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NEGUERUELA, Dr. Jose Luis Bustillo

Driftwood Obituary
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NEGUERUELA, Dr. Jose Luis Bustillo

Dr. Jose Luis Bustillo Negueruela
Born in Logrono, Spain, June 9th, 1931
Died on Salt Spring Island, on November 02, 2021

Born to Captain Ulpiano Bustillo Garcia and Beatriz Negueruela Briones. Delivered by his grandfather, Dr. Sebastian Negueruela Montes.

Jose is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Barbara Gaboury-Bustillo. His daughter Susana Bustillo-Rizkalla, her husband Moness Rizkalla, and loving grandsons Marc and Jon, in Calgary, Alberta. His son, David Bustillo, and his wife Angie Roppo-Bustillo, his loving grandchildren, Amanda, Michael, and Paul in Edmonton, Alberta. Special grandson Ryan Smith and his wife Kim, of Millet, Alberta. His older sister Carmen Bustillo Negueruela, and her family, Madrid, Spain. His younger sister Beatriz de Zengotita and her family in Clearwater Florida and Boston.

Jose Studied Medicine at the University of Salamanca, Spain, from October 1950, obtaining his Medical Doctor degree in September 1956. Resident in Ophthalmology at San Carlos Hospital, Madrid, Spain from October 1956 to November 1957.

Resident in Ophthalmology at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York, U.S., from November 1957 to June 1961, under the direction of Ophthalmologist Dr. Ramon Castroviejo; who performed the worlds first successful human cornea transplant. Dr. Ramon Castroviejo was Jose’s mother’s Cousin. With the Political Dictatorship situation in Spain in 1961, Jose chose to come to Canada, to Edmonton, Alberta. He did experimental surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital from October 1961 to April 1962. Rotating internship from May 1962 to June 1963. Practised Ophthalmology in Edmonton, Alberta from June 1963, until his retirement in February, 2004, at 73 years of age.

During his many years of Ophthalmic Practise, his great joy was his patients, his hobbies of art, drawing and painting, and music. His long walks in the Edmonton River Valley, his love of Spanish food, Rioja wine and Monte Cristo cigars.

Growing up in his formative years in northern Spain, in Santander, Logrono and Gijon, the call of the ocean always beckoned him. Therefore, in September 2006, Jose and his wife Barbara moved to Salt Spring Island, B.C., and for many years was able to commune with nature and the ocean, and spend many years visiting with friends, family and grandchildren on Salt Spring Island, despite his many health issues.

Jose lived a full life, having his 90th birthday in June of this year. A private family service will be held at a later date.

In his memory, if so chosen, he would like donations made to Doctors Without Borders, 551 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V ON8.

Open house set for community use of SIMS

Gail Sjuberg
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Open house set for community use of SIMS

The Capital Regional District’s (CRD) Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation Commission (PARC) has approved in principle the CRD initiating formal discussions with School District 64 (SD64) to enter into a five-year lease agreement to operate the Salt Spring Island Middle School (SIMS) building as a community centre beginning in July 2022. 

If an agreement between the CRD and SD64 is reached, the new community centre will be available for not-for-profit groups, recreation and public service providers to rent space based on PARC’s fees and charges guidelines. 

An open house will be held at SIMS on Friday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for interested potential users to view the available space. A call for expressions of interest to request space will be made following the open house.

The CRD has an established service budget for operating recreation facilities and says it could requisition additional funding in order to keep rental costs for not-for-profit user groups low. It also has facility booking software, online registration capabilities and staff trained in recreation programming, administration and maintenance of recreation facilities.

School District 64 trustees approved a partial closure of SIMS in September, with a full closure at the end of June 2022.

The decision to close SIMS was controversial when first proposed and resulted in a different configuration of grades at island schools.

Books & Bling Sale gets rolling

Gail Sjuberg
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Books & Bling Sale gets rolling

Salt Spring Literacy’s traditional book and jewellery sale fundraiser is just around the corner, and donations are being accepted until Sunday, Nov. 7.

