Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC)

Meeting Report for August 13, 2026

The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) held a special budget meeting on Thursday, August 13, at 9:00 am at the SIMS Board Room (streaming online with TEAMS). The full 183 page agenda package, including presentations, staff reports, and supporting documentation, is available online

Presentations and Delegations

• The LCC received a delegation from Darlene Gage, Transition Salt Spring, on agenda item 4.2. “Transition Salt Spring Funding Request” related to continued funding for climate change initiatives.
• The LCC received a delegation from Susan Palmer, SSI Arts Council, on agenda item 4.3 “Salt Spring Island Arts One-Time Funding Request” (included in agenda package).
• The LCC received a delegation from Howard Jang, ArtSpring, on agenda item 4.3 “Salt Spring Island Arts One-Time Funding Request” (included in agenda package).

LCC Special Meeting Matters

4.1 CRD Financial Literacy

• The LCC received a staff report with a PowerPoint presentation titled "What You Need to Know About the CRD Budget” as an introduction to the budget discussion. The presentation is available in the agenda package and is a very accessible introduction to the CRD budget process for interested residents.

4.2 Transition Salt Spring Funding Request

• The LCC received a staff report on the Transition Salt Spring (TSS) funding request for the 2027 provisional budget (included in agenda package) and passed the staff recommendation “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission approve funding for Transition Salt Spring through the 1.124 Salt Spring Island Economic Development/Sustainability Service in the amount of $14,280 in 2027, $14,566 in 2028 and $14,857 in 2029 funded by requisition and direct staff to include this funding in the 2027-2031 financial plan”.
• The LCC also passed a motion arising, “That the Local Community Commission review the Transition Salt Spring Island funding after 2027 pending changes in available provincial and federal funding”. Because the TSS funding request was intended to make up for funding previously provided by the Province of BC’s Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP) this motion was made to ensure that LCC funding would not continue if the original provincial funding were to be restored.

4.3 Salt Spring Island Arts One-Time Funding Request

• The LCC received a staff report (included in agenda package) on a one-time funding request for Salt Spring Island Arts. Salt Spring Island Arts is a contribution agreement service whereby the CRD provides partial funding to ArtSpring and to the Salt Spring Arts Council at a fixed ratio of 70% ArtSpring/30% Arts Council. The LCC passed the staff recommendation that “The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission recommends that staff include one-time funding of $37,150 in the 2027 1.299 Salt Spring Island Arts Service funded by requisition:
  1. 70% for the Art Centre Society or $26,000
  2. 30% for the Salt Spring Arts Council or $11,150.”
• The LCC passed a motion by Commissioner Webster “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request staff report back on possible draft amendments to the Salt Spring Island Arts Service Establishment Bylaw including:
  1. increase the maximum requisition by 25 per cent;
  2. remove the 70/30 contribution funding split between the Arts Centre Society and the Community Arts Council; funded split to be determined during the budgeting process each year and,
  3. allow funding for the Community Arts Council to be used for "contributing to the organization's operations and activities in support of the arts”.
• The LCC passed a motion arising that “The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request staff to report back on the implications of taking over the lease for Mahon Hall utilizing additional admin engineering staff resources approved for 2027”.

4.4 LCC Participation in UBCM and AVICC

• The LCC received a staff report (included in agenda package) on options for LCC participation in the Union of BC Municipalities and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities. The report was for information only and no action was taken.

4.5 Rainbow Recreation Centre Synthetic Ice Rink

• The LCC received a staff report (included in agenda package) on the proposed Rainbow Recreation Centre Synthetic Ice Rink, including installation and operating budgets for 2027. The LCC passed a motion arising from Commissioner Webster “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission assign staff to organize a site visit for LCC members to the Rainbow Recreation Centre site to review options for the siting of the proposed synthetic skating rink”.

4.6 Options for Providing Potable Water in Ganges

• The LCC received a staff report on options for providing potable water adjacent to the harbour in Ganges (included in the agenda package) for information only. The LCC passed a motion arising from Commissioner Webster “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to include project 27-13 Rotary Park Water Fountain in the amount of $18,200 in the 1.45X Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation capital plan in 2027 funded by Capital Reserve Funding”.

4.7 Salt Spring Island CRD Administrative Budget

• The LCC received a staff report on the provisional 2027 Administrative Budget (included in agenda package) for information only. The LCC passed a motion arising from Commissioner Webster, “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request that the Director include $5,000 of funding in the 2027 – 2031 1.111 Salt Spring Island Administrative Expenditures Budget funded by requisition for one Commissioner, in addition to the Director, to attend Union of BC Municipalities and Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities annual conferences each year”.

4.8 2027 Provisional Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission Budget Review

• The LCC received a staff report on the 2027 Provisional Budget for Salt Spring Island (included in the agenda package) including full details on delegated LCC Service budgets, supplementary budget items for 2027, 2027 early approvals for expenditure, and Community Works Fund allocations by service. Senior Manager Ovington provided information that staff have been assigned to defer IBC 16b-1.5 SSI Administration and Recreation staffing 2027 from January 2027 to July 1, 2027 and reduce the Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation Rainbow Recreation Centre wages and benefits by $4,240 to reflect this change in the provisional budget ahead of going to the CRD Board on September 23, 2026. The LCC took up the following motions arising from the 2027 Provisional Budget:
• Moved by Director Holman, “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to make a onetime reduction in the 1.238B Community Transportation transfer to capital reserve fund by $20,000 from $50,000 to $30,000 in 2027 reducing the requisition by $20,000”. Motion defeated.
• Moved by Director Holman, “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to make a onetime reduction in the 3.705 Salt Spring Island Septage/Composting transfer to Capital reserves by $20,000 from $62,685 to $42,685 in 2027 and the transfer to operating reserve by $5,000 from $20,000 to $15,000 in 2027 reducing the requisition by $25,000”. Motion defeated.
• Moved by Director Holman, “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to make a onetime reduction in the 1.124 Salt Spring Island Community Economic Development project costs by $10,000 from $80,000 to $70,000 in 2027 and the transfer to operating reserve by $10,000 from $30,000 to $20,000 in 2027 reducing the requisition by $20,000”. Motion defeated.
• Moved by Commissioner Webster, “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to reduce the 1.124 Salt Spring Island Economic Development budget by $14,280 in 2027, $14,566 in 2028 and $14,857 in 2029 reducing the requisition in those amounts”. Motion carried.
• Motion “That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to make an ongoing reduction in the 1.116 SSI Grants in Aid Service Grant in Aid Fund by $9,910 from $80,000 to $70,090 in 2027 and reducing the requisition from by $86,0938 to $77,028 in 2027”. Motion carried.
• Moved by Commissioner Rook, “The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission direct staff to include in Appendix C for early approval a one-time funding of $37,150 in the 2027 1.299 Salt Spring Island Arts Service funded by requisition”. Motion carried.
• The LCC passed a final budget motion that “The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission recommends the Committee of the Whole recommend to the Capital Regional District Board:
  1. That the 2027 Electoral Area Services Budgets be given provisional approval with specific direction on amendments; and
  2. That the new initiatives identified in Appendix B remain in the Five-Year Financial Plan with specific direction on amendments.
  3. That the new initiatives identified in Appendix C for January 1, 2027, implementation be approved with specific direction on amendments”.

The next meeting of the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission was its regular August daytime business meeting, held at 9:00 am on Thursday, August 20, in the Board Room at SIMS and open to the public, streaming live on TEAMS. The agenda package is available online. A report on that meeting will be posted shortly.

This LCC meeting report was prepared by Earl Rook, Chair, Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission.