An island man who stopped by to visit Salt Spring’s RCMP detachment Thursday, July 17, did so not because of an emergency or to report a crime, officials said — rather, he wanted to personally thank an officer whose kind actions months earlier likely saved the man’s life. 

On Friday, April 4, Salt Spring Island RCMP Const. Kevin Lloyd had been called to a residence to check on the man’s well-being — at the request of his out-of-province family, according to Salt Spring Island RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Clive Seabrook, who said they had not heard from their elderly father in a couple of months. When police arrived, they found the man appeared to have been living in unhealthy conditions. 

The man was initially reluctant — “Respectfully, he wasn’t having anything to do with it,” said Sgt. Seabrook — and was adamant that he was fine and needed no help. But Const. Lloyd stayed, continuing to speak with the man for over an hour. Eventually he built a rapport between them, and the man agreed to be transported to the hospital by ambulance for his health to be checked. 

Months later, he stopped by the detachment to show his appreciation for Const. Lloyd and the detachment staff — and to share his medical treatment and diagnosis. It turned out, according to Sgt. Seabrook, the man had been unknowingly bleeding internally for some time, and according to his doctors would have succumbed within the next 24 hours had it not been for Const. Lloyd’s life-saving intervention, convincing him to get treated. 

“What started as a standard call became something far more profound,” said C/Supt. Bruce Singer, commanding officer for the Island District RCMP. “Despite being met with hesitation and resistance, Const. Lloyd stayed present, didn’t rush, didn’t retreat but instead listened, showed compassion and built a connection that ultimately saved his life. 

“This is what ‘Beyond the Mission’ truly means,” he continued, “acting not just out of obligation, but out of care and commitment to another human being.” 

SȾÁUTW (Tsawout) First Nation administration say they hope B.C. officials learn from mistakes and help craft a remediation plan quickly after what appeared to be Indigenous cultural materials — including midden soil — were disturbed during roadwork on Salt Spring’s Fulford-Ganges Road. 

It was an avoidable situation, according to SȾÁUTW First Nation chief operating officer Micah Claxton, who said while the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) has established procedures that reduce the risks to archeological sites during such projects, it appeared they had not all been followed.  

While work on the Fulford-Ganges Road project was underway in early May, Claxton said, SȾÁUTW received word from MoTT that an inexperienced excavator operator — working without an archeological monitor — dug into what Claxton said was a known archeological site, and that they had already removed and transported the material to the project’s “laydown area” — a designated space for temporary materials storage — before it was discovered the material could be of significance. 

“It then took [the ministry] a couple of days to do their site investigation before SȾÁUTW  was notified,” said Claxton, calling the whole episode a “management fail.”  

“I don’t think the excavator operator knew what was in there, but that’s the whole point,” he said. “If you have new staff on site, it’s their responsibility to kind of notify them, ‘there’s an area right here, right beside our project, that you can’t be digging in.’” 

Claxton said SȾÁUTW policy is to have one of its cultural monitors on site alongside provincial contractors any time work is near a known archeological site, but they weren’t notified they needed to be there. 

While ministry officials confirmed to the Driftwood that the contractor for the Fulford-Ganges Road project “conducted work outside the requirements of the Heritage Conservation Act (HCA),” an official statement stopped short of saying whether protected artifacts were found at the project site, or indeed whether the area overlapped or was adjacent to a known archeological site.  

That vagueness is likely related to a degree of secrecy required of public agencies and their representatives by provincial law, as both the nature and location of archaeological sites are confidential and protected from public disclosure under the HCA. Representatives for the contractor, Northridge Excavating Ltd., declined comment and deferred to the ministry. 

Middens are culturally significant archeological sites containing seashells and often bones and artifacts from past Indigenous settlements; the chemical makeup of the fragmented shells helps preserve organic material hidden within them, including wooden tools and other objects that can give insight into daily life in and around historical First Nations villages. 

The statement from MoTT said both it and the Ministry of Forests were committed to ensuring any culturally significant areas are protected and had been working with the contractor and local First Nations “to ensure the issue is corrected.” 

