News - Salt Spring Exchange

Toxic Algea Alert - St. Mary's Lake

The attached Advisory Notice has been issued by VIHA on March 7th, 2013, indicating that toxic algae may be present within St. Mary's Lake. Please read the notice and for further information contact www.viha.ca. VIHA informed resorts that beaches will be posted due to microcystin exceeding 20 micrograms/liter mostly directed at the boating and fishing community because swimming season will not commence for a few months.

Spring Forward this Weekend

On Sunday, March 10 at 2 am, most Canadians will move their clocks forward an hour as we transition from Standard Time to Daylight Time. Although it means a lost hour of sleep, it's also a sign that the spring season is near. This change in time was first implemented as a way to save energy. By moving the clock ahead by one hour in the spring, it changes a person's daily schedule and allows them to use less power and light during the evening hours. With increasing darkness during the fall and winter months, areas return to Standard Time at 2 am on the first Sunday of November. Since the late 1960's Saskatchewan has not observed Daylight Time and remains on Standard Time all year round. As you move your clock ahead one hour, officials say it's best to change your smoke alarm batteries at the same time. “Smoke alarms double your chances of surviving a fire," says Carol Heller, a home fire safety specialist. "That's why it's so important to never tamper with the bat…

BC Ferries Raises Rates

VICTORIA – BC Ferries is advising customers of increases in passenger and vehicle fares, reservations made less than seven days in advance, and Assured Loading Tickets (ALTs) on April 1, 2013. In accordance with the BC Ferries Commissioner’s Order 12-02 issued on October 1, 2012, prices for vehicle and passenger fares will rise by 4.1 per cent on average on all routes across the fleet on April 1, 2013. The fee for reservations made less than seven days in advance will increase from $17.50 to $18.50. Reservations made a week or more in advance will remain the same at $15.00. The reservation fees apply on the three major routes between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, the Horseshoe Bay – Langdale route, and the Comox - Powell River route. The last increase in reservations made less than seven days in advance was in 2005. The $15.00 fee for reservations made more than seven days in advance has not changed since the reservation product was introduced on the three m…

Video: Salt Spring Riparian Areas

The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee welcomes feedback about the new Salt Spring Riparian Areas video exploring: What is a riparian area? Why are riparian areas important? And, How are riparian areas currently protected on Salt Spring Island?

"Genius" Guitarist Alex Goodman Jazzes up ArtSpring

What do you do with someone whom Tim Ries, saxophonist with the Rolling Stones, describes as "“without question one of the most gifted guitarists of his generation"”, and whom Montr¨¦al'’s La Presse calls a "“genius”", and whose 2013 Juno-nominated CD the Ottawa Citizen listed as one of the top 10 Canadian jazz records of the year? Well, a good start is to go hear him at the first opportunity you get. Luckily for us, that opportunity is this Thursday evening at ArtSpring. Alex Goodman performs with his new quartet (guitar, voice, vibraphone and cello) as part of ArtSpring'’s Gallery Cabaret series at 7:30. You’ll hear music that crosses the boundaries between jazz, classical, new music, and back to jazz. Tickets for all the Gallery Cabaret show are only $10 and are available from the ArtSpring Ticket Centre 537-2102 or online at tickets.artspring.ca

BC Ferries: Government Releases Coastal Ferries Report

VICTORIA - The Coastal Ferries Consultation and Engagement summary report was released today, summarizing the input received during an eight-week public consultation process conducted in fall 2012. The consultation and engagement provided information to British Columbians on the challenges facing the coastal ferry system. The process sought public input on the principles to guide service adjustment decisions and strategies to further the Province's long-term vision for the ferry system. Over the eight weeks, senior ministry staff hosted 40 public consultation meetings in 30 communities, along with one webinar. More than 2,000 people attended the public meetings and almost 2,000 feedback forms and written submissions were received. The strong public response clearly reflects how much people value the coastal ferry service. Given the volume and detail of comments received during the consultation, government will take the time necessary to thoroughly review the feedback a…

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 …

Video: UFO on Salt Spring

UFO siting from the Fernwood area. Even aliens want to live here!

Thank You Suzanne Little!

