News - Salt Spring Exchange

4-Way Stop at Central

Our friends at MainRoads have informed us that they will be installing a 4-way stop at the Central intersection (Vesuvius Bay Rd/Upper Ganges Rd/North End Rd/Lower Ganges Rd) today. As a reminder, the rules of the road are whomever arrives at the intersection first, has the right of way. If you arrive at the same time as another driver, the rule is yield to the right. Please use caution & drive slowly in this area.

Sh*t Salt Springers Say

Shit Salt Springers Say is a funny parody video about Salt Spring Island and the many things some locals here are known to say and do as they go about living their lives here in this unique island community. The video was filmed at various locations around Salt Spring by Lemon Grease Productions and stars Thomas Messer, Rebecca Nygard, Michelle Duncan, Billie Woods and David Alex Event with guest appearances by Jada-lee Watson, Ross Duncan and Mike Nelson. Give it a watch. Do you say some of these things? https://youtu.be/HTDkqxaWH80

Salt Spring 'Introvert' Island

Last week we ran a survey asking residents of Salt Spring if they considered themselves to be *mostly* introverted or extroverted. The results are bit a surprising. Our survey closed automatically when we hit 100 responses and of those 100 responses, 79 people identified themselves as *mostly* introverted. Speaking with a colleague via email about this who has a background in Jungian psychology, he shared that in general it is understood that about 40% of the population identify as introverts and that the dominant culture, at least in North America, is extrovertedly oriented. Is it possible that 79% of islanders are mostly introverted at double the average in North America? Is this just another thing that makes Salt Spring special? Should we have gone out and surveyed at a party where all the extroverts are? Should we become the destination for introverts everywhere, or do we need to import some more extroverts to balance this place out?

Are you introverted or extroverted?

I'm conducting a highly un-scientific poll on a subject I've been curious about regarding the dominant nature of island residents. I've been wondering if those who are attracted to living on Salt Spring have a stronger tendency towards introversion or extroversion? In the way I understand this, I would think of introverted people as those who get their energy from spending time alone to recharge and restore themselves, while extroverts would get their energy and relax by being with others in more social settings. There is much more to these labels, but let's find out. What would you say is the dominant nature of Salt Springers?

Video - History of Lady Minto Hospital

History of Lady Minto Hospital by Peter Prince https://youtu.be/gz9LcBzt_mE

Federal Election Poll Results - Another Green Landslide

The results are in from our 2nd online federal election poll. While the sample size for the vote was considerably smaller, the final vote percentages are almost statistically unchanged from the first vote a few weeks ago. Based on these poll results, Salt Spring Island is voting Green by a landslide. We'll be conducting one final poll again this coming Thursday to Saturday before the election itself on May 2nd. All candidates were again notified of the poll via Twitter. Poll Poll Poll Vote Party Candidate 07-Apr 23-Apr 30-Apr 02-May Conservatives Gary Lunn 6.83% 6.70% TBD TBD NDP Edith Loring-Kuhanga 8.81% 9.57% TBD TBD Greens Elizabeth May 79.07% 77.99% TBD TBD Liberals Renée Hetherington 5.29% 5.74% TBD TBD Vote Sample Size 454 209 Read the results from our first online poll here. Read the results from our 2nd online poll here. Thank you to…

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…

Salt Spring Featured on the Today Show

Salt Spring Island featured on the Today Show. Watch video at mid-way point.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Green Party Canvassing in Saanich

Tom Mitchell will be heading up a team of Saltspringers going over to foot canvass in Saanich tomorrow. Want to join? If you've never done it before, don't worry, we'll pair you with someone who has, and it's actually kind of fun. They'll be heading over on the 9:50am boat from Fulford and returning on the 3pm. No need to take a car on the ferry; we will be picked up on the other side. Drop me an email if you think you can make it so we can be sure to have enough canvass kits ready to go. Brian Smallshaw 250-653-9778

Federal Election Online Poll Continues Today

Voting in our online federal election poll continues today. Early results with 324 votes as of this posting show a very strong lead with Greens getting 85% of the vote, NDP 6%, Conservatives 5%, and Liberals at 3 %. Are the Greens going to get Salt Spring votes in a landslide? Are they better at getting the online vote out? Are there a disproportionate number of Greens that use the Salt Spring Exchange? Or are they just doing a better job connecting with Salt Spring voters? We're not sure. If you have thoughts, please comment on this post. We've notified all local riding representatives with the link to this poll and suggested they promote it with their constituents. We'll keep the poll open until end of day Thursday, April 7th, but so far in the first 24 hours there have been 324 votes logged. Our polling system tracks two methods to ensure that it is very difficult for any one person to vote more than once. If we see any multi-voting patterns we'll remove the votes f…

Vote in the Federal Election Online Poll

We're conducting an advance 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. We've sent out notices to all political parties represented via email and Twitter to let them know this poll is running and to share it with their constituents. Once you enter your selection, you'll instantly see the current, real-time results of the poll. Which party will get your vote?customer surveys

There's no debate: Elizabeth May belongs in the debates

A lot of people have been telling us that they are outraged by Elizabeth May’s exclusion from the televised debates. It IS outrageous that a media consortium is determining how we conduct our democracy, and that the leader of a national party should be kept out of the debates based upon some shifting criteria that they don’t care to share with the public. If you’d like to express your opinion about this, there are a number of good places to go: Click here to vote in the CBC’s poll - currently 82% in favour. Click here to sign the Green Party’s petition. Send a text message to the Chair of the Media Consortium, Mr. Troy Reeb of Global TV on his cell phone at 647-261-3752 In the meantime, you might enjoy some one-on-one debates: Elizabeth in a one-on-one with Gary Lunn on CTV’s Question Period. Click here to watch the video. And finally, after Michael Ignatieff took up Stephen Harper’s challenge for a one-on-one debate and then Harper retreated, it seems that…

Radiation from Japan poses no health risk in B.C.