The original plan was to accept donations at the Farmers’ Institute through Tuesday, Nov. 9, but organizers were overwhelmed by the amount of books being dropped off.

Rebranded as the Books & Bling sale, the event runs at the Farmers’ Institute from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 12-13 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14.

“Because of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and our need to keep volunteers safe, we had to switch from our usual practice of holding drop-off events and sorting books during the six months before the sale,” explained Books & Bling committee co-chair Deb McGovern.

She notes that similar events in some other communities only take donations in the days preceding the sale, and Salt Spring Literacy is confident that islanders will adapt to the change and that the hall will as usual be filled with great quality books.

McGovern asks people to remember that donated books must be in good condition, and that a number of things are not accepted. Those include magazines, textbooks, encyclopedias and dictionaries, out-of-date reference books of any kind, and books that are moldy, torn or otherwise in poor shape.

For the jewellery side of Books & Bling, the amount and quality of pieces for sale is bigger and better than ever.

“Salt Spring Literacy is grateful to the community for donating over a thousand pieces of silver, designer, heirloom and costume jewellery, all of which will be affordably priced,” said Bling committee co-chair Pat Campbell. “This year, we will also showcase a dazzling collection of brand new jewellery, thanks to a generous donation from Moriah Boone, the former owner of Frankly Scarlet.”

Patrons must provide proof of vaccination and masks must be worn in the hall.

Booth-Baker pathway fixes proposed

Emelie Peacock
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Booth-Baker pathway fixes proposed

Low and no-cost measures to enhance safety around the Booth Canal pathway completed earlier this year will be given priority in the Capital Regional District’s 2022 capital plan, with more expensive solutions also included in the budget. 

That was the outcome of an Oct. 25 discussion at the Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission (SSITC)  meeting regarding a pathway project that has garnered concern from some residents, mainly around driver sight lines at the Baker and Lower Ganges road intersection and cyclist safety. CRD electoral area director Gary Holman, who sits on the commission together with seven commissioners, said the Booth Canal pathway discussions, while “excruciating,” have also been a lesson the commission can apply to future pathway projects.  

The SSITC, which oversees pedestrian and cycling infrastructure as well as transit, is quite unique as many other communities do not have a similar entity, said Holman.

“It has seen miles of pathways being built in and around particularly Ganges. Overall it’s been quite successful, but the Booth Canal project showed us that we can tighten up our due diligence and our process,” he said.  

“The commission, which includes me, weren’t completely aware of some of the design elements for the pathway,” Holman said, partially due to the tight deadline that went along with nearly half a million dollars in provincial grant funding for the pathway. “[Staff] had to get that work in, and so they kind of rushed the process. But I think myself and the commission also have to be more insistent that we see those designs before we proceed.”  

At the Oct. 25 SSITC meeting, the commission passed a motion to first explore low-cost and no-cost ways of enhancing safety around the Baker and Lower Ganges road intersection to address continued concerns from some residents and cyclists. This includes projects that have already been completed: a white stop line painted at the intersection to improve sightlines for drivers, signs on Lower Ganges warning of the Baker Road intersection, and shrubs and vegetation at the intersection being removed.  

Other plans include possibly installing parabolic mirrors on the golf course side of the intersection, contacting the RCMP to help with speed enforcement along Lower Ganges and more signs warning walkers and cyclists of the intersection.  

Some of these suggestions come from a group of Baker Road area residents, whose main concern was a retaining wall near the Saint Mark’s cemetery, Holman said. 

“This doesn’t mean we won’t redo the retaining wall . . . our motion said let’s explore the low-cost alternatives first,” he said. 

Commissioners also instructed staff to come back and brief them before moving ahead with items related to the pathway in the CRD’s capital plan.  

Four such projects are included in the 2022 to 2026 capital plan. 

