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Spring’s Renewal — and the Overwhelm Farmers Carry
SSI Farmland Trust on March 11, 2026
Spring is often painted as a season of renewal: buds appear, soil warms, and hope blooms with the first lettuce seedlings. But for many farmers and growers, this time of year also brings deep pressure. Between unpredictable weather swings and the push to prepare for another demanding season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Growing can […]
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Real Solutions for Affordable Housing
Maxine Leichter on March 11, 2026
There seems to be consensus that we need more affordable worker housing on Salt Spring. There are good reasons for this. We want to live in a diverse-income community, we want businesses to be able to hire employees and our hospital and government services to be staffed. So why all the fuss? We agree on […]
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The Islands Trust Area is Uniquely Beautiful, but Perhaps not Ecologically Unique
David Dunnison on March 11, 2026
Last week Charles Kahn responded to a George Gram article on the unique language contained in the object of the Islands Trust with broad claims of ecological uniqueness in the Trust area. Unfortunately, many of the statements made in that response were in error. The science-based, definitive resources that expose those errors are easily accessed […]
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Honest and Complex Conversations About Housing with MLA Rob Botterell
ASK Salt Spring on March 9, 2026
March 6 Seventeen gathered at this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Rob Botterell. The afternoon timing (2:30-4:30) was intended to make it possible for those who cannot attend the 11-1 time slot to join the conversation, a change acknowledged by one participant as very helpful. The timing also allows Rob to get home […]
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Salt Spring Island Improvement Districts - Referendums - A Dark Art?
David Courtney on March 9, 2026
March 7, 2026 Part 3 Example 1 SSFID - Salt Spring Island Fire Improvement District On June 30, 2022 - Engaged Fire District Ratepayers went to the Polls and Voted on the following question: "Should the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District be given authority to borrow a maximum of $9.7 million dollars over a […]
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Meet Local Filmmaker Piet Suess, Editor of Between the Mountain and the Sky
The Circle Education on March 4, 2026
The Circle Education and the Salt Spring Film Festival celebrate International Women’s Day 2026 with the showing of Between the Mountain and the Sky at Art Spring. Local filmmaker Piet Suess, who volunteered for The Circle Education in the past, worked as one of the film editors on this documentary. He will be in attendance […]
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A Response to George Grams' Article on the Object of the Islands Trust
Charles Kahn on March 4, 2026
George Grams’ article explores the interpretation of the wording in the Islands Trust Act: ”The object of the Trust is to preserve and protect the Trust area and its unique amenities and environment....” I can’t understand why “interpretation” is required as the people who drafted the Act were very clear. It was all about the […]