We wanted to share some important news about recent changes here at the Salt Spring Exchange. Suzanne Little, who has tirelessly supported and helped grow the Exchange into what is today, is onto her next challenge and is no longer actively working on the service. Suzanne moderated the list early in the morning, late at night, on holidays and even rink side at her son's hockey games so islanders could buy roosters, find lost goats, alpacas, cats and dogs. She helped guide the early days of the Exchange, helped people trade manure for hot stone massages, posted forest fire alerts, helped write stories, published videos and photos and helped innumerable people promote and grow their local businesses. Suzanne is an invaluable member of this community and brought all that passion and focus to her work here on the Exchange. We hope she isn't going anywhere, she's agreed to stay on as advisor for a time, continuing to put her communications and journalism expertise to work for the…

Eight Thousand Fans of Salt Spring Island

While we've been beavering away here this winter on new projects like the Salt Spring Calendar, the Exchange quietly passed another fan milestone on Facebook. Eight thousand+ people are now following the journey of stories, news, events, listings and photos that are published on Facebook. In celebration, we're sharing a photo from one our fans. Just one beautiful image of this beautiful island in thank you for being part of the Salt Spring Exchange. Thank you to our 8,000+ fans, who now join the 4,000 people who use the Exchange every day. Under the clouds, the sunrise - Photo by Susan Edison.

Weather Warning: Pineapple Express Headed Towards Salt Spring

WOCN11 CWVR 272322 Special weather statement issued by Environment Canada at 3:22 PM PST Wednesday 27 February 2013. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special weather statement for: =new= Metro Vancouver =new= Greater Victoria =new= Fraser Valley =new= Howe Sound =new= Whistler =new= Sunshine Coast =new= Southern Gulf Islands =new= East Vancouver Island =new= West Vancouver Island =new= Inland Vancouver Island =new= North Vancouver Island. Pineapple express rainstorm expected Thursday night through Saturday. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ==discussion== A pineapple express-type rainstorm will develop across the South Coast of BC on Thursday. A warm Pacific front will tap into some very moist air from the sub-tropics, boosting rainfall rates to between 5 and 10 millimetres per hour. The rainfall intensity will increase Thursday night and the rain will remain h…

Ning Feng at ArtSpring

Following in the footsteps of such young international nusical stars as Martin Helmchen, Joyce Yang, Mariangela Vacatello and Augustin Hadelich, ArtSpring presents another major world talent in the person of violinist Ning Feng in concert on Friday, March 1. Born in Chengdu, Ning Feng studied first in China and then at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Starting with first prize at the International Paganini Competition in 2006, he as gone on to win an armful of the classical world’s most prestigious awards. The cities he has performed in read like the index of a comprehensive atlas of the world – Hong Kong, Auckland, Bilbao, Moscow, Calgary, Prague, Gstaad, etc. The press raves about him too. One reviewer has this to say about his latest recording: “An unqualified recommendation of a wonderful album that demonstrates the highest artistic and programming skills possible.” Another enthuses that “lyricism pours from his violin.” Ning Feng currently lives in Berlin and…

Video: Oscar Winner Jim Erickson Interviewed on the CBC

Oscar Winner Jim Erickson Interviewed on the CBC about his work on Lincoln.

‘Conflict Tiger’ film screening and discussion with John Vaillant, author of ‘The Tiger’ and ‘The Golden Spruce’

It’s an icy winter in Russia’s Far East. A desperate poacher and an enormous Amur Tiger meet face to face. The poacher tries to kill the tiger, but only wounds him. In revenge, the tiger methodically stalks and kills the poacher. But the story just begins there… On Friday, Februry 22, at 7:30 PM, the Salt Spring Forum and the Salt Spring Film Festival Society present award-winning author John Vaillant and Conflict Tiger, the film that inspired his most recent bestseller, The Tiger. Following the screening of the documentary, Robert Bateman will moderate a one-hour discussion with Vaillant. When John Vaillant originally learned about the story featured in Conflict Tiger, he traveled to Russia’s Far East to investigate. In his book, the incident between the tiger and poacher leads into a broader examination of how political change can impact communities, animals, and the landscape. Additionally, Vaillant shows how consumerism and global warming have drastically reduced Rus…

Video: Global 1 Billion Rising V-Day Event

One Billion Rising aims to empower people to stand up against the culture of rape and violence against women around the world. Julianna Slomka of Salt Spring organized the one-hour effort, which saw a number of people dancing to choreography they had learned for a song called "Break the Chain", with others following along or doing their own thing.

