November 21 Thirteen, including two lovely and well-behaved grandchildren, joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome cohousing advocates Wendy Beatty, Bob MacKie, and Islands Trust Local Trustee, Laura Patrick. After our Acknowledgment and a chance for each of us to introduce ourselves, we learned how each of our guests had become enthusiasts for shared/cohousing, a tried and true model made even more relevant by today’s overheated real estate prices. Bob is “excited and delighted” by the concept of owning one’s own small home in a larger community of folks sharing common spaces and social opportunities. Generally called cohousing, this living arrangement generally refers to a group of people who live together in a space that was specifically designed for that purpose. Wondering how long he will want to maintain his home and property alone, Bob is not delighted about moving to a high rise in Sidney or Victoria. He is excited, however, by co-living on a large prope…

The group who came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome IWAV Executive Director Alicia Herbert was small but enthusiastic. We got an added bonus by also welcoming our Library Director Karen Hudson, wearing her hat as one of seven advisory committee members meeting weekly to move the IWAV Norton Road initiative forward. (And, later in our time together, Alicia and Karen gave a “shout out” to Elizabeth FitzZaland who is also an invaluable member of this Norton Road committee.) In her Land Acknowledgement, Alicia spoke of respect and inclusion on our unceded land, noting that the proposed Norton Road land purchase relates to unceded land and that IWAV is determined to ensure that decisions about this land, if acquired, are made with deliberation through inclusive collaboration. Before beginning to learn more about this exciting Norton Road opportunity, we all took a moment to introduce ourselves. With three ASK Salt Spring Board Members present, we took this oppor…

The group welcoming Local Community Commission (LCC) Chair Earl Rook to this ASK Salt Spring gathering was small, causing a participant to question why more did not seem interested in learning more about the decisions and plans of our Local Commissioners. After our Acknowledgment, Earl shared something that had recently “excited and delighted” him: He had just participated in the Cross-Border Forum, a gathering of island leaders from both our local BC islands and the US San Juans. The forum focussed on building environmental and economic resilience across the Salish Sea bioregion, particularly given the potential economic impacts of tariffs. Its intent is to foster regional, intergovernmental collaboration in an era of uncertainty. Strengthening regional ties, it seeks to ensure that local priorities are protected and amplified amid shifting national priorities. The gathering was sponsored by the successful Southern Gulf Islands Forum established by former MLA Adam Ol…

As today marks the final day to complete the Islands Trust / CRD OCP & Land Use Bylaw survey, the Salt Spring Accommodation Group (SSAG) is encouraging all residents to make their voices heard — especially on the topic of short-term rentals (STRs). The OCP survey will influence how Salt Spring Island regulates STRs going forward. It’s important that all perspectives are represented, including those of local residents who host responsibly, rely on modest STR income, or manage seasonal cottages and home-based accommodations. Before completing the survey, SSAG encourages residents to consider: Are STRs responsible for housing loss, or are they part of a balanced, mixed economy that includes commercial accommodations, B&Bs, and guest cottages? Do hotels alone meet peak visitor demand, or do STRs play a key role in weddings, family travel, and rural stays? Should small-scale, resident-led STRs be protected, especially those tied to a principal residence or zoned as …

When you’re in desperate need for housing on Salt Spring, it is no laughing matter. Yet, the process of checking out places and being checked out by landlords often teeters between semi-tragedy and dark comedy. I’ve had to to look for a rental twice in the past two years, and it’s been quite an adventure, from the prospective landlord who said she could only rent to me if I married her to the one who downplayed the rodent situation while noting “if you set out traps, you’ll catch about one a night.” It’s easier to see the humour and absurdity in it all once you have secured your next abode, which thankfully I recently have done. But for those currently in the thick of it, here are some tips and tales to aid you in your quest and perhaps make the process a bit more enjoyable. I’m sure long-time SSI renters have some different and likely better advice than what I’ve gleaned from my relatively small sample size. On the other hand, some of my tips come from having been a h…

More people in need of affordable and supportive housing on Salt Spring Island will have a new place to call home with the opening of a new building on Drake Road. “Helping people experiencing homelessness and others who are struggling to make ends meet is critical to our government,” said Christine Boyle, B.C.’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These homes will help people breathe a little easier, while also being able to build a life in their community. We’ll continue working with partners to deliver the homes people need.” The new building at 161 Drake Rd. has 32 supportive homes for adults who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and four affordable homes for people who can live independently. “This is an important step forward for our unhoused residents on Salt Spring Island and for those seeking affordable housing,” said Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “Housing, food and health services should be available to everyone. Wr…

Recently-appointed Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle visited Salt Spring last Wednesday to get an overview of our challenges and projects in progress, taking a full day despite her very busy schedule. MLA Rob Botterell arranged the visit because of what he sees as a new spirit of cooperation on our island growing out of the Common Ground Summit in April, put on by Transition Salt Spring as a way to find new approaches to getting the affordable housing we need while protecting the environment we love. Minister Boyle started the day with an overview of issues relating to the liveaboard community, given by Corey Johnson of the Harbour Authority of Salt Spring Island (HASSI). Johnson covered many facets of the complex situation, including overlapping jurisdictions, environmental and social issues and Indigenous rights, but a shortage of affordable housing on Salt Spring emerged as a key factor. The Minister then got a tour of BC Housing’s new Drake R…