One involves removing and possibly relocating the curbs, referred to in the staff report as concrete barriers, along Lower Ganges Road from Baker Road south, except for those that protect a fire hydrant. Paving may need to be done if the curbs are relocated, with $10,000 budgeted for that work in the capital plan for 2022.  

A second project involves relocating the curbs along Lower Ganges Road from the Booth Canal Road intersection north towards Baker Road at a cost of $50,000. The province’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has stated these curbs can only be relocated, not removed. 

To deal with the retaining wall, staff would first do detailed engineering and design work to either demolish, replace or relocate the retaining wall and the pathway north of Baker Road. That work has a $30,000 budget.

Following the completion of engineering and design work, the actual demolition, replacement or relocation of the pathway and retaining wall has $99,000 budgeted for it in 2023. Some $90,000 would come from a Community Works Fund (gas tax) grant, and $9,000 from the CRD. 

In sum, $99,000 would be needed from the CRD’s capital reserve fund for the planned projects, as well as a $90,000 grant. 

“In total, this is an additional $189,000 spent on a pathway that currently meets all MOTI requirements and specifications,” the staff report noted.  

The designs were done by the Stantec engineering firm, passed by the CRD engineer and agreed to by MOTI.  

“So our staff’s view is to do further work on Booth Canal, after it’s gone through several sets of engineers . . . it’s not necessary. But nevertheless, there are concerns for both folks living on Baker Road and also cyclists with those curbs,” Holman said. “[Staff] don’t see the need, from a technical or safety perspective, but members of the community do and the commission wants to respond to that.” 

Also on Oct. 25, the commission passed their first tree removal guidelines, an action spurred by the pathway project. Some residents protested after two dozen or so trees designated as dangerous were removed during construction. Part of the new process involves including trees set to be removed on design documents, which would then be reviewed and approved by the commissions or committees before the trees are cut down. 

It will be a busy year for Salt Spring’s roads, Holman said, with MOTI committed to repaving Ganges hill up to the Cranberry Road junction in 2022. This will involve widening the shoulder lanes on both sides, with at least a 1.5-metre paved shoulder and another .5 metre of packed gravel. Ganges hill has been a priority for the commission for a number of years, Holman said.

An off-road path on Upper Ganges Road from Leisure Lane up to Merchant Mews, which is the next priority pathway after Booth Canal, is to be undertaken in 2022, Holman said. The capital plan also includes a $60,000 grant to complete a Ganges village transportation plan, as part of broader Ganges village area planning work currently being undertaken by the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee. 

Jump start offered for early learning and care courses

Contributed Article
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Jump start offered for early learning and care courses

BY MAGGIE ALLISON

Manager of Career Development & Community Initiatives for School District 64

Students in the Gulf Islands will have two opportunities to begin post-secondary training in Early Learning and Care (ELC) while still in high school commencing in February 2022. 

This first-ever dual credit offering is a pilot funded through the Ministry of Education. Dual credit means that students receive both high school and college credit for courses completed. And it is tuition free.

The first option, in partnership with Camosun College, will allow students to enrol in a cluster of courses, earning them 15 college credits and 20 high school credits towards graduation. This cohort will include Tuesday evening classes at the Interurban Campus of Camosun, monthly weekend classes and a one-week campus intensive. This pathway would allow students to get a jump start on their diploma, completing in the spring of 2023. The entire diploma is a two-year, four-semester program totalling 66 credits of study and over 400 hours of applied practice in a practicum setting with children and families.

For a Grade 12 student with a light second semester, this could yield a huge bonus, simply by foregoing a part-time job for one semester.

As a recognized program in B.C., the Camosun ELC Diploma graduate is eligible to apply for both a certificate to practice in B.C. as well as a special educator — based on their final practicum choice — as either an “inclusive care educator” (special needs) or as an infant/toddler educator to work with very young children from birth to age three.