Plotting the Green Industrial Revolution

If the industrial revolution evokes images of coal and iron, factories and railways, what does the “green industrial revolution” bring to mind? Marc Lee, Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) will discuss just that, at a Salt Spring Forum event on Feb. 15th at ArtSpring. Salt Spring Islanders will have heard Marc Lee on CBC Radio’s Early Edition as part of the regular business panel. Or read his frequent articles in the Vancouver Sun and Victoria Times Colomnist. Or studied the literally 100s of research reports that he has produced during his fourteen years with the CCPA, where he tracks budgets and economic trends and analyzes core policy policy issues, ranging from poverty, to globalization, to energy, tax and transportation. They might even know him as the Chair of the Progressive Economics Forum, or the co-Chair of the Climate Justice Project, a $1 million research partnership between the CCPA and UBC. Marc Lee’s approach will c…

Tax is Not a Four-Letter-Word - Alex Himelfarb

Date/Time 1 Feb 2013 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Tax is Not a Four-Letter-Word Alex Himelfarb is the Director of the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs at York University. From 2002-2006, he was Canada’s senior civil servant: the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet. He then served as Canada’s ambassador to Italy. This is a members only salon. Join the Forum today to receive invitations to events like this.

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.

Gallery Cabaret at ArtSpring

In the jazz world we have become accustomed, at least since the days of Louis Armstrong, to think of the trumpet as a lyrical instrument. But in the classical realm the common image of the trumpet is of something loud and brassy that goes tootle-toot in the back of the orchestra. ArtSpring’s second Gallery Cabaret of the season on Thursday Jan 24 seeks to dispel this misconception. Vancouver trumpeter Dan Kocurek and pianist Christine Eggert present a wide variety of music showcasing the trumpet in its role as a chamber instrument. Both musicians are recent graduates of the UBC Faculty of Music and work in various facets of the busy Vancouver music scene. Christine, who has a Masters in Piano Performance, teaches at the Vancouver International School of Music and performs widely. Dan, originally from the US and with degrees from the University of Oregon and UBC, is a former member of the prestigious Dallas Brass and plays frequently with the Vancouver Island Symphony,…

Governance Study Committee Members Selected

Following a public invitation for volunteers, we are pleased to advise that the members of the Governance Study Committee are as follows: Carole Eyles, Jack Giles, Dion Hackett, Jacquie Harkema, Gerda Lattey, Tim Marchant, John McPherson, Nicole Melanson, Pat Preston, Bob Rush, Stanley Shapiro. Ex-officio members: Wayne McIntyre, George Grams, Peter Grove The Committee will hold its first meeting at 4pm on 22 January 2013 at the CRD Portlock Park office (Central). The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development will chair the meeting, where the Committee will receive a briefing on its role and responsibilities in the governance study process, elect a committee chair and assign other key committee roles. At subsequent meetings the Committee will identify opportunities for public involvement, finalize the terms of reference, develop an education and engagement strategy for dissemination of the study findings, and direct a consultant in the development of the study an…

Dragon's Den Auditions on Salt Spring

Beginning in January 2013, Dragons’ Den producers will hit the road for an audition tour, with more than 40 stops in various Canadian cities. Entrepreneurs from across the country have another chance to face the Dragons the chance to receive financial backing for their business ventures. The open audition tour will kick off in Toronto on Saturday, January 19th. Exact dates and locations will be announced shortly. As soon as it becomes available, tour dates will be posted on this page. No experience is necessary and participants of all ages are encouraged to audition. After highly-rated ‘All-Student’ specials in Season Six and Seven, Dragons’ Den continues to seek young entrepreneurs who think they have what it takes to seal a deal with the country’s most renowned business tycoons. All interested entrepreneurs should be prepared to pitch their business in under five minutes. If they can convince Dragons’ Den producers they are ready for their fifteen minutes of fame,…