People & Places

2019 Country Grocer Show Us Your Love! Valentine’s Day Photo Contest

Every season is the season for love. Let’s face it: Love is trending 365 days a year. But Valentine’s Day adds a dash of spice and invokes romance. It reminds some of us to do something different and extra special, perhaps with a bit more flair or creativity, to say, “Thank you for being so amazing.” If you’re the kind of couple who loves to do that with fine food and wine then you may want to try to win our dinner for two at Auntie Pesto’s (gift card valued at $150)! To earn a chance to win this dinner, all you have to do is upload a photo with you and your sweetheart. Show us your love! (Your “clothed” love, of course!) Whether you’re young and ecstatically in love or in your 90's with a twinkle in your eye whenever you see each other, whether you’ve taken your “flirt” down a few notches over the years or you’ve taken your flirt up a few notches, we want to see your love. Here are the guidelines for the Valentine’s photo draw: Please submit only one photo per coup…

Salt Spring Island Businesses Recognized in the Fan Choice Awards

Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union, has announced the winners of the 2018 Fan Choice Awards. Among them are three buzzing Salt Spring Island businesses: home décor and gift store Twang & Pearl, popular bistro Auntie Pestos, and fitness hub North End Fitness. “We are so honoured to be recognized as a ‘fan favourite' this year,” says Teile McDonald, Store Manager & Assistant Buyer with Twang & Pearl. “We truly love what we do and every product we sell, and we're humbled and thrilled to know that our excitement is contagious as the customers walk through our door.” Nestled in a heritage home in the heart of Ganges, Twang & Pearl offers stylish and unusual home décor and fashion items: clothing, artisan jewelry, handbags, candles, soaps, stationary and more. A retail experience that combines boutique shopping with warm country hospitality, Twang & Pearl is a go-to for gift-givers and delights both locals and visitors. These Salt Spring Island busines…

Let's Try and Win the $60,000,000 Lotto Together Salt Spring

December 7th, 2018 Draw! - If this ticket wins the full amount of the big draw of the LOTTO MAX on Friday this week, with an estimated $60,000,000 jackpot, we’ll share a portion of the winnings with everyone from Salt Spring Island, BC that has subscribed to our Salt Spring Exchange email newsletter, liked and shared this post on Facebook. Open only to voting age, full-time residents of Salt Spring Island! In the event of winning the full amount of lotto draw, you would need to show proof that on the day of the draw you were eligible to vote as a full-time resident of Salt Spring Island, BC for a share in the earnings. You must subscribe to our newsletter by filling out the form below to be entered. If your email is already on our newsletter list, you will NOT get duplicate emails. Only one entry per person permitted! Entry cut off time is 7:30 PM Pacific Salt Spring Island local time on the day of the draw. Draw closed. No win on this one!

Buy Local, Including Your Local Media

The BC Buy Local campaign celebrates local business to promote the contributions that BC businesses make to our local economy and our communities. The goal of the campaign is to illuminate the local market, making BC-based businesses, products, food and wines more visible to consumers. Think about this too when you spend time online, where you read your news, who you buy your advertising from, where you post your classifieds. Are you using only global social media platforms that have no connection to our local community petitioning people to support your local business? Local media matters. We're incredibly proud to have some great local media and news organizations in this community in the Driftwood, the Fishbowl and the Islands Marketplace. These organizations and Exchange re-circulate almost all of their revenue back into the community unlike all other global media properties. Make sure you support them too! Local businesses enhance our community, connect and support us s…

Hands On - Video Series Features Salt Spring Artists and Makers

In this digital age there has been a shift in how we relate to our physical things. It is more common to buy things than make them. It is more common to stream music than to learn an instrument. There is great satisfaction in working with your hands. If you are baking bread you know it is a success or failure by the finished loaf. The act of creating something is energizing and empowers us to see what we are really capable of. Also a quick reminder of what our weaknesses are. This series will follow Women who are empowering themselves by working hands on with an art form or discipline that gives them feedback as they develop their skills. These women are of different levels. Some are students. Some are masters. They work directly with their hands to create, build, nurture and play. 'Hands On' was filmed on Salt Spring Island. It was created by Director Deanna Milligan and DOP Julia Hutchings with illustrations Claire Robertson popped over and did all the beautiful illustrati…

