bc.ca) and Gary Holman, also our Electoral Director, (directorssi@crd.bc.ca). After our Territorial Acknowledgment, facilitator Grant Fredrickson began by asking each of our guests what excited and delighted them about being Salt Spring’s first Local Commissioners. Ben began by expressing his pleasure that the months of discussion about the 2024 budget had concluded, allowing the Local Commissioners to turn their full attention to creative solutions to Salt Spring issues. Earl agreed with Ben’s sentiment, adding that he was looking forward to participating in the continued development of the LCC into its full potential as Salt Spring’s local government. Brian added that he was pleased with the capacity of the LCC to listen to and act on really important local i…

ASK Salt Spring welcomes MLA Adam Olsen and his Constituency Advocate, Jerram Gawley

Twenty came to welcome MLA Adam Olsen and Jerram Gawley, his Constituency Advocate, to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. Adam added to our Territorial Acknowledgement by reminding us that his people had a tradition of overlapping spaces, a homeland to different groups sharing linguistic and cultural roots but still very different. He reminded us that these overlapping boundaries accommodating multiple groups were extremely difficult for crown governments far more comfortable with maps identifying discrete ownership. When asked what excited and delighted him, Adam immediately responded that being on Salt Spring did just that. He is glad that he spends a lot of time here and is honoured that he has been accepted as our advocate. He is pleased that we trust him to bring our unique perspective to the legislature. He was also appreciative of his recent day on a panel with Chief John Jack and Eric Nyce of the Nisga’a Nation at the Leaders Governmental Learning Academy. These pane…

ASK Salt Spring welcomes longtime Salt Spring leader, Tom Toynbee

Nineteen joined us to welcome longtime Salt Spring leader, Tom Toynbee. He took us on a meander down Memory Lane, and did we ever learn a lot about Ganges’ fascinating history! For many of us, it was a welcome break from concern about today’s issues to immerse ourselves in a time past and enjoy Tom’s amazing memory and passion for all things Ganges. Tom was born at Lady Minto Hospital (at the location of today’s Community Services) on May 8, 1934. Yes, he has a big birthday approaching :). We all shared a laugh when we learned that his first visitor as a newborn in the hospital was 3 1/2-year old Bob Rush wearing nothing but his gumboots! Tom went to the Salt Spring Consolidated School, now our Elementary School, graduating in 1952. Having only been to Victoria twice a year to a visit to the dentist, Tom knew little but Salt Spring. What a different world of travel and celebrity Tom saw as a member of the UBC rowing team. Often treated as royalty, his team swept the rowin…

ASK Salt Spring... even though we had no ASK Salt Spring gathering this week, we do have some news

Unfortunately, snow forced a cancellation of this gathering. Anticipated as a rich conversation about funding options for local initiatives, Funding a healthy and resilient Salt Spring, our team of experts, Shannon Cowan, Salt Spring Island Foundation; Nora Layard, Transition Salt Spring Economic Co-Op (TSSEC); Robert Steinbach, Country Grocer Community Outreach; and Julie Kemble, Chair of the Arts Council, have promised to join us Friday, February 16, 11-1, in the SIMS classroom next to the Boardroom. But, even though we had no ASK Salt Spring gathering this week, we do have some news: On October 20, BC Ferries President and Chief Executive Officer, CAO Nicholas Jimenez was ASK Salt Spring’s special guest. We got many answers at this gathering, documented in the ASK Salt Spring Report. But, Nicholas left some questions unanswered, promising answers. We have just received these answers Question: Nicholas was asked what BC Ferries could do to help promote the Salish …

ASK Salt Spring with MP Elizabeth May and Ned Taylor, Constituency Coordinator

Due to freezing temperatures and icy roads, only 11 came to welcome our MP Elizabeth May and Ned Taylor, Constituency Coordinator. While the numbers were disappointing but understandable, those who braved the weather all contributed to an amazing and rich conversation with Elizabeth. After our Territorial Acknowledgment, we asked Elizabeth what excited and delighted her. Her answer was immediate and heartfelt: I am delighted to be alive! We then learned more about her recent stroke. While the most common strokes are ischemic, caused by a blocked artery in the brain, Elizabeth’s was a hemorrhagic stroke, caused by the bursting of a blood vessel in her brain. Aware of the warning signs of the more common ischemic strokes, she was totally unprepared for the absence of stroke warning signs; the only indication of her hemorrhagic stroke was an unbelievably unbearable headache. Thankfully, Elizabeth is fine with absolutely no damage; others are not so lucky with some survivors …

ASK Salt Spring with MLA Adam Olsen and his Constituency Advocate, Jerram Gawley

Nineteen came to the first 2024 gathering to welcome MLA Adam Olsen and his Constituency Advocate, Jerram Gawley. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Adam began by reflecting on his break over the holiday season, savouring a time to relax and prepare for a very busy 2024. Concerning pace, he has observed that, while politics move quickly, democracy needs to proceed slowly. Reflecting on the quick passage of time since he first ran as MLA in 2013 and was elected in 2017, he noted the difference in the pace of politics and governance; a functioning democracy requires a much more thoughtful, intentional, and deliberate pace. The first question for Adam was about the electric bike rebate program which was fully subscribed within a few days of it being announced last spring. While a waiting list has been created, this participant asked why she had not heard anything about reinstating and expanding this popular program since it was first announced. Adam did not have specific de…