“Archaeological work associated with this project is ongoing in coordination with construction,” the ministry said in its statement. “If any artifacts are encountered, the relevant First Nations are notified through established reporting processes.” 

Claxton said SȾÁUTW̱ had quickly agreed to have a stop work order lifted so the road could be regraded for safety purposes, and that he understood the material — an unclear amount, he said, but multiple truck loads — has since been removed from the laydown area on private property and transported to a provincially managed site. 

“There we can do all the sifting required to figure out what’s in there,” said Claxton. “What’s done is done, but I hope that both the ministry and SȾÁUTW can take it as a learning lesson and try to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” 

No penalties or regulatory decisions have been announced, but the ministry said where culturally sensitive areas are identified it works with the relevant First Nations to co-develop mitigation strategies when necessary — and that the contractor is responsible for any additional costs incurred through that process.  

Claxton said while the situation was disappointing — particularly given what he characterized as an improving relationship with the ministry, as they had recently been successful working together on several projects — it was also an opportunity for reflection. 

“I have three little boys,” said Claxton. “I find they learn a lot more from failures than they do from just having it happen easily for them. I think that’s the only positive that can come from it: learn from your mistakes.” 

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON

FOR ARTSPRING

While slightly under last year’s 25th anniversary fundraising record, the results of this year’s recent Treasure Fair topped an impressive $105,000 in ArtSpring’s largest fundraising event of the year.

With 500 donated items at all price points up for auction, the outcome was substantially swayed by the winning bid for Carol Brown’s 2004 Steinway & Sons grand piano, a bid which almost didn’t happen and came with a stroke of serendipity.

Bidding came down to two main parties, including from partners Johanna Ens and Alexander Klauser, who moved to Salt Spring just over three years ago looking for a quieter life. Very involved in the classical and choral music scene in Winnipeg and Vancouver, with Klauser being a visual artist and musician in Canada and in Germany, who studies, in particular, the essence of Bach — they had been seeking what he called a “real piano” since arriving.

“We were returning from a trip days before the auction took place,” said Ens. “If we had not happened across the ad and the article headlining the Steinway and Treasure Fair in the Driftwood, we would have missed out on this opportunity entirely.”

They registered late mid-auction on July 17, scheduled a visit to Brown’s home to chat and play the piano for 30 minutes on July 19, and by the end of the day, the winning bid was placed 10 minutes before auction closing.

“Meeting Johanna and Alexander was an absolute gift,” said Brown. “I’m thrilled my piano will be going to such a lovely couple who values music as they do and I do, and I am pleased it will remain on the island within the community.”

Parting with “Isabella” — as her beloved piano is named — proved to be an emotional experience for Brown. After 20 joyful years, Brown’s arthritis and a degenerative eye condition rendered playing the keys and reading music anymore very limited, and difficult decisions needed to be made.

“As a 23-year supporter of ArtSpring, [my husband] Ted and I have always intended to leave a future bequest,” explained Brown. “But I came to realize the piano was a tangible asset in the here and now that could do some good and provide immediate value to Treasure Fair and ArtSpring. It was the right decision.”

For Ens and Klauser, “What helped make this decision for us was that all proceeds were going to ArtSpring,” said Ens. “We have been avid concert-goers here in Canada and internationally and appreciate ArtSpring’s vital role in this community and feel privileged to contribute in a small way.”

The signs also seemed to be aligned when, in the course of conversation, the parties discovered they shared mutual memories of the richness of Winnipeg’s musical scene during the time of Maestro Bramwell Tovey’s tenure at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, including being at the same concert at the same time and not knowing it.

The year marked the introduction of a new Treasure Fair coordinator, Janna Zahorodniuk, who was supported by veteran committee head Catherine Griffiths and an army of volunteers. Some of the reported highlights and trends included an above-normal “buy-it-now” immediate response to items within minutes or hours of going live, including very quirky or unexpected items.

Gift cards, services and experiences remained popular, as did curated baskets of wine and whiskey. The last five-minute frenzy of bidding secured the 13-foot Penobscot sailing dinghy, which a man acquired for his grandson, and the always compelling Yukon Northern Lights Adventure, which was finally snapped up by a couple who had tried for years.

