The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular May daytime business meeting on Thursday, May 21, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 286 page agenda package, including minutes of previous meeting, presentations, staff reports, and supporting documentation, is available online. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a delegation from Kristin Peebles and Tim Hiltz, Salt Spring Island Foundation, on agenda item 7.1. Salt Spring Island Electoral Area 2026 Grant-In-Aid Application - Spring Intake. The Salt Spring Island Foundation provided an additional $20,000 in funding for the LCC Grant-In-Aid budget as well as a non-binding review and assessment of grant applications for the consideration of the LCC. - The LCC received a delegation from Kaen Seguin, Sweetgrass Arts and Music, on agenda item 7.1. Salt Spring Island Electoral Area 2026 Grant-In-Aid Application - Spring Intake, speaking to the request …

Twenty-four joined this ASK Salt Spring conversation to welcome MLA Rob Botterell. He offered our Land Acknowledgement, noting how moved he was that acknowledgements had become the beginning of so many meetings throughout the province. He expressed his privilege that we are able to live, eat, and work on these lands, benefitting from thousands of years of First Nations’ stewardship, wisdom, and knowledge. In closing, we learned that the Indigenous name he was gifted by Huu-ay-aht Nation, Naacałuk, means “Always Watching”. When participants were given the opportunity to introduce themselves, they were also asked to share what it would take for them to be as happy as Finlanders, recognized as the happiest people in the world. Answers included: - Solving the housing crisis with innovative solutions, affordable housing options for all, and homelessness a thing of the past, - A connected community with none in distress, our elderly and most vulnerable supported, - Civili…

After nearly eight years in public office as one of your two Salt Spring Island Local Trustees, I have decided that I will not be seeking a third term in the upcoming local elections this fall. When I first stepped forward in 2018, I did so with a clear goal: to support the Islands Trust in better protecting the environment while also supporting a healthy, resilient community. Nearly a decade had passed since a woman had held the position of Local Trustee on Salt Spring Island, and many community members were actively looking for a new approach. I threw my hat in the ring determined to help move the island forward. Over two terms, I focused on the priorities that I heard about most from the community: improving housing outcomes, strengthening environmental stewardship, and modernizing our slow and confusing governance. I worked to build stronger relationships between the Islands Trust and the Capital Regional District, local commissions, water districts, and housing provi…

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held a special budget meeting on Thursday, May 14, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and vote on proposed budget changes for 2027 to guide staff in preparation of the 2027 provisional budget, due in August. The full 97 page agenda package, including presentations, staff reports, and supporting documentation, is available online. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a presentation from Karen Hudson and Richard Swann of the Salt Spring Island Public Library on proposed changes to its 2027 CRD budget contribution (included in the agenda package). - The LCC received a presentation from Bronwen Duncan of the Salt Spring Arts Council and Howard Jang of ArtSpring on proposed changes to the 2027 CRD budget contribution to the Arts Service (included in the agenda package). - The LCC received a presentation from Peter Meyer of Island Pathway…

Eighteen came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MP Elizabeth May. After her Territorial Acknowledgement, a chance for each of us to introduce ourselves, and some kind words about ASK Salt Spring, Elizabeth told us about her delight with her baby granddaughter, Lily, born October 2024. Already a loving grandmother to 11 step-grandchildren, she has been totally blown away by the overwhelming love she has for little Lily. She spoke, also, of her recent visit to a secondary school in Ottawa. Aware of a general feeling of sadness and overwhelm among our youth, she discovered a way to convey a message of hope to these students: She shared the story of how Lily frequently wakes up by stretching one arm straight up, hand in a fist. Elizabeth encouraged her young audience to mimic this move, stretching and chanting ”The Babies United Will Never Be Defeated!” Despite troubling times, this chant rang through the young audience - and on Friday, at our SIMS classroom - giv…