Office of the Provincial Health Officer VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall today issued a statement reassuring British Columbians that there is no expected health risk from radiation at the Japanese nuclear power plant. “Based on present information, we do not expect any health risk following the nuclear reactor releases in Japan, nor is the consumption of potassium iodide tablets a necessary precaution. Small amounts of low level radiation released from the nuclear reactors in Japan will have been dispersed in the atmosphere there and are not a health risk to British Columbians. “Modelling of possible scenarios suggest that any release into the atmosphere of nuclear particles would take five to six days to reach British Columbia, by which time it would be so dispersed as to be not considered a health risk. “As a result of the terrible tragedy, emergency officials in British Columbia remain in constant contact with Health …

Lady Minto Hospital Foundation Invests in a new “Heart Monitor”

Lady Minto Hospital Foundation has made a new investment, a sort of “heart monitor”, if you will. It doesn’t rely on fancy bells and whistles but it is everything to do with our inner core. And it requires your participation. Helping Hearts is a new program and it is an investment in our staff, nurses and doctors. It is our sincere effort to recognize the work that they do on a daily basis to provide the best patient care possible with the resources that they have available. Here’s how the program works. If there is someone who made a difference in the quality of your care or the care of a family member during your recent hospital visit at Lady Minto Hospital, tell us your story and show your gratitude by making a donation in their name. It could be one of our doctors or nurses. Maybe it’s our Facilities Department that maintains the grounds and the building to make the hospital a physically comfortable environment. Did our admitting staff work to efficiently proce…

West Coast Tsunami Warning - UPDATE: Warning Lifted

UPDATE: Tsunami Advisory Lifted The tsunami advisory for British Columbia has been lifted, after the effects of an 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan passed the province's coastline without significant incident. The first effects of the Japan tsunami reached Canada's West Coast at about 7:30 a.m. PT, and wave-height changes were negligible. Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announced the end of the advisory shortly before 8:30 a.m. PT, speaking on CBC Radio. UPDATE: BC bulletin number 002 This is an important bulletin from the provincial emergency notification system. A large earthquake has occurred in the pacific basin near Japan. The West Coast Alaska Tsunami warning centre has raised the alert status to advisory for the following zones of coastal British Columbia: Zone A - the north coast and the Haida Gwaii islands Zone B - the central coast including Bella Bella, Bella Boola and shearwater Zone C - the outer west coast of Vancouver Island from Cape …

Video - The Excavator Aftermath in Downtown Ganges

Video from the demolition of the old stores in town. Video from escapetosaltspring via YouTube

Endoscopies at Lady Minto Hospital Turn Things “Inside Out”

Walk into the Endoscopy Room at Lady Minto, on a Tuesday, and you’ll find yourself in the midst of bright lights. The procedure is an endoscopy, which includes colonoscopies and gastroscopies. The cast includes the great OR teams of Lady Minto Hospital nurses and doctors. The leading man…Dr. John Morse, the specialist behind all this activity. How did Salt Spring Island end up so lucky to have access to his services? John Morse and his family had been living up in Yellowknife for the past 18 years. During this time, Dr. Shane Barclay was working part time in Fort Simpson and they became friends. Apparently the conversation went something like, “if you ever get tired of working in the north and want to work in BC, let me know.” Eventually a move south became very appealing and the Morse’s moved to Maple Bay. Thus began the talks about Endoscopy at Lady Minto Hospital. Salt Spring Island has kept him very busy. A year ago, Dr. Morse began commuting from Maple Bay every Tues…

Salt Spring - One of The Best Places to Live on the West Coast

Sunset Magazine recently honoured Salt Spring Island as one the best places to live on the West Coast of North America! One of the best places to be an entrepreneur, artist and to raise a family. Congratulations Salt Spring! Click here to read the full story.

WordPress Camp Victoria - Fulford Ferry Meetup

Would like to invite all those of you who might be going to the Victoria Wordpress camp this weekend for a meetup on the Fulford ferry for those traveling to and from the conference on Saturday. There are a bunch of us leaving on the 7:50 out of Fulford, returning again on 7. If you want to meet up with other Wordpress folks, let's use our travel time together to meet and talk all things Wordpress and to make the most of our time together at the event. Meetup in lounge 4 of the Skeena on either run if you want to connect with others going over for the day.

Digital Island Green Drinks Thank You

Last night 70+ islanders came out to the Harbour House to take the next step in this ongoing experiment of exploring how digital, marketing, media and knowledge working professionals could collaborate together on this island to help shape a sustainable, local economy for Salt Spring. Thank you to everyone who made it out on a dark December night. Thank you to the Harbour House for donating appetizers for all. Thank you to Margery Moore from I-SEA for helping to co-ordinate everyone from the Green Drinks community and thank to all our Digital Island collaborators who helped co-organize and promote the gathering; Jon Suk, Phillip Reece, Phil McCluskey, Suzanne Little, Johan Bosman, John Bateman and Pravin Pillay. Our organizing group is going to gather the ideas from last night and will share them back out, along with some suggestions for when our next event will be. Until then, if you are a professional working in the digital economy today consider joining our Facebook gro…