The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) is pleased to share that work is ramping up on the much-anticipated update to the island’s Official Community Plan (OCP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB). These foundational documents guide how land is used and developed on Salt Spring Island and reflects the community’s shared vision for the future.

The updated OCP and LUB will help address some of Salt Spring Island’s most pressing issues, including housing affordability, environmental protection, and climate change resilience.

Community input will be at the heart of this process. While engagement activities have not yet begun, there will be multiple opportunities for you to share your ideas, insights, and priorities as the project moves forward. The LTC is committed to offering inclusive and accessible ways for the community to participate.

To support this important work, the LTC has engaged McElhanney Ltd. to assist with community engagement and bylaw drafting.

Stay informed by visiting the Salt Spring Island OCP/LUB Project Page, or subscribe for Salt Spring Island updates here.

Project Advisory Planning Commission (PAPC) 
To support the update to the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), Islands Trust has created a Project Advisory Planning Commission (PAPC). The PAPC will promote community engagement and the project process by providing advice to the LTC for consideration. These volunteer roles provide an opportunity to help shape land use policies and regulations that will guide the future of Salt Spring Island.

In May 2025, the PAPC members were appointed: Eric G. March (Chair), Tim Hiltz, Anne Gunn, Robert Steinback, Riley Donovan, Maxine Leichter, and John Cade.

The Islands Trust office on Salt Spring Island will be moving to a new conveniently located office space. We have secured a multi-year lease for new office space in Ganges Village, Salt Spring Island at 121 McPhillips Avenue. The new Islands Trust Salt Spring Office is adjacent to other government and business services, including the Capital Regional District. This move comes as BC Hydro seeks to renovate the Salt Spring Hydro office and service yard to better support outage responses and system design to improve service to Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands.

 Dreamhouse Kitchens has been hired to convert the existing retail space into an open, accessible office that will focus on balancing public access to services, while ensuring the safety of staff and equipment. In addition to work space, the new offices will include a more accessible conference room for small meetings. Construction is expected to commence in spring and finish in early summer.

 Islands Trust is no longer operating at its previous office at the BC Hydro Office at #1–500 Lower Ganges Road. Islands Trust is committed to maintaining service continuity for Salt Spring Island residents during the regular hours of Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM. Islands Trust staff will continue to support in-person meetings, including Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee meetings, in-person meetings of boards and commissions, in-person site visits, and in-person engagement activities. Please contact our office at ssiinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca, or by calling 250-537-9144 during regular hours.

Read the full media release here.