Graduates are prepared to provide leadership and advocacy within the community and have many opportunities for employment in a variety of settings including Early Years Childhood Programs, Outdoor/Nature-based/Forest Preschool and Kindergarten programs, First Nations Head Start programs and school district Strong Start programs as well as working in school district K-2 classes.

These ELC diploma graduates can also receive credits to ladder into select degree programs throughout B.C.: University of Victoria, Vancouver Island University, University of the Fraser Valley, Douglas College and Capilano University. 

The second option is to enrol in single courses offered by Vancouver Island University, starting in February. Classes will be a combination of face-to-face and online offerings held Wednesday afternoons at the Cowichan campus of VIU. Sign up to take the one course that allows you to work as a paid ECE assistant in a daycare setting.

If working with children and training as an educator is part of your future, the time to act is now. Spots are limited and early applications are recommended. 

For more information, email me at mallison@sd64.org.

Economic and other impacts of the arts measured in study

Emelie Peacock
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Economic and other impacts of the arts measured in study

The first-ever arts impact study for Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands has found that the sector brings in nearly $1 billion each year and has five times more artists than previously thought in the region.

Through interviews, surveys and focus groups, the Digital Innovation Group study deemed the area an “arts super region” with 35,000 full-time and casual creatives as well as 25 arts councils active. The study found $910 million in direct economic output flowed from the arts in 2019, contributing $676 million in GDP and supporting 21,920 full-time jobs. 

Executive director of Salt Spring Arts Yael Wand said the report helps quantify the impact of the arts on the local economy as well as cultural, social and health impacts. 

“Nobody in the arts likes to talk about economic impact, because nobody in the arts is doing it for money,” she said. “We all know it, intrinsically, but attaching economics to arts is almost an antithesis to the point of why people are in the arts.” 

Yet knowing these numbers is important, Wand said, and they show that the arts sector is larger than previously thought and also larger than other industries, such as the Victoria cruise ship economy. The study also noted the arts supports 35 per cent more jobs than the region’s forestry sector.

The arts are also a significant draw for tourists, and the 1.2 million “cultural tourists” who came to the region in 2019 tended to spend more and stay longer than other types of visitors.

Ninety-five per cent of businesses who contributed to the study said the local arts sector makes the community a better place to conduct business. An estimated $400 million was spent at local businesses either before or after cultural events in the region in 2019. 

Owing to the pandemic, 2020 and 2021 saw most events halted or moved online. The study found that businesses suffered as a result, with 42 per cent reporting a loss of at least 50 per cent of their revenue in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Yet even being an economic boon to Salt Spring, “the truth is that our community relies on that reputation but it doesn’t invest back in that reputation,” Wand said. She pointed to how artists are relied upon heavily in tourism marketing and often perform or showcase their work without being paid for their time.

Zoning issues can also hamper the arts sector, Wand said, referencing Dragonfly Art Supplies’ 2019 plans to house affordable artist studios in their Rainbow Road facility through a property rezoning. 

“For many reasons and also their own decisions, they had to close that down. A lot of it was having to struggle with zoning issues,” she said.

Another example Wand cited were plans to find a home for the PitchFork Social music series at Bullock Lake, stymied by neighbourhood opposition, land use regulations, a drawn-out application process and ultimately the developer deciding to withdraw their application.  

“When people come up with new creative ways to support business and culture, unfortunately our island isn’t always friendly to those new ideas and new ways, and isn’t always flexible enough to see the value and to make sure those things can thrive,” she said. 

Salt Spring’s ongoing housing crisis was not missed, as the study cited the need to create affordable housing and workspaces for artists. The study noted community arts spaces are also needed, including multi-use spaces that can also be tourism destinations.

“As our established arts and culture creators are aging out and retiring, who is coming in to replace them to maintain that cultural identity of the island . . . and where’s the spaces they can work?” Wand asked, noting that planning for housing and facilities is critical to support a new generation of artists and creatives on Salt Spring. 