ASK Salt Spring with North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) Chief Administrative Officer, Mark Boysen, and Board Chair, Brian Pyper

Ten joined this ASK Salt Spring conversation with North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) Chief Administrative Officer, Mark Boysen, and Board Chair, Brian Pyper. The first time representatives of this important water district have joined us as our special guests, questions flew, creating a rich conversation. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Mark and Brian began by telling us a bit about themselves. Brian is an environmental statistician bringing his 25 years of analytical experience to NSSWD’s important decisions. Planning to run for another term in the upcoming Trustee election before its AGM on Thursday, May 2, 2024, he hopes to continue his commitment to making decisions based on science as well as supporting both staff and ratepayers. Mark began managing NSSWD in March 2023 and is delighted to be here! Living on Salt Spring, he had been commuting to the Cowichan Valley Regional District where he was General Manager of Operations, overseeing 37 sewer and w…

ASK Salt Spring with Local Community Commissioners (LCC) Chair Earl Rook, Brian Webster, Gayle Baker and Electoral Director, Gary Holman

Ten gathered to welcome Local Community Commissioners (LCC) Chair Earl Rook, Brian Webster, Gayle Baker, and Commissioner, as well as Electoral Director, Gary Holman. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Darryl Martin, doing the honours as our facilitator, began by asking all what they hoped to gain from this CRD/LCC-focused gathering. While responses varied, the clear message was that participants wanted Commissioners to tell them about the major issues before the LCC and what they thought the LCC had accomplished in its first six months. Much our time together focused upon some key LCC issues of discussion, including the 2024 budget, Portlock Park, the possible transition of the Salt Spring Island Watershed Protection Alliance (SSWIPA) to CRD, roads, and the proposed encampment. We only spoke briefly of the major issue confronting Commissioners: the 2024 budget. With final decisions to be made at the January 18, 2024 LCC meeting, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the SIMS (fo…

ASK Salt Spring with MLA Adam Olsen and Constituent Advocate Jerram Gawley

Twenty-nine joined us for this ASK Salt Spring gathering welcoming MLA Adam Olsen and Constituent Advocate Jerram Gawley. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, we began a lively, philosophical, complicated, and quite wonderful conversation about housing in the context of just-passed Bill 44. After acknowledging ASK Salt Spring, beginning its fifth year of convening rich weekly conversations, Adam began by speaking briefly of the fascinating, frustrating just-finished legislative session, calling it one of the most challenging in his 15 years of government service. While happy to have a break, he is also saddened that he must wait until the Legislature reconvenes in the middle of February 2024 to re engage in his opposition responsibility of keeping our government accountable. He mused that these Legislative sessions could be more effective if they were scheduled so MLAs met more regularly throughout the year with a break every few weeks rather than their current blocks o…

ASK Salt Spring on all things local emergency management with Corey Anderson, Jolette Schenk and John Wakefield

While only 10 joined this ASK Salt Spring conversation about our preparedness for emergencies, we learned so much! Led by John Wakefield, Emergency Management Lead, Salt Spring Island, he was joined by Jolette Schenk, CRD Electoral Area Emergency Services Coordinator and Corey Anderson, Manager, Emergency Programs, both of whom had come from Victoria to join us. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, John spoke briefly about accelerating challenges from climate-related weather emergencies. While things may seem to be much the same, it is John’s observation that on Salt Spring, much like the rest of the world, record heat domes, drought, and storms are ramping up awareness and concern. We learned that virtually all of Ganges - as far inland as the Library - are in a tsunami hazard zone. After recognizing our vulnerability as an island, John reminded us that there are simple, concrete things we can do to prepare. These include: Sign up for Alertable, free and available…

ASK Salt Spring with David Norget from the Mental Wellness Initiative discussing mental health resources on the island

Fourteen joined us (in addition to toddler Benjamin) for all or part of this ASK Salt Spring conversation with the enthusiastic team of volunteers committed to enhancing mental wellness in our community. Led by David Norget, a number of Mental Wellness Initiative volunteers joined us. Some of these volunteers are recruiting professional counsellors for Reach Out Salt Spring, others are overseeing the expanded Peer Support programs, and others are Ambassadors, walking Ganges spreading connection and care throughout our village. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, we learned a bit about the Mental Wellness Initiative as well as its programs. This Mental Wellness Initiative emerged from the Salt Spring Health Advancement Network (SSHAN), a monthly gathering of local organizations/community members focused on health and well-being in our community. Fueled by its strong relationships with its charitable partner, Salt Spring Community Health Society, the Mental Wellness Initiat…