Polls & Surveys

NSSWD Communications and Engagement Survey - Update

We’ve heard from 190 people through the North Salt Spring Waterworks District engagement survey Complete the survey until August 3, 2024 When you turn on your tap, you don’t think about where your water comes from. For 5,500 people on Salt Spring (almost half of the island), your water comes from Maxwell Lake or St. Mary Lake. North Salt Spring Waterworks District pipes, treats, and tests this water. And we’re surveying you to find out how you want to receive water updates and be involved in decision-making. We’d like to hear from you So far, we’ve received 190 survey responses. If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please take 10 minutes to share your thoughts. Visit northsaltspringwaterworks.ca and click on the survey link. The survey is open until August 3 – and you could win a $100 gift card! What We’ve Heard So Far Newsletters via email are emerging as the clear winner for the coveted position of “preferred news source” (67% of respondents) which is …

Salt Spring Insights release Spring survey results: We’re happy, but disgruntled, especially about water and housing

Salt Spring Insights, an online research panel created earlier this year to enhance the quality of conversations taking place on Salt Spring, released highlights from its Spring 2022 research, showing that Salt Spring Islanders are generally happy with their quality of life, but very concerned about the lack of affordable housing as a threat to the community. The Salt Spring Insights online research panel is structured to be representative of Salt Spring residents by key demographics. The 2022 first quarter surveys featured a series of questions about fire facilities and services, as well as questions about quality of life on the island and the perceived value taxpayers receive for different services. The first three Salt Spring Insights panelist winners were also announced: Cathy George, Clare Nuyens and Tanya Stewart will each receive a gift certificate for Country Grocer. Participants who sign up and complete the next survey will also be eligible to win prizes. Qual…

Salt Spring Laundromat Survey

Yes, Salt Spring has not had a laundromat for too long, and we are hoping to change that! However, we are curious to know how many people in the community would actually use the facility or take advantage of pick-up/drop-off full service or other laundry offerings. Whether or not you have easy access to laundry at your residence, please help us gauge the demand by participating in this 5min. anonymous community survey. You have until June 12th to share your feedback. Click here to fill out the survey.

Salt Spring Island vs Saltspring Island?

Way back in 2013, we dared wade into one of the oldest controversies on the island; What is the proper naming convention of this island we call home? At the time, we thought the issue was resolved with over 75% of the island making it clear that the proper convention was Salt Spring Island. One thing we learned for certain is that it's definitely not Salt SpringIsland as per the unfortunate, and semi-famous, BC Ferries sign in this story. Fast forward five years, and we're still seeing some new residents and off island guests using Saltspring Island as their preferred name. It's clear the matter may not be settled, so we're taking the pulse again with this poll to see if this can be resolved once and for all. Note: The poll is now closed. The people have spoken (as have Canada Post and the Government of Canada). See the poll results below. It's Salt Spring Island, again. This time with an even greater number of poll participants with a wider margin of support indicatin…

2018 General Election Voting Today - October 20th, 2018

It's 2018 General Election voting today on Salt Spring Island for CRD Directors and Islands Trust Trustees. Here is information on voter qualification, locations and times. Qualifications for Registering as an Elector There are two categories of electors for voting in local government elections or referenda: Resident Electors (you live in the community) and Non-Resident Property Electors (you own property in the community but live elsewhere). Resident Elector The Provincial voters list is used for Resident Electors. You are qualified to register as a Resident Elector if you: are 18 years or older are a Canadian Citizen have resided in British Columbia for six months and in your community for 30 days prior to voting day To register as a Resident Elector contact Elections BC. Non-Resident Property Elector The CRD maintains a list of Non-Resident Property Electors for the Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Areas. You may contac…

Incorporation Poll: How Would You Vote if You Voted Today?

Well we're getting down to it now. The incorporation referendum vote is just over a week away. Advance voting starts this week. There have been dozens and dozens of stories, opinions and editorials published weighing pros and cons. Discussion is active all around the island and online. Many members of our community have stood up to share their opinions either way. The debate has mostly been civil, much of it hasn't. There is a debate coming up to help those who might be undecided or to further strengthen current resolve. It would seem many of us have a hard time separating our need to be right from helping each other with ideas and so here we are on the eve of an important vote for the future of the community, be it no or yes. We've been running some polls about this referendum question to give the community some sense of where the results might be headed. As imperfect as online polls are, here for the last time before official voting is our last straw poll on the matter. It…

Poll: 2015 Federal Election

The 2015 federal election is coming up on October 19, 2015 to elect members to the House of Commons of the 42nd Parliament of Canada. There are currently four candidates running for election in our Saanich-Gulf Islands riding; Robert Boyd (Conservative Party), Alicia Cormier (NDP), Tim Kane (Liberal Party) and incumbent Elizabeth May (Green Party). Who will get your vote? 2015 Federal Election Poll: Who will get your vote?