Regardless of individual opinions on the future of Salt Spring, we should all consider this fact: When everything is discretionary, nothing is truly protected. There are only a few policies in our Official Community Plan that serve as unequivocal legal roadblocks to widespread development. Two of them, first identified by Islands Islands Trust lawyers in 2018, have to do with growth, and by extension, protection of the island’s resources, ecosystems and rural character. Together, these policies have the legal clout to prevent indiscriminate rezoning of private land. For example, they helped stop the recent Bylaw 530 which sought to upzone thousands of lots for extra dwellings—without any guarantee of affordability or long-term rental. But those policies are now threatened. As part of the 530 process, trustees instructed staff to create a list of policies that were impeding “opportunities for workforce housing,” notably without an analysis of their role in protecting th…

You may have heard that Salt Spring’s arm of the Islands Trust, called the Local Trust Committee (LTC) is getting ready to revise our OCP. You may even have heard that over the past year community representatives came together to produce an exciting package of interconnected proposals for revising the OCP called the Common Ground Consensus for the Future. And you wondered…What’s an OCP? 🤔 Okay, down some hot coffee and read all the way to the end of this paragraph: Salt Spring’s Official Community Plan (OCP) is a legal document created by our LTC back in 1999 to guide and manage growth, land use and development. Its purpose is to lay out the community’s vision for its future, with objectives and policies in areas such as housing, commercial, and agricultural land use, as well as environmental preservation. The OCP gives rise to Land Use Bylaws (LUBs) that contain all the regulatory details to make that vision into reality. There, you made it! You can bail out …

Twenty-three joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome the Lookout Housing and Health Society’s CEO Shayne Williams and Lee Fox, Director of Operations for the Vancouver Island Region. After our Acknowledgement, all in our circle had a chance to introduce themselves, many expressing their delight that Lookout has been awarded the BC Housing contract to manage our new supportive housing community at 161 Drake Road. Lee expressed her delight in the imminent opening of Drake Road, confident that something wonderful would happen there. She is thrilled that Lookout will have a far larger presence on Salt Spring, an island she characterized as full of big hearts and good intentions. Shayne, expressed his excitement about the amazing work Lookout is doing . . and has been doing since 1971. Begun by Karen O’Shannacery , its Executive Director from 1971-2014, Shayne is pleased that her vision of care, relationships, and engagement remain foundational principles for Lookout…

You may have already heard that the Local Trust Committee (LTC) has begun its public engagement to guide a revision of our Official Community Plan (OCP) and accompanying land- use bylaws (LUB’s), and wondered how (or whether) you can make a difference in that process. The answer is: there’s a fantastic opportunity to be part of the solution, but you’ll need to take action now, because Phase 1 of that engagement – the most important phase for meaningful input -- ends October 24 th . Options for easy and quick action are on this webpage: https://transitionsaltspring.com/ocp. JOIN THE COMMON GROUND! Housing has been a divisive issue on Salt Spring for decades, but for the past year, Transition Salt Spring has been stewarding a process aimed at finding the common ground we share in order to support community resilience. And we found surprising agreement on ways to create more affordable housing while protecting the natural environment we all love. This agreement can be summa…

September 26 Nineteen joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome the GISRA Kings Lane housing project team, Janis Gauthier, Harry Barnes, and Linda Adams. After our Acknowledgment and a chance for participants to introduce themselves, we learned what excited and delighted our guests. While their shared enthusiasm about the potential of their exciting housing project permeated our entire time together, Janis, the moving force behind many of our successful affordable housing projects, also shared her personal joy that a dump truck of compost had just been delivered to her home, quite sure how her weekend would be spent :). Harry, with 30 years focused on oceanographic and biodiversity issues, has immersed himself in the totally different, but potentially extremely rewarding, challenge of managing the many moving parts comprising this Kings Lane housing project. Linda is delighted to use her land use planning skills to find the best possible use for this GISRA property …

Salt Spring will soon welcome a new community park thanks to the donation of about 1.5 acres of waterfront land near Fulford. The property includes open viewpoints, a pocket of beach, and rare direct ocean access — exactly the kind of shoreline connection identified as a priority in the island’s 2019 Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. The land comes as a gift from the family of the late Ruth Baldwin, who lived on the property until her passing in 2009. Her family shared that she cared deeply for the place and would have been delighted to know it will now be enjoyed as a public park. A covenant will be added to the title to ensure the land remains protected for community use into the future. Local representatives with the Capital Regional District (CRD) described the donation as a rare chance to protect shoreline for public benefit at a time when waterfront properties are increasingly scarce. They noted that the new park will safeguard both access and natural beauty for …