Fifteen joined this afternoon’s 2:30 pm ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Rob Botterell. After his Acknowledgement during which he emphasized the critical importance of First Nations collaboration followed by a chance for each of us to introduce ourselves, Rob shared what “excited and delighted” him. Top on his mind at that moment was his delight that there was a non-stop ferry to Pender that afternoon leaving at 4:05 that would get him home early after a week away from home and his wife. Asking our permission to leave our gathering an hour early, he promised to give us his full two hours next time he visited, Friday, June 5. He also expressed his delight that this session of the Legislature, full of complicated issues, was nearly over with only eleven days to get its work done before the summer break. These 11 days are expected to be full and extending late into the night with much to be done, including: - Decisions on two Treaties before the legislature, - Next…

The Capital Regional District (CRD) has released its annual summary of grant funding delivered across the Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island, and Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Areas. These funding programs support a range of local initiatives, including community infrastructure, planning, recreation, arts and culture, and small‑scale community projects. In 2025, the CRD administered more than $1.1 million in funding across the three Electoral Areas through two primary programs: the Community Works Fund (CWF), delivered under the federal Canada Community‑Building Fund, and the Electoral Areas Grants‑in‑Aid (GIA). “Improving public spaces, ensuring local organizations have the capacity to provide community programs, and helping local governments plan ahead all contribute to healthier, more connected communities,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “Our government will continue to support regional districts in working with communities and local…

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular April daytime business meeting on Thursday, April 16, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 167 page agenda package, including minutes of previous meeting, presentations, staff reports, and supporting documentation, is available online. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a delegation from Jenny McClean on Rainbow Recreation Centre pool use. - The LCC received a presentation from Jesse Giddings, Salt Spring Island Healthy Living Society, on a proposal to donate a synthetic ice rink for Salt Spring Island (included in agenda package). The LCC passed a motion, “That the proposal for a synthetic ice rink on Salt Spring Island be referred to staff to report back with additional information”. - The LCC received a presentation from Jennifer Lannan, SSI Chamber of Commerce, on funding for the Visitor Information Centre and Ganges beautification projects. Th…

Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) Meeting Report for April 9, 2026 The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular April evening meeting on Thursday, April 9, at 5:00 pm at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The 15 page agenda package is available online. This meeting was dedicated to hearing presentations from organizations involved in developing and managing housing on Salt Spring. Only one of the presenting organizations provided their presentation in electronic form so only the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation presentation on their Heartwood House project (formerly the Seabreeze Inn) is included in the agenda package. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a delegation from Jenny McClean on affordable housing agreements, addressing the Gulf Islands Seniors Residence Association (GISRA) agenda item on the Kings Lane project. - The LCC received a presentation from Joan Wandolo, CRD Regional Housing, o…

Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) Meeting Report for March 19, 2026 The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular March daytime business meeting on Thursday, March 19, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 392 page agenda package, including staff reports and supporting documentation, is available online. (It is recommended to NOT print the full package as much of the material is deep background on bylaw enforcement not directly applicable to Salt Spring). Presentations and Delegations (Slides in Agenda Package) - The LCC received a presentation from Shawn Carby of CRD Protective Services on the new adjudication process for enforcement of CRD bylaws. The new process is intended to provide an alternative to court for most bylaw enforcement actions. - The LCC received a delegation from Seth Wright of BC Transit on the recent fare review for the Salt Spring Island Transit system. LCC Busi…

Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) Meeting Report The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular March evening meeting on Thursday, March 12, at 5:00 pm at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 167 page agenda package, including staff reports and presentations, is available online. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a presentation from Cherie Geauvreau, Wagon Wheel Housing Society on the Salt Spring Laundromat and Soap Exchange operations. - The LCC received a presentation from Isha Matous-Gibbs of Urban Matters on the LCC Integrated Housing Strategy, “What We Heard Report” from public engagement events in late 2025. LCC Business - The LCC received a staff report on the recent accessibility surveys of the Rainbow Road Recreation Centre, SIMS, and Portlock Park facilities. Full details are available in the staff report. The LCC voted to approve a modified version of the staff recommendati…