Poll: Help Save the Rod and Gun Club

The Rod and Gun Club with a membership of over 200 members plays an important role in our community. It provides a safe and controlled environment for people using firearms and for archery. Our facilities are used for training both adults and youth to meet firearm licensing requirements and to teach safe and responsible handling of firearms and archery equipment. We are also involved with other community organizations such as the Salt Spring Island Conservancy. We organize community events including the Open House on Fathers Day and our facilities are available to other organizations as diverse as the Roller Derby group, the Small Vessel Operator Proficiency Certification and the RCMP who use the Club for training and firearm certification A half a dozen complainants living adjacent to the Gun Club want to have it shut down because of noise. The Rod and Gun Club has been in existence for over 100 years and at the present location for 60 years. They are the ones that moved ne…

Survey: Industrial Land Needs Assessment

Help the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee to encourage socio-economic diversity and to enhance community economic sustainability and security by completing an Industrial Land Needs Assessment survey which will help identify the needs for commercial industrial lands for today and into the future. Have your say, make a difference, complete the survey.

BC Elections: Too Close to Call

Salt Spring voters are in for an uncertain, and possibly very close, BC Election outcome at the end of voting day Tuesday. The rolling online straw poll on the Exchange, after 890, single IP, Canada only online votes is showing a neck and neck race between BC NDP candidate Gary Holman and Green Party of BC candidate Adam Olsen. It would appear, at least based on this poll, which isn't necessarily representative of the overall riding Saanich North and the Islands as a whole, that neither of the two leading candidates has managed to galvanize a decisive lead over the other. BC Liberal candidate Stephen P. Roberts standings have remained unchanged at just under 24% of votes and late entry candidate Scott McEachern hasn't made even a small dent in the standings here on Salt Spring. The race is too close to call and unlike previous polling on the Exchange, where outcomes have closely matched polling results, this one is too close and too narrow to predict. This online poll wil…

Poll: Who Will Get Your Vote?

This year's provincial election is likely to be an exciting race here on Salt Spring in our Saanich North and the Islands riding. There are now four candidates running. Holman, Gary - BC NDP McEachern, Scott - Independent Olsen, Adam - Green Party of BC Roberts, Stephen P - BC Liberal Party Voting Dates, Times and Locations Advance Voting Advance voting is Wednesday, May 8 - Saturday, May 11, 2013 - between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the location below: * ArtSpring Art Centre, 100 Jackson Ave, Salt Spring Island General Voting Locations General Voting Day is Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the locations below: * Fernwood Elem School, 150 Fernwood Rd, Salt Spring Island * Fulford Elem School, 203 South Ridge Dr, Salt Spring Island * Gulf Island Sec School, 232 Rainbow Rd, Salt Spring Island * Community Gospel Chapel, 147 Vesuvius Bay Rd, Salt Spring Island Based on what you know today about the parties, the candidates and their platf…

Voting Results: 2013 Fire Trustee Election

Here are the preliminary results of the 2013 Salt Spring Island Fire Board Trustee Election as provided by Deputy Returning Officer Anthony Kennedy. Final official results will be provided by Returning Officer, Tom Moore in the coming days. Ron Chamney and Michael Schubart have been re-elected to the board: Here are the preliminary vote results: Chamney, Ronald Burnet: 703 Schubart, Michael: 709 Simmons, Scott Micheal: 398 Steele, Darlene Shirley: 403 Here are the official preliminary results as posted at the fire hall. Thank you to all those that ran for office. We appreciate that you gave your time and energy to the discourse, debate and democratic process for our Salt Spring Island community and the fire fighters and volunteers of Salt Spring Island Fire & Rescue. Thank you also to the thousands of you shared, commented, sent feedback and responded to the numerous postings on the Exchange. The conversation wasn't always easy, but the conversation an…

Poll: Salt Spring Fire Trustee Vote

Voting for Salt Spring Island Fire Trustees started today at the Ganges Fire Hall. Who will get your vote? Consider voting in our anonymous online poll to see how folks might be voting in the election. Advanced Voting at the Ganges Fire Hall – 4/10/13 (11am – 4pm) Election Day at the Ganges Fire Hall – 4/13/13 (11am – 5pm) Who will get your vote for Salt Spring Island Fire Trustee in the 2013 Election?