A final highlight of the event was the Treasure Fair concert which also marked the end of ArtSpring’s 2024/25 season. Zachary Stevenson’s signature revue Dead Ringer, where Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Hank Williams come back to life, was the most joyous sold-out audience of the season with enthusiastic dancing in the aisles and an outpouring of community spirit.

Questions often arise about what happens to items that don’t receive bids. Items with no bids are available in person on Sunday at the opening bid value or returned to owner. On Monday, local charities Transitions and Lady Minto Thrift Store are invited to select items for their respective thrift stores to ensure donated treasures are not wasted and find a home.

Funds raised are applied entirely toward supporting ArtSpring’s operations, programming and maintenance upkeep.

ArtSpring Treasure Fair auction nets $105,000

Driftwood ad and article led to happy piano purchase

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON

FOR ARTSPRING

While slightly under last year’s 25th anniversary fundraising record, the results of this year’s recent Treasure Fair topped an impressive $105,000 in ArtSpring’s largest fundraising event of the year.

With 500 donated items at all price points up for auction, the outcome was substantially swayed by the winning bid for Carol Brown’s 2004 Steinway & Sons grand piano, a bid which almost didn’t happen and came with a stroke of serendipity.

Bidding came down to two main parties, including from partners Johanna Ens and Alexander Klauser, who moved to Salt Spring just over three years ago looking for a quieter life. Very involved in the classical and choral music scene in Winnipeg and Vancouver, with Klauser being a visual artist and musician in Canada and in Germany, who studies, in particular, the essence of Bach — they had been seeking what he called a “real piano” since arriving.

“We were returning from a trip days before the auction took place,” said Ens. “If we had not happened across the ad and the article headlining the Steinway and Treasure Fair in the Driftwood, we would have missed out on this opportunity entirely.”

They registered late mid-auction on July 17, scheduled a visit to Brown’s home to chat and play the piano for 30 minutes on July 19, and by the end of the day, the winning bid was placed 10 minutes before auction closing.

“Meeting Johanna and Alexander was an absolute gift,” said Brown. “I’m thrilled my piano will be going to such a lovely couple who values music as they do and I do, and I am pleased it will remain on the island within the community.”

Parting with “Isabella” — as her beloved piano is named — proved to be an emotional experience for Brown. After 20 joyful years, Brown’s arthritis and a degenerative eye condition rendered playing the keys and reading music anymore very limited, and difficult decisions needed to be made.

“As a 23-year supporter of ArtSpring, [my husband] Ted and I have always intended to leave a future bequest,” explained Brown. “But I came to realize the piano was a tangible asset in the here and now that could do some good and provide immediate value to Treasure Fair and ArtSpring. It was the right decision.”

For Ens and Klauser, “What helped make this decision for us was that all proceeds were going to ArtSpring,” said Ens. “We have been avid concert-goers here in Canada and internationally and appreciate ArtSpring’s vital role in this community and feel privileged to contribute in a small way.”

The signs also seemed to be aligned when, in the course of conversation, the parties discovered they shared mutual memories of the richness of Winnipeg’s musical scene during the time of Maestro Bramwell Tovey’s tenure at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, including being at the same concert at the same time and not knowing it.

The year marked the introduction of a new Treasure Fair coordinator, Janna Zahorodniuk, who was supported by veteran committee head Catherine Griffiths and an army of volunteers. Some of the reported highlights and trends included an above-normal “buy-it-now” immediate response to items within minutes or hours of going live, including very quirky or unexpected items.

Gift cards, services and experiences remained popular, as did curated baskets of wine and whiskey. The last five-minute frenzy of bidding secured the 13-foot Penobscot sailing dinghy, which a man acquired for his grandson, and the always compelling Yukon Northern Lights Adventure, which was finally snapped up by a couple who had tried for years.

A final highlight of the event was the Treasure Fair concert which also marked the end of ArtSpring’s 2024/25 season. Zachary Stevenson’s signature revue Dead Ringer, where Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Hank Williams come back to life, was the most joyous sold-out audience of the season with enthusiastic dancing in the aisles and an outpouring of community spirit.

