Eric March

Life can be hard when you work on Salt Spring Island, and that goes double if you work and rent. And don't take my word for it - according to the 2021 Census data, one third of Salt Spring residents, both home owners and renters, are living in some sort of housing need. According to the Salt Spring Foundation's 2022 Vital Signs Report nearly 30% of respondents considered moving off island and a whopping 60% of respondents had someone they cared about leave the island due to lack of available housing. The living wage on Salt Spring Island, always high, has now risen to over $28.00 an hour, something few employers are willing or even able to pay. I know the struggle of being a working Salt Springer well. I've lived in housing I struggled to afford and housing that wasn't adequate. I've considered, many times, leaving the community I love, and I've had friends leave. Much of my time on Salt Spring, I've earned less than a living wage. But, like so many hard working locals, I'…