Denied: Metal Recycling Re-Zoning Application

UPDATE: March 22nd - Note from Peter Grove The Islands Trust has voted down Salt Spring Metal Recycling's application for re-zoning to operate their Rainbow Road recycling centre. They will not proceed any further with the rezoning application. UPDATE: Peter Grove Responds to Trust Decision March 22 2013 Good morning. I am writing to let you know that your Local Trust Committee voted yesterday to reject John Quesnel’s application to re-zone his metal recycling business on Rainbow road. This was a very difficult decision which should have been dealt with years ago, and which George and I inherited. It was difficult because John provides a valuable service to the community, a service which is greatly appreciated. We are going through tough economic times so it makes it particularly hard to discourage such a home grown business. However it is your LTC’s responsibility to uphold our island’s land use by-laws and Official Community Plan unless there is good …

Salt Spring Island or Saltspring Island?

Perhaps the most dangerous question we could possibly think of asking in an online poll. Which of the following is more correct? Salt Spring Island or Saltspring Island? Official versions in multiple locations from Canada Land Registry to Canada Post often tout different official and historial versions. The question has pitted islanders against islanders for decades. Numerous notable island businesses use different variations. BC Ferries even has multiple variations in different spots at different terminals. How do people even get here? In our family, we have two children born on island. They were born on the floor (no joke), both in the same spot, in the same house, on the same island, or so we thought. On one of their birth certificates it says 'Salt Spring Island' on the other 'Saltspring Island'. Time to settle this once and for all. Note: The poll is closed. The people have spoken (as have Canada Post and the Government of Canada). It's Salt Spring Island. See the poll …

Five Day School Week Poll Results

The results of Wayne Taylor's five-day school week poll are in. The polling was turned off after 500 responses. Online polls are not scientific. They are best used to illustrate general trends. This poll was conducted using the highest possible cookie and IP based restrictions. There were no duplicate votes recorded in this poll based on IPs. The results are quite split with 56.4% indicating a five day school week would not improve the quality of education in our district, with the remaining 43.6% indicating that 'Yes' changing to a five day system would improve education in our district.

Thank you for participating in this process.

Fix the Fulford Ferry Terminal

BC Ferries has been working for some time on a badly needed Masterplan to upgrade the ferry terminal in Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring Island. The Corporation warned at last week's Salt Spring Island Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting that pedestrians and cyclists may not be accommodated in the Plan. This news came one week after the CRD announced that Salt Spring Island is to be included in the Regional Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan. Community groups have all cited the critical need to address not only the "pinchpoint" traffic issue in Fulford but also the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in the terminal area. Get your voice heard with the Salt Spring Island Transportation Committee - Vote in this poll. [emailpetition id="2"] [signaturelist id="2"] Fast Facts BC Ferries has agreement from three property owners in Fulford Village to cede property to MoT for the road allowance BC Ferries will now apply to MoT for a License of Occupation for all works on t…

Vote in our 2nd Federal Election Online Poll

We’re conducting another advance online poll for the coming federal election. Take a minute to indicate which party you will vote for on election day. Choose one party listed below and click the ‘Vote’ button. The polling system permits only one submission per user. Voting is open until mid-night on Saturday. Voting results are displayed in real-time after you vote. Which party will get your vote?customer surveys Read the results from our first online poll here. Thank you to our sponsor. Funding for this poll is provided by the The Smith Manoeuvre.

Federal Election Online Poll Results - Green Landslide

Federal Election Online Poll Results Our first federal election poll is now closed. In the 48 hours the poll was running on the Exchange, approximately 3091 of you visited the site at least once. Of those 3091, 454 of you voted in the poll. Expressed another way, 14% of the people who used the Exchange in that time chose to vote. In real terms, we had a voter turnout of 14%. Here's how the rounded vote broke down: Green Party of Canada - 79% New Democratic Party of Canada - 9% Conservative Party of Canada - 7% Liberal Party of Canada - 5% If the Saanich - Gulf Island riding was being determined solely by Salt Spring Islanders who use the Exchange, the Greens would win in a landslide. Thank you to those that participated. This is the first poll we have conducted. We thought our community would find this valuable. If there appears to be interest, we will conduct the poll again in the days before the election to see if there has been any kind of shift in the camp…