Other “opportunity areas” as the report labels them, include breaking down silos between artistic disciplines and better melding the arts into the fabric of the community. 

These silos can be seen on Salt Spring in the form of groups being territorial about their projects or not connecting with other groups. 

“We’re definitely seeing change in that realm,” Wand observed. “People are collaborating more and we’re certainly trying to do that through the arts council.” 

Opportunity exists, she added, to connect the arts to businesses and to organizations working on sustainability or equity and diversity. 

The report also calls for addressing the sector’s “overreliance on volunteers.” Cultural organizations usually employ an average of two full-time staff and over 40 volunteers, whose volunteer time is valued at $115 million per year. 

Wand said Salt Spring’s legacy of volunteerism is incredible and will continue to be key in the arts, yet “in order to have sustainable facilities and organizations, we have to make sure that we’ve got a healthy balance between volunteerism and professional staff.” 

The study found that overwhelmingly, the arts and culture sector is an important force for social connection and well being, and also for attracting people to live in a community. With arts councils involved in downtown renewal and community art projects, 94 per cent of those surveyed agreed that the sector helps to create a distinct local identity. 

Using international findings to quantify the social impact of the arts, the study wrote that the arts have a return on investment of 5 to 1. This means that if $100 is invested into the arts it is possible to see a return of $500 of social impact through, for example, improvements in mental health. 

The study also highlighted the role artists play as thought leaders, with the ability to portray emerging issues and “[challenge] others to reflect and act upon collective problems in unique ways.” 

“It’s way more than hanging a painting on a wall. There’s a lot more we need to be doing,” Wand said, noting that the study will be used to strategically plan, to advocate in the community and with funders to help build the sector locally. 

“Arts should be at the table when we’re doing community planning, it should be at the table when we’re talking about mental health or education. Arts is kind of a key pillar in our community identity, so let’s make sure arts and artists are at the table,” Wand said. 

The study, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, was carried out by the consulting group Nordicity and coordinated by the Digital Innovation Group, which brings together island arts councils. Findings were presented at the Oct. 27-28 Vancouver Island Economic Alliance Summit. 

Viewpoint: Island geology should be considered in Vortex application

Contributed Article
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Viewpoint: Island geology should be considered in Vortex application

By HUGH GREENWOOD

Dear SSI Local Trust Committee members:

You appear to have placed insufficient weight on the advice of your staff and freshwater advisor, and have missed some important relevant data in regards to the Vortex application.

The initial advice in the first staff report of Dec. 17, 2019 recommends rejecting the application, citing numerous official community plan incompatibilities and problems with siting the project in a near-shore position with a water table susceptible to tidal influence and inadequate characterization and plans for the septic system. I believe their advice was excellent, well-researched and should have been followed. 

Another staff report recommends proceeding, with conditions. The geotechnical reports by Ryzuk and associates are thorough and focus mainly on the structural problems associated with building on a base subject to possible liquefaction, but suggest engineering remedies that would make it structurally acceptable. Hydrologic problems are not directly addressed.

Other available data that deserve consideration are the report by LaRocque, Allen and Kirste, the Geohydrology of Salt Spring Island, which is recorded in Trust files, and the geologic map by Greenwood and Mihalynuk (2009). The geohydrology study contains detailed analysis of how the groundwater table fluctuates under the influence of the tides, especially in near-shore environments with low topographic relief. The water table is shallow and vulnerable, even with normal tidal ranges and may adversely affect the proposed septic sewage field.

The geologic map is illustrated in the application, but an important feature is not addressed. One of the largest faults on Salt Spring runs along the northeast side of the Fulford valley directly beneath the bed of Fulford Creek. Such faults are known to have springs and are likely to provide major conduits for groundwater and may have a large influence on the groundwater in this area of low relief, high tides and a proposed septic system with planned direct discharge to the intertidal zone in Fulford Harbour.