Murray Siple’s commentary on accessibility on Salt Spring is well-timed. Just last week, our Local Community Commission discussed this issue, as we reviewed three new accessibility review reports on Rainbow Recreation Centre, Salt Spring Multi Space and Portlock Park. The reports identified many areas where accessibility can be improved at all three sites and our LCC passed a motion for staff to pursue grant funding to begin these improvements. That said, there remains a huge amount to be done and responsibility for addressing issues raised by Mr. Siple – and many others – belongs to all of us. Many of the issues identified in his article are on private property, with the owners responsible for addressing them. But many others are public amenities and this is where local government has primary responsibility. Mr. Siple mentions bus stops, presumably referring to the two new bus shelters that are being installed at Fulford-Ganges/Cusheon as well as Vesuvius Bay/Mobrae. …

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular February daytime business meeting on Thursday, February 19, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 135 page agenda package, including staff reports and supporting documentation, is available online. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC received a delegation from Robin Jenkinson of Island Pathways regarding the Salish Sea Trail Network. - The LCC received a delegation from Peter Meyer of Island Pathways regarding the potential impact on community trails posed by the BC Ferries Vesuvius Bay Terminal Expansion Project. LCC Business 1. Vesuvius Bay Terminal Expansion - The LCC passed a motion “that the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request that the Capital Regional District Board write to BC Ferries regarding their plans for the Vesuvius ferry terminal and reminding them of the importance of accommodating trails, including the Margaret Community T…

As the MLA representing 5 islands within the Islands Trust area, I will always closely monitor conversations about the Islands Trust, including deliberations around the Trust Policy Statement. I neither wrote, nor commissioned, the letter(below) from Lidstone & Company regarding the draft Trust Policy Statement, but I was copied on this letter and shared it in the interest of openness and transparency. The views expressed in the letter are those of Don Lidstone, a lawyer with more than four decades of experience in local government law. I invite any residents of Saanich North and the Islands who wish to discuss the Islands Trust to make an appointment with my office, by emailing Rob.Botterell.MLA@leg.bc.ca. Dear Chair Laura Patrick and Trust Council: Re: Draft Trust Policy Statement We are writing to comment on the Trust Council’s draft Trust Policy Statement (the “Draft TPS”). The Islands Trust Act1 (“ITA”) grants power to the Trust Council to adopt a Trust…

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its regular February evening meeting on Thursday, February 12, at 5:00 pm at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 99 page agenda package, including staff reports and presentations, is available online . Presentations and Delegations -There were no presentations or delegations. LCC Business - The LCC voted to appoint Commissioner Gayle Baker to sit on the Salt Spring Foundation Community Grants -Grant-in-Aid Review Committee. - The LCC received a staff report on the re-purposing of the Ganges Fire Hall, which will be turned over to the CRD once the new Fire Hall is fully operational. Cost estimates were $2,838,032 (+/-30%) for renovation of the existing facility, $408,663 (+/-30%) for demolition and abatement of the existing facility. Additional details and drawings are available in the staff report. - The LCC voted to approve the staff recommendation “that the Salt Spring Island Local…

February 11, 2026 Part 1 Should Ratepayers hold their local Board of Trustees Fiscally Responsible, Transparent and Accountable in Honouring their Referendums? The North Salt Spring Water District (NSSWD) held a Referendum in May of 2025 to build the Maxwell Lake - Water Treatment Plant at a cost of $14.6 Million, which allowed the borrowing of $11.7 Million. It was passed by a portion of the Water District’s approximately 1857 Ratepayers. On September 25, 2025 the Water District’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the Final Class A Estimate of $14.2Mil to build the Plant. Instead of Tendering for a Project Manager or Owner’s Agent to provide oversight, Staff elected to overlook that protocol and left those duties to the Engineering Firm who has designed the Plant. Thus begun the Tendering process for a General Contractor last Fall and concluded on December 12, 2025. At the December 18, 2025 General Meeting Staff advised that the Engineering Firm who designed…

