Choose an island area and the next time you visit this site you’ll be redirected to news, events, trustee communications and other relevant content specific to your area of interest.
Choose an island area and the next time you visit this site you’ll be redirected to news, events, trustee communications and other relevant content specific to your area of interest.
The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) seeks applications for its Advisory Planning Commissions.
ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION
The Advisory Planning Commission (APC) consists of up to 11 members. It advises the LTC on community planning and development matters including Official Community Plan and Land Use Bylaw changes, development applications, and LTC projects. Appointments are for a 2-year term.
AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION
The Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission (AAPC) consists of up to 7 members. It advises the LTC on community planning and development related to farming and agriculture such as Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) applications and current projects. Applicants should have a background in farming or agriculture. Appointments are for a 2-year term.
If you are interested, please submit an application form and resume by FridayMay 10, 2024
In anticipation of an upcoming relocation, the Islands Trust office on Salt Spring Island will be implementing a weekly closure to the public.
Starting March 13, 2024, the Salt Spring Island sub-office will be closed to the public every Wednesday until further notice.
Why the Closure?
This temporary closure is necessary for a few reasons:
Preparing for relocation: we’re preparing for an exciting change—an office relocation to a more accessible location. This closure will support staff in undertaking additional work duties that support a seamless transition, enabling us to serve you even better.
Optimizing our support team: to ensure consistent and efficient service, we’re taking this time to fine-tune our staffing arrangements. This closure empowers us to optimize our team’s support capabilities, ensuring you always receive the service and assistance you need.
How Can You Reach Us?
Although our physical office location will be closed on Wednesdays, we’re still here to help during regular office hours Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30:
Please be advised that the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee will be considering first reading of draft Bylaw No. 537 cited as “Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee, Bylaw No. 355. Land Use Bylaw, 1999, Amendment No. 2, 2023”. A copy of the notice and the draft bylaw can be found here. Meeting details can be found here.
To review the agendas, minutes and recordings of any Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee meeting or see details of how to join electronic meetings, visit our meeting calendar.
The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee is working with residents, businesses, and First Nations to create a vision and plan for the future of Ganges (Shiya’hwt/SYOWT) Village.
Shiya’hwt/SYOWT are the names of this place used by the Hul’q’umi’num and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples.
The new plan will be shaped by the hopes and insights of the community. It will guide future development and change in a way that supports the community’s social, economic, cultural, and environmental goals. It will support the Trust’s commitment to tackling the causes and impacts of climate change, and to reconciliation with First Nations, including the preservation of First Nations’ heritage.
The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee has engaged Ahne Studio to work with them and the Salt Spring Island Ganges Village Area Plan Task Force to host the community engagement process. Ahne Studio is an engagement planning consultancy rooted in participatory design, whose plans are co-created with the communities they consult.
Focus on First Nations and public engagement
With the conclusion of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee’s work with Ahne Studio, at their May 17 meeting trustees expressed gratitude for the work by Ahne Studio, Trust staff, Task Force members and all the public that have participated so far.
The Ganges Gathers Engagement Summary PDF can be found here.
Walking tours of the village to share insights and ideas on December 4.
Community Ideas Fair at the Public Library on December 5 for all-ages to share input in fun and creative ways.
Pop Up Kiosks from December 2 – 5 for passersby to share input in a fun and casual way.
Conversation Circle to engage those who have or are currently experiencing housing challenges as well as challenges related to additions, mental health and inadequate income and supports.
Virtual Sessions with community organizations that have specific interest, knowledge and/or influence/jurisdictions over topics that relate to the planning process.
Student Activities through self-directed, student-focused engagement exercises.
Background
At their meeting on October 6, 2020, the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee (SSI LTC) directed staff to develop a Ganges Village Area Plan to ensure development occurs in a coordinated, sustainable, and resilient manner in order to address the issues impacting the social, economic, cultural, and environmental sustainability of Ganges Village.
On November 10, 2020, SSI LTC adopted resolutions to approve the Project Charter and its associated budget to launch the Ganges Village Area Plan planning process. A robust public engagement plan will be developed in accordance with the Ganges Village Area Plan Public Engagement Framework to ensure an effective and meaningful public engagement process. Due to the complex nature of developing an area plan and the plan’s potential impacts on land use planning for Ganges Village, the SSI LTC recommended the establishment of a task force encompassing members from diverse backgrounds that could offer a broad range of points of view from the community to assist in the process. The members on the task force will objectively apply their expertise, experience and knowledge of the subject matter as related to the development of the “Ganges Village Area Plan” process.
First Nations Engagement
The SSI LTC will seek to engage with First Nations with treaty and territorial interests in the Ganges Village area. Engagement will be reflective of the Trust Council adopted policy on First Nations Engagement Principles, and the foundation documents of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, and Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice. The engagement process will be guided by concerns or responses from First Nations on how to proceed in a mutually respectful and relationship building framework. “Dust & Bones” – a documentary on First Nations archeological significance can be found here.
The Ganges Village Area Plan Public Engagement Framework incorporates the format and essential elements modeled after the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) best practices for public engagement. In addition, the proposed Ganges Village Area Plan Engagement Framework intends to comply with statutory requirements set forth in the Local Government Act, and the Island Trust Policy Statement on open, consultative and meaningful public participation process.
The Public Engagement Framework is available here.
The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee would like to thank the Ganges Village Planning Task Force members for their planning efforts on the Ganges Area Plan. The Task Force included the following members: David Dunnison, John Gauld, Bob MacKie, Jenny McClean, Martin Ogilvie, Robert Steinbach and Jennifer Maksymetz.
The Ganges Village Planning Task Force met on the third Thursday of every month in the past fourteen months to explore and discuss the planning options, and the public engagement process.
The Task Force also engaged in a two-day workshop facilitated by Ahne Studio. The summary of the workshop can be found here.
Next Steps
Research and analysis on existing conditions, and issues relating to land use development, transportation and mobility, housing, cultural and archeological protection, climate change resiliency, infrastructure servicing, and protection of aquifers and biodiversity.
The Housing Action Program intends to provide actions and measures to address the housing issues unique to Salt Spring Island. Actions proposed in the Project Charter include a number of actions, such as the potential for a major amendment to the Official Community Plan. The proposed Program intends to tackle a range of issues including, but not limited to, the affordability of housing, the types of housing options, and environmental sustainability as it relates to the locations, sizes, and designs of housing development. Issues such as water availability and the moratorium on new connections to the North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) community water system, storm-water and sewer systems, active transportation infrastructure, innovative site and building design, arts and culture, and the archaeological significance will all be examined in the process. Furthermore, the existing policies within the OCP are outdated and no longer reflect the current housing conditions, as well as infrastructure servicing, transportation system, environmental conditions and other elements that impact the availability, affordability and diverse housing types on the island.
The current objectives within the OCP do not reflect Trust Council’s implementation of the First Nations Engagement Principles Policy, Trust Council’s Reconciliation Declaration, and Trust Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency. The Housing Action Program also proposes to explore amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to better promote affordable housing and sustainable development and potential development of incentives for pilot projects or sustainable site and building designs.
First Nations Engagement
The SSI LTC will seek to engage with First Nations with treaty and territorial interests on Salt Spring Island. Engagement will be reflective of the Trust Council adopted policy on First Nations Engagement Principles, and the foundation documents of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, and Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice. The engagement process will be guided by concerns or responses from First Nations on how to proceed in a mutually respectful and relationship building framework. “Dust & Bones” – a documentary on First Nations archeological significance can be found here.
The Housing Action Program Public Engagement Framework incorporates the format and essential elements modeled after the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) best practices for public engagement. In addition, the proposed Housing Action Program Engagement Framework intends to comply with statutory requirements outlined in the Local Government Act, the Island Trust Policy Statement on open, consultative public participation.
The Public Engagement Framework is available here.
Monthly Task Force Summaries to the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee
Online/mail-in survey
Continuous update of this project page
Educational material
Conversation with a Planner
Open houses
Other in-person workshops post COVID
We Want to Hear From You!
Please consider adding your views in the following ways:
Conversation with a Planner
You are invited to chat with a planner and ask any questions you may have, share your concerns, and provide comments on the Housing Action Program project. Please review our Project Charter to see relevant topics you might like to discuss.
A planner is available to meet via Zoom every Thursday from 10:00 am – 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm throughout the duration of the project. In person meeting will become available later in the year, depending on COVID restrictions.
*Please note that the intent of these meetings is not to answer any specific questions relating to development review or the permitting process. This meeting is specifically set aside for public engagement on the Housing Action Program.
The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee appointed Maïkan (Forest) Bordeleau, Daniel Wood, Stanley J. Shapiro, Kerrie Proulx, Nejmah Guermoudi, Yvonne Saunders, Jessica Terezakis, Bryce Chapman, Rhonan Heitzmann and Freyja Skye to the Housing Action Program Task Force.
The Housing Action Program Task Force Terms of Reference is available here.
The Housing Action Program Task Force will meet on the first Thursday of every month at 10am. More information about the meetings can be found on the Salt Spring Island Projects page under folder 6. Other Information.
