By GARY HOLMAN
Salt Spring CRD director
The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board has approved its 2025 budget, including a 10 per cent requisition increase for regional and local services. Property tax notices, including a summary of the CRD requisition, will be mailed out later this spring.
The CRD is initiating a regional alternative approval process (AAP or “counter petition”) from April 3 to May 16 to determine voter support for a new regional transportation service. I opposed Salt Spring’s inclusion in the AAP since this service results in a significant requisition increase with little additional local benefit. I urge voters to look for information on the CRD website and in local media outlets, and to submit opposing petitions.
The CRD board has now passed the bylaws for two new, voter-approved regional services that can benefit Salt Spring at modest taxpayer cost: Foodland Access, and Biodiversity and Environmental Stewardship. These services will offer financial and other support to facilitate affordable land access for new farmers, and to coordinate ecosystem protection efforts throughout the region, including invasives removal. CRD staff will be conducting workshops on the kinds of initiatives that can be supported through these new programs.
At this time, the CRD Board is not proceeding with further investigation of regional harbour management options. As has been reported, the Local Community Commission is holding an April 10 workshop for stakeholders and First Nations on harbour issues. Improvements in management and support can be and are being made without a formal management regime, including: a more coordinated approach to derelict vessel removal by federal agencies, better access to washrooms and potable water in Centennial Park, more constructive engagement with harbour liveaboards, and monitoring of water quality and environmentally sensitive areas in the harbour.
The CRD Board approved my resolution urging BC Ferries to reinstate ferry advisory committees (FACs) or a similar advisory process. Paul Brent, the CRD director for the Southern Gulf Islands, and myself will be meeting with BC Ferries staff to discuss options for the direct engagement with senior BCF management that FACs had provided.
A number of new Level 2 EV chargers, with grant funding secured by the CRD climate action service, will soon be installed at several of our public properties on the island. BC Hydro (in partnership with the fire district) and Mid Island Co-op are installing Salt Spring’s first Level 3 “fast chargers.” New chargers will be user-pay to cover ongoing maintenance, repair and eventual replacement.
BC Housing has now issued a request for proposals to manage its 36-unit supported and worker housing facility on Drake Road. While fire safety concerns for the building remain, this facility will be transformative for the island. Supported housing, year-round funding for our local homeless shelter and success of The Hearth project affirm Salt Spring’s commitment to our most vulnerable residents as one of the strongest in the region.
Including renovations of the Dean Road boarding house and the former Seabreeze Inne for health worker housing, more than 60 units of supported, affordable and worker housing are now being constructed on Salt Spring. Unfortunately, the province has ended its suite incentive pilot, but incentives are still available federally and through the CRD Rural Housing Program. I applaud the Local Trust Committee for opting into the principal residence requirement of provincial short-term rental legislation to help prevent illegal commercialization of scarce housing on the island.
The NDP–Green partnership agreement includes a commitment to build 30,000 non-market housing units over the next four years. Other new local and regional funding opportunities are also available, and I will continue working with all of these partners to help support affordable housing on Salt Spring.
For any questions or comments, please contact me at: directorss@crd.bc.ca.
The author is CRD Electoral Area Director for Salt Spring Island.