A Surprise Proposal; Facilitated by Strangers and the Salt Spring Exchange

This past July a mystery person using a pseudonym posted an ad on the Salt Spring Exchange, three people sent it to me, I had to know more… The first person who sent me the mystery classified ad requesting, “a photographer for a surprise proposal,” was my Mom. And like all things your Mom sends you, I smiled and thought ‘nahhh.’ But within seconds of confining this thought to the recycle bin, my Aunt emailed it to me too. Things were getting serious. I decided to read the ad and reach out to the mysterious person (all the while wondering if I’d become the publics ‘go-to’ photographer for weird requests after the last surprise wedding I’d accidentally been a part of… [Being the impromptu photographer at a strangers wedding]). Given that the ad was under a fake name, I was forgoing the fun part of being able to look up who the request was coming from before saying ‘yes or no….’ A few days later I found myself standing out in our yard on the only patch of grass with cell rec…

Salt Spring’s First Neighbourhood Small Grants Announced

The Salt Spring Island Foundation, in partnership with Salt Spring Island Community Services, is pleased to announce the recipients of our first Neighbourhood Small Grants. The Neighbourhood Small Grants program offers grants of $50 to $500 to local projects and events run by people who are passionate about giving back to the community and who have seen a need to encourage social connections in order to make Salt Spring a better place. Unlike regular Foundation grants, which can only be awarded to registered charities, Neighbourhood Small Grants are awarded to individuals with great ideas to bring people together, share skills and knowledge, build a sense of community belonging and responsibility, and respect and celebrate diversity. Glitter Queens Gathering The Glitter Queens Gathering will bring together girls in grades 6–8 to create community, share skills and song circles, and expose them to diverse opportunities and interests. At each Glitter Queens circle, a woma…

Seniors Services Society Receives Windfall

On the evening of Thursday, November 8, Boodie Arnott gave a 5-minute presentation to the membership of 100 Women Who Care Salt Spring Island. Boodie explained that, as someone who benefits from the programs at the Salt Spring Seniors Services Society, she would like to see the society receive the funds that were being raised that evening. She was speaking to 127 women who gathered at ArtSpring. It was the inaugural meeting for 100 Women Who Care SSI. Each woman in the room was a member, committed to donating $100 at each of the three meetings that will be held in the coming year. As you can see, the donations add up quickly. By the time the meeting started, 127 women had made that commitment. That's $12,700 raised on one hour! Thirteen local charities had been nominated by members, and three were drawn randomly during the meeting: Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust, the Salt Spring branch of BC SPCA, and the Salt Spring Seniors Services Society. For each o…

2018 Salt Spring Chamber Salty Award Winners and Photos

The Salt Spring community came out last night for a beautiful evening to celebrate local businesses, people, places and the many charms of Salt Spring Island. After numerous years of experimenting with the format for honouring local businesses and people, the Salt Spring Chamber really seems to have struck a nice rhythm of creating a recognition approach as fun and special and unique as Salt Spring itself. It was just the right amount of appreciative and fun and a great way to honour many of the organizations, businesses, people and places that make this island so special. The evening was hosted at the newly remodelled Harbour House Hotel and attendees enjoyed a delicious meal, wines and desserts provided by the hotel along with music from local band Sky Valley. The event was made possible by the generous sponsorship of Windsor Plywood, Island Savings, our favourite local media choice the Driftwood, the Salt Spring Chamber with additional sponsorship from PCS Pest Control, C…

Let's Win the Lottery Together Salt Spring Island!

If this ticket wins the big draw of the LOTTO MAX on Friday this week, with an estimated $60 million dollar jackpot, we'll share the winnings with everyone from Salt Spring Island that has LIKED and SHARED this post on Facebook. Open to Salt Spring Island full-time residents only!

Vote: Make Someone You Know a Salty Award Winner!

Presenting the Salt Spring Community & Business Awards! Winners will receive a Salty Award and 30 awards will be given out two areas – Business and Community. You can also vote in new the “Fun and Games” category. Salt Spring residents, visitors and fans are nominating and voting for the winners online. You can now vote for 1 business or community service per category. There will be a limit the number of times IP addresses can be used. Voting will be open until midnight October 21. The awards will be presented on November 8th at a Gala Awards Dinner. Tickets available soon. Congratulations to all the nominees and good luck!! PS: If you love the Salt Spring Exchange, consider voting for us in the Community Awards for favourite 'Local Media Choice'!