I urge you to reconsider your approval of this project and to follow the advice of the first staff report, which recommends rejection. At the very least, there should be no approval without having a full professional report on the hydrology. This report should give specific attention to the possible hydrologic effects of a major fault underlying the site and the influence of the tides on the groundwater and on the proposed septic field. The hydrology study will likely require monitoring of a well over a range of tides to assess the dynamics of the tidal effect and responses to precipitation. There also should be a thorough professional report by a biologist to determine the effects of this project on the biology and ecology of the area, with special attention to the possible effect of the septic effluent on the intertidal zone that will receive the effluent. Until those reports are in hand there should be no further consideration of the project.

An alternative might be to insist on the original OCP setbacks and installation of a full tertiary sewage treatment plant with off-site removal of all effluent.

A better alternative would be direct rejection of the application.

The writer is a retired engineer living on Salt Spring.

One person found dead at cabin fire

Driftwood Staff
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One person found dead at cabin fire

One person is dead following a cabin fire at 671 Beaver Point Road this morning.

According to a press release from Acting Fire Chief Jamie Holmes, Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) received a call about a fire in the 600 block of Beaver Point Road at 4:37 a.m. Saturday.

“Upon arrival, at 05:02 a.m., a small 400-square-foot cabin was fully involved with fire and the building collapsed as crews were setting up to apply water. With no driveway access to the cabin, crews had to access the building up a narrow trail. SSIFR had water on the fire at 5:08 a.m., contained the fire to the building of origin, and knocked down the visible flames by 5:15. The fire was completely extinguished by 5:44 a.m.,. using 5,500 gallons of water through a tender shuttle. The fire is still under investigation and no cause has been determined at this point. The crews cleared scene at 9:30 a.m.”

Holmes said a person was found deceased within the building, and the scene has therefore been handed over to the RCMP and the BC Coroner’s Office, who will take over the investigation, with co-operation from SSIFR. “Please keep the area clear for them to be able to do their work effectively,” said Holmes.

“Our thoughts go out to the family and friends in this tragic situation,” he added.

The victim’s name has not been released by the Salt Spring RCMP or BC Coroner’s Office.

Labour shortage reality shared by local panel

Emelie Peacock
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Labour shortage reality shared by local panel

Businesses are cross training, doling out perks and strategizing how to find and keep workers, as Salt Spring Island experiences a labour shortage compounded by a lack of housing. 

In a virtual panel hosted by the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 21 as part of Small Business Week events, three business leaders from the island’s grocery, artisanal food, restaurant and accommodation industries tackled what appears to be a growing labour shortage felt across industries. The panel heard about a range of approaches being taken by local businesses to find and keep workers, including cross training, automation, offering discounts and benefits, and even providing workforce housing. 

Country Grocer is one of the island’s largest employers with 160 employees. Senior manager Matteo Hermani said the company has taken the step of purchasing housing and renting units to their employees at an affordable rate, charging around half of what the same kind of housing would currently go for on the market.

“It is a situation where we either make affordable housing available, or Salt Spring Island is going to basically not have any good, solid labour force,” he said. “Because it’s just not possible to make ends meet if you are making $17 to $20 an hour and then have to spend most of the money on rent.” 

Offering housing is not possible for all businesses, said Salt Spring Inn owner Jeremy Milsom.

“In private businesses, there’s so many considerations in even being able to offer a job. Profit margins are razor thin, and your competition will take advantage of making sure that they’re in a favourable position,” he said.

The very high cost of housing and the local regulatory regime “pretty well not [permitting] anything that might be considered auxiliary” combine to create a difficult situation, he added.  

Having to house workers is inevitable, said Daniel Wood, and he understands why several island businesses are doing so. 

“But it’s something that I really wish didn’t need to happen, not just because it’s incredibly expensive and we can’t really afford to do it,” said Wood, who is general manager of Salt Spring Island Cheese. “But also, it creates this situation where people are both your employee and your tenant, and I just think it’s not healthy, it’s not ideal.” 

