The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board declared a climate emergency in 2019. The CRD Climate Action service (to which the average Salt Spring Island residential property contributes about $8 per year), inventories greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the region every two years. This data shows that per-capita GHG emissions have declined significantly over the 2007-2024 period by 30 per cent regionally and 23 per cent on Salt Spring, but decreased less in absolute terms by 11 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively, due largely to population growth.
Worldwide emissions are not declining significantly, if at all. Unless the largest emitting countries commit to more aggressive action, significant climate impacts, already occurring, will grow worse: greater frequency of summer droughts, winter flooding, wildfires, life-threatening heat domes and disease.
Smaller jurisdictions have an obligation to allocate resources to reduce emissions, but there are significant co-benefits, such as reducing the cost of energy and car dependency, or preserving forests that protect our drinking water. It is even more important for smaller jurisdictions to prepare for climate impacts that will be occurring regardless of our emission reductions.
Over the past two terms, the CRD and partner agencies have undertaken a number of initiatives that address climate change directly and indirectly, some of which include:
• Initiating and providing gas tax funding to support the update of the Salt Spring Climate Action Plan (CAP 2.0).
• Providing gas tax and other funding to support climate-related education and information, and energy and water saving measures such as heat pumps and water storage tanks. This includes such measures at local facilities including ArtSpring, Core Inn, Rainbow Road pool, Fulford Hall, and Croftonbrook and Salt Spring Commons housing projects. CRD also provided gas tax funding to upgrade the library geothermal system to establish it as a cooling centre
• Increasing funding for staffing and resources for the local CRD Emergency Program, which coordinates inter-agency preparedness and provides support for 65 neighbourhood “pods” on the island. The Emergency Operations Centre has been moved from a basement location to the SIMS building and discussions are underway regarding co-location at the new fire hall, which also received gas tax funding of $1 million that will help support improved wildfire protection on Salt Spring.
• Developing sea level rise and heat vulnerability mapping for the region and securing grant funding for EV charging stations throughout the CRD. This includes new chargers at several local parks, supporting one of the highest per capita EV ownership levels in B.C. The CRD also continues to electrify its regional and local vehicle fleets.
• Contributing $3.7 million for our new emergency room at Lady Minto Hospital that will provide essential medical assistance during a major event.
• Enhancing local food security by establishing a new voter-approved Foodland Access service, and providing gas tax and other grant and operational funding for the Burgoyne composter, and gas tax funding for construction of The Root.
• Creating new regional and local parks and a new voter-approved Biodiversity service with a focus on invasives management.
• Securing millions in grant and other funding in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) and Island Pathways, to build miles of sidewalks and cycle lanes around Ganges and develop the Ganges Active Transportation Plan. CRD active transportation planning and advocacy resulted in MOTT repaving of Ganges Hill with wider shoulder lanes for pedestrians and cyclists and greatly improved stormwater infrastructure. Funding for the Salish Sea Regional Trail is now regional and also included in CRD capital plans.
• Maintaining and improving our local transit service (one of the most successful in rural B.C.) throughout Covid, including free fares for youth 12 and under, and securing funding for the design and construction of bus shelters.
• Reducing waste by banning construction materials and increasing methane capture at the Hartland landfill, and renewing another five years of funding for the Rainbow Road recycling facility.
Other agencies are also doing their part, including BC Hydro’s storm responses; MOTT’s Blackburn bridge construction, and other major storm repairs; the fire district’s new post-disaster fire hall; NSSWD’s new drinking water plants and securing funding to increase St. Mary Lake water storage. The unprecedented scale of public investments in infrastructure and other services on Salt Spring in recent years will pay climate resiliency dividends for years to come.
The Trust has also declared a climate emergency and can play a key role by retaining strong OCP policies supporting compact, less car-dependent settlement patterns and protection of drinking water, sensitive ecosystems and farm land. In considering rezoning proposals, the Trust can ensure that our very limited community drinking water and sewage system capacity is prioritized for affordable housing and community amenities. SSIWPA, the inter-agency organization with a mandate to promote protection and conservation of our drinking water, should be reinstated.
There is much that the CRD and other agencies can do to address climate change. The good news is that these investments not only strengthen Salt Spring’s climate resiliency, they improve our quality of life right now.