Xwaaqw’um Snuhwulh Canoe Launch

After almost 6 months of work, the Xwaaqw'um Snuhwulh (canoe) was launched today to the delight of all the relations who joined to celebrate the launch. Dancing, songs and ceremony were led by local elder Tousilum (Ron George). The new Snuhwulh (Canoe) was named Xwaaqw'um and given to elder Tousilum as a gift for years of dedication to his people and culture. The Snuhwulh was carved from a single cedar tree led by Tla-o-qui-aht / Nuu-chah-nulth Master Carver Joe Martin, project lead assistant carver Joe Akerman, assistant carver Christopher Roy, and dozens of Quw’utsun (Cowichan) and Salt Spring locals. The Snuhwulh will be used for local youth programs, Tribal Journey and local community gatherings. As part of the making of the Snuhwulh, the canoe was steamed to widen the beam and to rocker the bottom to enable the Snuhwulh to carry more people and gear, as well to help it turn more easily when in the water. This timelapse video shows what the work looked like on that day. …

2018 Salty Awards – Extended! - Nominations for Business and Community Awards Now Open!

Nominations time has been extended to October 10th!! - Presenting the Salt Spring Community & Business Awards! Winners will receive a Salty Award and 30 awards will be given out two areas – Business and Community. You can also vote in new the “Fun and Games” category. Salt Spring residents, visitors and fans are nominating and voting for the winners through our on-line process! Consider voting for the 'Salt Spring Exchange' in the 'Local Media Choice' selection of the Community Awards. You can nominate one business or community group/area per session during the nomination process. You will then be able to vote for 1 business or community service per category. We will limit the number of times IP addresses can be used to twice for nominating and twice for voting. No cheating! Nominations will take place from September 6th to September 30th October 10th through saltspringchamber.com. Nominations are open to all Salt Spring based locations, groups and businesses. You …

New Free Wi-Fi connects Lady Minto Hospital patients and visitors

Free public Wi-Fi is now available to patients and visitors at Lady Minto Hospital thanks to financial support from the Lady Minto Hospital Auxiliary, Lady Minto Hospital Foundation, Country Grocer, Island Health and the Salt Spring Exchange. “We are thrilled to be bringing public Wi-Fi to patients and visitors at Lady Minto Hospital. We know how important a strong support network is for people who are in hospital, having internet access can help patients feel less isolated and more connected to their loved ones. ” Diana Hayes, Lady Minto Hospital Foundation Executive Administrator Patients and visitors can access the new service by searching for and connecting to the wireless network “IslandHealthGuest”. Free public Wi-Fi will support basic internet browsing, but not the large bandwidths associated with high-definition video streaming. "Country Grocer is proud to contribute to the provision of Wifi at Lady Minto Hospital. Connecting with friends and family in a time o…

Neighbourhood Small Grants Launched on Salt Spring

Carolling by canoe on Cusheon Lake, the Firefly Lantern Festival, public pianos, Earth Day in Centennial Park, Art Jam, and a neighbourhood potluck party on Park Drive. What do all of these have in common?

They are all colourful and joyful expressions of Salt Spring culture, local projects and events run by people who are passionate about giving back to the community and who have seen a need to encourage social connections in order to make Salt Spring a better place.

To encourage and foster more of these wonderful events, the Foundation, in partnership with Salt Spring Island Community Services, is pleased to announce the launch of Neighbourhood Small Grants, which offers grants of $50 to $500 to support projects that bring people together, share skills and knowledge, build a sense of belonging and responsibility, and respect and celebrate diversity. The Foundation wants to hear from islanders who have a great idea for a proje…

2018 Salt Spring Pride Festival

“A World of Pride” on Diverse and Inclusive Salt Spring Island September 5th to 9th, 2018 – Salt Spring Island, BC - It’s almost here - 14th Annual Salt Spring Island Pride! From September 5th to 9th, join us for BC’s most unique, totally people-powered, non-commercial Pride Festivities! Experience and contribute to our celebration of Diversity and Inclusion, hosted by our local LGBTQ+ community, supported by our allies and visitors. Come share in, actively contribute to, and celebrate our inclusive community - and then spread the love around the world. Schedule of Events: Wednesday, Sept 5th We are all God's Own - All Saints By The Sea, Ganges 5pm-6pm. No cost. A service of reconciliation and blessing, offered by the Anglican Parish of Salt Spring. We will reflect on the diversity with which our Creator made us, reject the Church's teaching of oppression, and offer a blessing for the festivities of Pride. All welcome. Thursday, September 6th Queer Poetry Reading, …