Several of the island’s essential services are being affected by the housing shortage. Last week, the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation announced it had created an online portal where property owners can list their available housing for hospital staff to access. In an Oct. 21 update, the foundation stated housing shortages are “hampering the hospital’s ability to both recruit new staff and also retain existing staff.”

Foundation executive director Roberta Martell said there are currently 31 positions to be filled at the hospital.

As Rainbow Road pool has opened up for drop-in swimming seven days a week after COVID- related closures, this facility is also short staffed, said Dan Ovington, manager of the Capital Regional District’s Salt Spring parks and recreation department. Ovington hadn’t anticipated shortages because the island offered lifeguard training during the pandemic, yet a number of senior staff were recruited to other aquatic facilities in the region. Other vacant positions “support the administration, recreation program delivery and our major capital projects that are currently underway in our community parks and recreation properties,” said Ovington.

The CRD and a range of other businesses, government and non-profit agencies are actively hiring, as indicated by 67 open positions on the online Salt Spring Exchange job board.  

Panelists at Thursday’s event were asked by chamber executive director Jesse Brown whether upping wages would make it more feasible to live on the island. 

Hermani acknowledged that in the business community in general, wage increases are seen as a “dirty word,” yet there is evidence they do not negatively impact business. On Salt Spring, however, Hermani said wages would need to reach “quite exorbitant” rates to make a difference in the present housing market. 

Wood added that even with wage increases, there is still a limited pool of people to hire. He painted a bleak possible future where more people are commuting to the island for work. 

“We’re becoming a bit of a Martha’s Vineyard kind of situation where we’re having to import people in to the island who can’t actually afford to live here. And they’re not really part of the community at all, if all they do is show up for work and then turn around and leave again,” he said. “That’s the other reality of this, which is we’re going to lose the character of our island if we’re not careful.”

Milsom said he’s been lucky to have many employees stay with the inn for several years. While they’ve experienced some challenges filling kitchen positions, Milsom said some employees have now been trained to work in positions across the restaurant and the inn. Managers have also upped their hours to handle the shortage. And the inn recently decided to close all day on Wednesday and on Sunday evenings. Milsom said this is partly due to staff shortages and partly to allow their kitchen manager guaranteed time off.

Hermani said they have had to “really up their game” and are constantly hiring staff, which is the complete opposite of 10 and even five years ago when the grocer had to turn applicants away. They now offer what Hermani said is a “phenomenal” discount on food as well as benefits, travel bursaries, student bursaries and overtime pay. 

Some island businesses have already implemented or are planning to implement automation as part of the solution. Milsom said the inn now has two cloud-based programs that have already reduced two to three hours of labour needed per day. Country Grocer will be forced to look at installing two to four self checkouts, Hermani said, yet the plan is to keep the same number of cashiers. For businesses like Salt Spring Island Cheese, automation isn’t in the works, as part of the appeal of their products is that they look and are hand made.

Using volunteer labour was suggested by webinar attendee Rod Martens, whose Chorus Frog Farm has invited customers to help at the farm in exchange for farm stand credit. Customers like being a part of the farming process, Martens said, and it is “basically the definition of community-supported agriculture.” 

The pandemic has changed the labour needs of island businesses. In Milsom’s restaurant, more staff are needed in order to check vaccine cards. At Country Grocer, a lot of overtime hours were accrued during the pandemic and more staff were also trained to be cashiers. 

The business owners were generally in agreement that the federal government’s $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which expired Oct. 23, gave people the chance and the time to consider their alternatives and what they want to do in life. Hermani said CERB funding reduced the workforce, yet not dramatically. Students leaving the store to attend educational institutions has impacted Country Grocer much more.

Wood agrees that the CERB may not have helped the labour shortage, yet said the housing shortage is a much bigger concern. 

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