Seventeen joined this late afternoon (4-6) ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Rob Botterell. He offered a Land Acknowledgement, one of appreciation for the spectacular beauty of this part of the world and gratitude that we get to live here, reminding us of First Nations’ stewardship for the land we love. After we all had an opportunity to introduce ourselves, Rob shared his “excitement and delight” that, after his car refused to go into drive as he was beginning to board the ferry for a full day of critical meetings, he was able to coast a bit and get his car into gear, and board - whew! He also expressed delight that a mechanic fixed his car, a welcome, although expensive, success. Before questions from participants, he gave us a brief overview of the upcoming legislative session. Reconvening February 12, he is glad that he had some time off to catch up a bit as he predicts this session to be a very interesting, as well as tumultuous, one. Expected highlights…

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held a special meeting on Thursday, January 29, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The purpose of the special meeting was to review and approve the final budget for 2026. The full agenda package, 247 pages including staff reports and budget details, is available online. Presentations and Delegations There were no delegations or presentations. LCC Business - The LCC received a staff report on the consolidated Parks and Recreation service. What had previously been four separate services, Community Parks, Community Recreation, Park Land, and the Swimming Pool have been reorganized into a single service with three budgets -- Community Parks and Recreation, SIMS and Recreation Programs, and Rainbow Recreation Centre. The new budgets include two facilities based cost centers, SIMS and Rainbow Road, along with a general budget for all other Parks and Recreation operations. The LCC has long…

The Capital Regional District (CRD) is updating its Building Regulations Bylaw to better reflect current industry standards, improve clarity, and make the building inspection process more responsive. The updated Bylaw applies to the CRD’s three Electoral Areas that include Salt Spring Island, the Southern Gulf Islands, and the Juan de Fuca. The Bylaw will come into effect on March 1, 2026. “These changes are designed to improve responsiveness, support affordable housing, and simplify the permitting process in the electoral areas,” said Paul Brent, Chair of the CRD’s Electoral Areas Committee. “By simplifying processes and aligning with industry standards, we’re making it easier for residents and builders to navigate permitting while ensuring the sustainability of our inspection services.” Under the updated Bylaw, builders will apply for a single building permit covering the entire construction process, replacing the previous requirement for multiple permits at different…

Lək̓ ʷəŋən, METULIYE/Victoria, B.C. – Islands Trust Council invites the public to participate in its next business meeting being held in Duncan at the Khowutzun Heritage Centre, 200 Cowichan Way, March 10-12, 2026. There are multiple options to attend or view the meeting, such as attend in-person, by telephone, or online. Islands Trust Council, which is comprised of the 24 local trustees and two municipal trustees, meets quarterly to make decisions about matters that apply to the entire Islands Trust Area and Islands Trust operations. Islands Trust Council receives, discusses, and makes decisions about policies, finances, and proposed work for the coming quarter. Featured Sessions Islands Trust Draft 2026/27 Budget – Islands Trust Council will review and finalize its 2026/27 budget. Islands Trust Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement Manual – Islands Trust Council will consider adopting an amended Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement policy. Islands Trust Policy Statem…

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held its first regular meeting of 2026 on Thursday, January 15, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full agenda package, including staff reports and presentations, is available online> As its first order of business, Senior Manager Dan Ovington called the meeting to order with a territorial acknowledgment and then conducted the required annual election of the LCC Chair for 2026. Commissioner Earl Rook was re-elected chair. Chair Rook then took the gavel and CRD Director Gary Holman was re-elected Vice Chair. Presentations and Delegations - The LCC heard a delegation from Robin Williams regarding the Ganges Harbour Walk project. - Peter Meyer of Partners Creating Pathways provided an update on the Swanson Lakeview Crescent Pathway Project. LCC Business - Staff provided the LCC with the updated Quarterly Project Tracker. - Staff provided the LCC with the updated Quarterly Mot…