(No Longer Accepting) Physicians Accepting New Patients

Saltspring Island Health Centre (ssihealth.ca), opens its doors on September 5th at 164 Kings Lane. It will be the practice location of 6 family physicians and a midwife. Four of the physicians, Drs. Anik Mommsen-Smith, Catherine Prendiville, Paula Ryan and Manya Sadouski are familiar to the community as family physicians already in practice here and they are welcoming two physicians who have been recruited to Saltspring to open new practices: Dr. Clare Rustad and Dr. Kesh Smith. Drs. Rustad and Smith are accepting new patients now and will start seeing people in clinic on September 5th. If you are interested in becoming patients of the new clinic, please use the web-based process at: ssihealth.ca/intake. Alternatively, a temporary voice-mail-only phone line will also be available at: 250 931-0148 to support intake, but we strongly encourage you to use the web if at all possible. Staff from the centre will be calling to book intake visits and hope to be in touch within 3 wor…

Indefatigable Old Boys Awards Ceremony

The Old Boys celebrated their 2017/2018 season with the Annual Awards Ceremony at the Tweedle residence on August 4th. This years Awards Ceremony had been held back due to the absence of stalwart Head Statistician, Columnist, and Sausage Roll connoisseur Fraser Hope while on his sojourns back to bonnie Scotland. Quite what Hope was up to for the last few months we’re not quite sure, but perhaps like those Scotsmen still trying to get back from Argentina after the 1978 World Cup Finals, he may have gotten a little lost along the way. The number of awards handed out this year expanded with the addition of the Wimp Award (Reverse Iron Man), Defensive Rock, the Bounce Back, and a special award of recognition, that added to the Red Mist, Iron Man, the Helping Boot, the Best Fan, and the crème de la crème of awards, the Golden Boot. As a result of accounting changes made following the 2007 financial crisis and in keeping with the International Financial and Reporting Standards,…

Salt Spring Makes the Cover of the Vancouver Sun - But Not for a Good Reason

Salt Spring makes the cover of the Vancouver Sun - but not for a good reason The severity of Salt Spring's housing crisis is well known by the many hundreds who are directly affected, and by a few hundred more like me who know people who are. But as of yesterday, tens of thousands across the province won't just think about forests, beaches, and the Saturday market when they think about Salt Spring, but also about our severe housing crisis, and how a caring community like ours could have allowed it to get this bad. Vancouver Sun reporter Behdad Mahichi was on Salt Spring two weeks ago, and wandered across the table of our new group advocating for solutions to the housing problem. After chatting with some volunteers and reading some stories people have sent us, he pitched an article to his editor and was back on Salt Spring last week. The article, "Salt Spring Island's housing crisis pushing out longtime residents" graced the front page of the Tuesday, August 7 edition…

Video and Photos: New Bike Park Opens to Applause - Ribbon Cutting

After years of consultation, planning, design and community engagement The Salt Spring Lions Commemorative Bike Park opened today with a big turn out from the community. Dozens of families, bikes in tow, joined the project sponsors, managers and supporters in the opening of the island's first bike park. The family bike park is a dirt surfaced, outdoor recreation space with technical features professionally designed to facilitate and develop bicycle skills among children, youth and adults. After consultation with staff and PARC, the location was identified in the treed area at the southeast corner of Mouat Park at 160 Seaview Avenue. The 2011 Salt Spring Island Parks System Master Plan contemplates woodland biking and a bike park in Mouat Park. The location behind ArtSpring's upper parking lot was currently unused for recreation activities. Following an environmental assessment and other feasibility studies, the CRD and the Salt Spring Island Bike Club consulted with commu…

Missing Person Alert: Have you seen Jeremy Daniel Oakley?

The Salt Spring Island RCMP are requesting the publics assistance in locating 46 yr old Jeremy Daniel OAKLEY. Police received a report from OAKLEY’s ex-girlfriend advising that she had not heard from him in several days. The last contact with OAKLEY was on June 22nd. He possibly moved to Salt Spring Island to work on a construction site in the south end of the Island but that has not been confirmed. Police have made numerous enquiries into OAKLEY’s whereabouts but are requesting the public’s assistance in locating him to confirm he is safe. Any information about OAKLEY’s whereabouts can be directed to the Salt Spring Island RCMP at 250-537-7250.