A healthcare housing project on Salt Spring Island has received approval for a rezoning from the region’s land use authority, overcoming arguably its most significant remaining hurdle and paving the way for completion.
The Islands Trust’s Executive Committee unanimously voted Wednesday, Feb. 26 to pass a bylaw allowing a former motel on Bittancourt Road to become multi-family housing with 18 dwellings, a project undertaken by the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation in 2022 that means to provide housing for healthcare workers.
Already proceeding with the renovation through a temporary use permit, foundation organizers in December sought the full rezoning of the parcel to fulfill conditions necessary to secure favourable financing for the project. Salt Spring’s Local Trust Committee (LTC) responded to the urgent request with unanimity and speed, earlier this month forwarding its conclusion that the rezoning met both the Trust’s own policy statement and the island’s official community plan (OCP) to the larger body’s Executive Committee for final approval.
That step was taken over staff concerns largely over process –– the skipping of referrals to other agencies and of a public hearing was noted –– and worries that the lack of an affordable housing agreement secured on the property’s title left the responsibility for keeping rents reasonable in private hands.
But on Wednesday, addressing that committee, Salt Spring trustee Laura Patrick briefly outlined the LTC’s justification for its interpretation of the island’s OCP, saying she saw the rezoning as “bringing an existing use into better conformance with the existing neighbourhood,” noting the courts’ historical deference to local government on matters of discretion and adding it was indeed the job of the LTC to consider context and prioritize the “vision and goals” of the community.
Foundation board members had made clear that without the rezoning, the project would have to be scrapped — with dire consequences to the already fraught staffing situation at Lady Minto Hospital. That possibility, Patrick said, was more than enough to prompt action.
“Our OCP adopts a precautionary principle,” said Patrick, “and says I’m supposed to act if I know there’s going to be harm. I know there’s real harm if we lose our healthcare facilities.”
Patrick also noted the broad public support for the project, saying she was in receipt of significant feedback from constituents: they wanted the rezoning —and the healthcare worker housing project — to go through.
“The one thing I’m hearing from the community is that if this housing project isn’t supported by our official community plan, what is?”
Organizers have said the project could be ready for healthcare workers to move into as early as this fall.
“We’re grateful to everyone who supported this initiative,” said foundation chair Julian Clark, “from residents who wrote letters of support to the elected officials who recognized this project’s alignment with the spirit and intent of the official community plan. This truly was a community effort. Providing affordable housing for our healthcare workers directly addresses a major challenge facing our healthcare system. This is a big step forward.”