Salt Spring Island, BC – [Sept 17, 2025] – Islanders Working Against Violence (IWAV) is pleased to announce a conditional accepted purchase offer on the property at 210 Norton Road - a significant step toward addressing the critical need for affordable rental housing in our community. IWAV has until early December to raise the funds needed to complete the purchase in January. Acquiring this property is part of IWAV’s long-term strategy to expand affordable housing, aligning with our purpose and strategic plan to create safe, supportive communities free from poverty, violence, and abuse. With a proven track record of developing and operating housing on Salt Spring, IWAV is well- positioned to lead this project. The Norton Road property already has zoning for 26 units of affordable housing and is ideally located near grocery stores, healthcare, schools, and transit. “This is exactly the type of opportunity our community needs,” said Alicia Herbert, Executive Director of IWA…

More people will be able to stay in an affordable home near their jobs, schools and loved ones as the Province ties the annual allowable rent increase to inflation at 2.3% in 2026, down from 3% in 2025. “B.C. is an extraordinary place, but with economic uncertainty and rising costs, people are struggling to find a place to live that fits in their budget,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “We’re continuing to cap rent increases, linking them to inflation, to reduce housing costs for seniors, families and individuals, protecting them from unfair hikes. At the same time, this rent increase allows landlords to invest in their properties to keep rental homes on the market.” This is the second year in a row that the maximum allowable increase is tied to the Consumer Price Index. In 2024, the Province capped rent increases at 3.5%, well below the increase to inflation of 5.6%. Prior to 2018, renters could face an additional 2% rent increase on top…

Lək̓ ʷəŋən, METULIYE/Victoria, B.C. – The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee’s (LTC) request to opt in to the Province of British Columbia’s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA) principal residence requirement was approved through a BC Order in Council. The principal residence requirement will take effect across the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area on November 1, 2025. This move reflects the LTC’s commitment to protecting long-term housing, preserving community character, and ensuring fair enforcement of short-term rental (STR) regulations. Under the STRAA, only individuals who permanently reside at a property will be permitted to offer short-term rental accommodations. Opting into the STRAA will also streamline enforcement efforts by making it easier to identify unlawful STRs, reduce pressure on local housing and infrastructure, and ensure a level playing field for legal accommodation providers. “Our decision to opt in to the principal residence requirem…

As Salt Spring Island enters a critical period of review for its Official Community Plan (OCP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), local residents and advocacy groups are raising concerns over potential changes that could open the door to overdevelopment—changes many fear would weaken long-standing protections designed to limit growth and safeguard the island’s natural environment. At the heart of the debate is a question that continues to challenge Salt Spring: how can the island provide urgently needed affordable housing while maintaining its rural character and ecological integrity? A new position paper titled Pathways to Affordable Housing on Salt Spring, released by local research and advocacy group Positively Forward, lays out a detailed roadmap to address this complex issue. The paper supports zoning changes only when tied to truly affordable housing and stresses the importance of legal mechanisms to ensure affordability is preserved over time. “Like many in our communi…

There used to be a 2002 report on the Islands Trust website called “Crisis in Paradise - Accelerating the Provision of Affordable Housing on Salt Spring Island,” by Clare Heffernan. It’s cited in other reports, but I haven’t been able to find it, gone down the memory hole. But the title of the report still tells you what you need to know. We don’t have a housing crisis on Salt Spring. That was decades ago. What we have now is a housing consequence. I found references to that missing paper when I was reading those other reports, trying to educate myself about the history of housing on our island after I was asked by Transition Salt Spring (TSS) to find out how much common ground there is in our community about housing issues. TSS is not a housing organization, but they know that a community can’t be resilient against the impacts of climate change and other habitat issues unless a) people have stable housing and b) they trust each other. COVID and social media have been a doub…

More people will now benefit from enhancements to the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, helping low-income families and seniors afford their rent. “With the rising cost of living, we’re enhancing supports through the RAP and SAFER programs to ensure more families and seniors can access essential financial help,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes will help people stay in their homes in the communities they love and allow us to support more people as they manage the challenges of rent and living expenses.” Starting April 1, 2025, and as part of Budget 2025, RAP and SAFER programs have expanded eligibility criteria that will benefit more than 30,000 households in B.C. Existing eligible recipients will also see an automatic increase in their average benefits, providing them with more financial assistance to contribute toward rent. These changes build on the improvements to SAFER a…

New actions are being implemented to help more people find affordable homes in the communities where they live and work. “Everyone should be able to afford a home in their chosen community, but high home costs and real estate speculators are making that a challenge,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance. “We are working to ensure there are more affordable homes available for people, whether they’re renting or buying, through measures like the B.C. home-flipping tax and property transfer tax exemptions.” Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the B.C. home-flipping tax will be in place to discourage investors from buying housing to turn a quick profit. People who sell their home within two years of buying will be subject to the tax, unless they qualify for an exemption, such as divorce, job loss or change in household membership. It is expected approximately 4,000 properties will be subject to the tax in 2025. All revenue from the tax will go directly into strengthening housing prog…