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January 17, 2025
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Southern Gulf Islands news

May says federal election outcome not preordained

 There’s no inevitability in a democracy, according to one elected official –– and the greatest power remains rooted in each vote.  Responding to questions at...

LCC budget presented at town hall

Salt Spring’s Local Community Commission (LCC) held its second annual presentation on the upcoming year’s budget, offering an opportunity for taxpayers to sound off...

Funds needed to preserve huge Saturna acreage

Organizers have targeted an expansive waterfront parcel at the southeastern-most tip of Saturna Island for conservation –– and say time is running out on...

Road gives way under excavator

An excavator was temporarily stuck at an undignified angle on Salt Spring’s busiest road Wednesday, Jan. 8, after the ground gave way beneath it...

Rare ocular cancer experience full of surprises

It was back in 2017 when Steve Lynch first noticed a little spot on the white part (the sclera) of his right eye. “It wasn’t...

Gulf Islands life

Training set for new visitor centre volunteers

New volunteers at Salt Spring’s Visitor Information Centre are promised a warm welcome when they take the first Destination BC course of 2025 offered...

Farmland Trust celebrates gratitude and growth

By the SALT SPRING ISLAND FARMLAND TRUST How can we serve you in 2025? This is the question that thumps in our hearts and occupies our...

Pine siskin tops 2024 Christmas bird count

BY TIM MARCHANT SSI CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT COORDINATOR On Dec. 15, 2024, we held Salt Spring’s 36th Christmas Bird Count in lovely weather. This year is...

Fun Robbie Burns night on tap

By MICHELLE GRANT President, SSI Scottish Country Dance Club It's hard to believe that our annual celebration of the well-known Scottish bard Robbie Burns is...

Arts & Entertainment

Trio to perform ‘Copenhagen’ at library 

A conversation among physicists, Nobel laureates or otherwise, may seem unlikely fodder for a compelling dialogue-driven drama.   But with the balance of global power seemingly...

Excitement for new Met Opera production of Aida

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON FOR ARTSPRING On New Year’s Eve, the Metropolitan Opera unveiled its first new production of Verdi’s Aida in almost 40 years. As one of the most...

Donations help grow Benson fund

SUBMITTED BY SALT SPRING ARTS Salt Spring Arts (SSA) is thrilled to announce that the Susan Benson Fund for Visual Artists will continue for another...

Photo of the Week

Subtitle

An excavator is tipped on its side after existing pavement gave way beneath it in the 400 block of Fulford-Ganges Road on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at about 1:15 p.m., according to Bruce Cownden of Northridge Excavating Ltd., the contractor for the road improvement project. No one was injured in the incident,

Photo by Tami Moulton

Do you have a photo you’d like to submit for Photo of the Week? Send it with caption information to news@gulfislandsdriftwood.com. 

Opinion

In Response: Our community needs empathy, not attacks, to solve its problems

By JASON MOGUS Last week’s paper held an interesting snapshot of life on Salt Spring in early 2025.  The lead story was how the median home...

Viewpoint: NSSWD water master plan is responsible asset management

By BRIAN PYPER NSSWD Board Chair The North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) board felt it was essential to respond to Doug Wahlsten’s misleading opinion piece...

Reimagining a healthy community within healthy ecosystems

BY DAVID RAPPORT In a Dec. 16, 2024 piece published on the Salt Spring Exchange, Kerrie Proulx, a board member of Salt Spring Solutions, suggests...

Weather

Salt Spring Island
broken clouds
1.8 ° C
2.5 °
-0.5 °
85 %
3.1kmh
75 %
Fri
3 °
Sat
3 °
Sun
2 °
Mon
2 °
Tue
3 °

Obituaries

Timothy Charles O’Connor

June 25, 1960 – December 25, 2024 Tim was born in Saskatoon to his mother Willma Popham and father Charles (Pete) O’Connor, and moved with...

LAVENDER, Patricia Ann (nee Traynor)

Major Patricia Ann Lavender nee Traynor (Pat) passed away peacefully at Veterans Memorial Lodge in Victoria BC on December 3, 2024 at the age...

More news

Blaze claims Jones Road trailer

A south-end blaze destroyed a fifth-wheel trailer home Tuesday night, officials said, and while an investigation is ongoing, there were no injuries, and foul...

‘Typical’ Gulf Islands residential assessment tips to $857,000

Keen property owners got an early peek at their new provincial assessments well before ringing in the new year –– and while most noted...

Early indications show strong housing support

Editor's note: The following is part of a "looking back/looking forward" series of articles solicited by the Driftwood for publication in its Jan. 1,...

Washout closes part of Blackburn Road

Heavy rain overwhelmed a culvert on Salt Spring’s Blackburn Road just above the transfer station, washing away the earth beneath the roadway and leading...

CRD/LCC cap off busy year

By GARY HOLMAN SSI Electoral Area director, and EARL ROOK SSILCC chair The Capital Regional District (CRD) and Salt Spring Local Community Commission (LCC) were busy in 2024. The...

Island’s Opt Clinic faces closure due to rising costs

A sexual and reproductive health clinic on Salt Spring could join dozens of others across B.C. facing closure, organizers say, unless the province comes...

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