Questions often arise about what happens to items that don’t receive bids. Items with no bids are available in person on Sunday at the opening bid value or returned to owner. On Monday, local charities Transitions and Lady Minto Thrift Store are invited to select items for their respective thrift stores to ensure donated treasures are not wasted and find a home.

Funds raised are applied entirely toward supporting ArtSpring’s operations, programming and maintenance upkeep.

Elected fire officials learned last week the district is planning its smallest year-over-year budget increase in years — and it may be the start of a welcome trend. 

While the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District (SSIFPD) proposed budget for 2026 has grown to finally top $6 million, the annual increase of 6.9 per cent revealed at the district’s meeting Monday, July 21 could signal relative relief for a department accustomed to double-digit hikes, according to trustees and staff who praised the hard-found reduction. 

“We’ve been at the [higher] levels for several years,” said trustee Robin Williams, who served on the district’s finance committee, “and I think we can justify that somewhat — but I’m glad to see we’ve got it down.” 

Based upon the budget as drafted — and including future plans for capital improvements, wage increases and likely hikes in operational expenses — district CAO Rodney Dieleman said it looked as if large annual tax increases were finally in the rear-view mirror. 

“We think the budget can come in around six to seven per cent [increases] going forward,” said Dieleman, noting the higher amounts in previous years helped establish district goals like 24/7 fire response and some equipment needs.

“Things can change, but it points to a lower taxation rate than we’ve been accustomed to.” 

Last year’s presentation from Dieleman detailed a 9.88 per cent increase over the previous year, which followed along with increases between 9 and nearly 11 per cent since 2021, at the time attributed to those service increases, growing inflation and wage costs.  

The board gave the bylaw setting the year’s budget — and the tax to pay for it — first reading on Monday and voted to present the draft budget to ratepayers for their input at a town hall meeting set for Sept. 8. 

As the Islands Trust marks its ninth month without a physical presence at what is typically its staff’s busiest location, trustees learned of a $90,000 budget shortfall for the Salt Spring Island office renovation project — and that it could be mostly covered by salary savings, at least partly related to that office not being open. 

Salt Spring’s Islands Trust staff have not had a physical office on the island since closing their doors in late October of 2024 at their previous space on Lower Ganges Road. In 2023, property owner BC Hydro had given notice it would not be renewing the Trust’s lease. After a move-out date extension and an exhaustive property search, trustees finally secured a space this past fall in Ganges — and began substantial and still-unfinished renovations to the former Apple Photo location at 121 McPhillips Ave. 

An initial cost estimate of $210,000 was reduced to $160,000 during budget deliberations in March 2024, although after staff received bid responses, the Executive Committee approved another $55,500 a few months later. Today, according to a staff report, much of the current budget year’s “shortfall” can be attributed to funds unspent in the first year, mostly due to delays in receiving a building permit and other contracting issues.  

There are relatively modest “budget adjustments” incoming, according to staff — a higher amount than forecast needed for cooling a dedicated computer service room, for example, and an unmet accessibility requirement in the new space that will require shifting the position of a wall.  

But notably, trustees learned that between two Salt Spring Island staff vacancies and another at the Trust’s northern office — and alongside the relatively small savings from office services, stemming from the Salt Spring office’s delayed opening — the majority of the shortfall will be offset.  

“Perhaps most substantive is the [temporary] island planner vacancy on Salt Spring Island,” planning services director Stefan Cermak told the Islands Trust’s Executive Committee Wednesday, July 23. “Try as we may, it’s been a challenge to fill that position, and we’re now at the point — with just four months to go until the planner is scheduled to return — it seemed logical to continue that.” 

The remainder — less than $9,000 — may be funded through a grant opportunity, according to the staff report.  

“Salt Spring needs an office back,” said Lasqueti Island trustee and Salt Spring Local Trust Committee chair Tim Peterson. “I’ve certainly heard from residents of Salt Spring that the timeline has not been what we had anticipated, and that’s frustrating for the public.” 

The Salt Spring Island office in the past has been used for meetings and training, as well as for Islands Trust staff, including planning services members and the bylaw compliance and enforcement team.

The new space is currently scheduled to open in September.