Forty-two joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Islands Trust candidates (alphabetically) Gary Holman, Robin Jenkinson, Eric G. March, Ethan Wilding, and Bryan Young. Our Acknowledgement was offered by Robin who honoured the challenges currently facing Indigenous nations across the islands as they face pressure to establish modern treaties. 

Before welcoming participant’s questions, everyone was given the opportunity to introduce themselves. Joining us in this gathering were some who had just arrived on Salt Spring a well as those who have been here over a half a century. Despite a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, a common theme of a number of the questions asked candidates to explore ways to make the Trust more functional. Many questions also wanted candidates to offer their opinions about more effective Trust support for affordable housing projects. 

Guests were then asked what “excited and delighted” them, beginning with Bryan Young who is thrilled with the plentiful harvest from his large garden, joyful to see all that food, a joy he loves sharing with friends around their table.

Gary Holman, while reminding us that he is not an “excited and delighted” sort of guy, did share hissatisfaction with Salt Spring’s progress over the past two terms. He highlighted the recent opening of our long-awaited new firehall and also spoke briefly of the less well known success of Ministry of Health’s Primary Care Network initiative which has already recruited five doctors to Salt Spring, resulting in 1,700 more islanders with a primary care physician with another 1,100 expected.  

Ethan Wilding shared his pleasure with recent opportunities to challenge himself in new ways like his fun and rewarding first public art exhibit this summer. 

Robin Jenkinson is delighted with her son’s new grade seven French immersion teacher and her daughter’s fall semester program at Cortes Island Academy. She’s enjoyed reconnecting with folks during this campaign for Island Trustee, also proud of her partner’s third place ribbon in the Fall Fair crowing contest.

Eric G. March is excited to be able to run as a candidate. He noted that much of the political discourse on Salt Spring happens when many of us are at work. While he is lucky enough to have a flexible schedule, being a candidate gives him greater ability to take time off to lead those conversations. He finished by expressing his appreciation for his employers supporting him with time to take on this task. 

Question: Our conversation about the Islands Trust began when candidates were asked what they would like to accomplish in the next four years if they were elected. 

Ethan began by stating his commitment for transparency and accountability. He is convinced that the Trust is opaque with unclear procedures, arbitrary interpretation of bylaws, and a system that is not functioning effectively. If he is elected, he will create the tools so that minutes are transparent and more accessible and bylaws are clear rather than being arbitrarily interpreted, helping to make basic functions of the Trust more efficient. The process around public discourse also needs to be changed so that decisions are made by more voices from different backgrounds deciding issues collectively through respectful dialogue. 

Eric will prioritize an Islands Trust that is more open and accessible with meeting times that are not in the middle of the workday, agendas going to more than those who sign up on a mailing list, and agendas and policies written in plain language that all can understand. While protecting our environment is a priority, Eric wants to ensure that we can find balance between protecting the environment and building enough housing for our community. 

Robin, has a Masters Degree in Fisheries and post-grad certificates in Urban Design and Indigenous Co-management, skills she wants to offer her community. While many see the Trust as a big “No”, she reminded us that it protects the “Yes!” for our environment and looming climate challenges. Committed to a Trust that can manage change within its environmental mandate, she envisions exploring practical, creative affordable housing solutions like co-ops, home-shares, and innovative construction. 

Gary is running to get things done, to make progress on key issues.With four terms as our CRD Electoral Director as well as one as our MLA,he has been involved with many of Salt Spring’s successes. He will continue his work on affordable rental housing in or near our villages and transit routes that is disconnected from market pressures by housing agreements. While market housing is being built on Salt Spring, Gary believes it is not a long term solution, particularly on our island with very scarce water and other resources. Gary will prioritize our scarce resources for affordable housing. He will also strengthen regulations to protect our precious drinking water sources. 

Bryan reminded us that addressing our housing issue is critical, but it is not an easy fix. The two Trustees who are elected must first focus much of their energy on supporting the projects already underway. His other top priorities will be protecting Salt Spring from climate risks, protecting our watersheds and aquifer recharge areas, creating a Trust that really listens, and establishing a formal mechanism so that local government actually work together to get things done. And, yes, as preserving and protecting our islands is also for the benefit of all British Columbians, the Province must return to funding much of the Islands Trust rather than relying on funding from property taxes alone. 

Question: Candidates were asked if they support the gentle densification of existing serviced areas. One way to accomplish this is through encouraging additional storeys or additional structures on an existing developed property. It could also allow splitting up the total allowable density across several smaller livable structures. 

Bryan supports more economic and environmental use of the land. While not advocating for skyscrapers with a tiny footprint which is completely inappropriate for a rural environment, he is interested in exploring more densification in serviced areas to protect natural spaces. Multi-unit buildings with additional storeys, like the Drake Road supportive housing facility, or a limited number of tiny homes rather than a large single family home are some ideas that could be explored, but it all has to fit within the available water connections. Understanding that funding is also an issue, he is interested in exploring the possibilities of using community bonds to build some of our needed housing.

Robin reminded us that Bylaw 530 would have legalized many suites and cottages on Salt Spring, a failed initiative that she believes to be similar to what is termed to be “gentle densification.” Instead of legalizing far-flung development, she will, if elected, work toward densifying walkable and transit-served villages. 

Ethan supports densification in serviced areas rather than sprawling development patterns. This centralized densification will support businesses as well, akin to a European village model where folks live, work, and shop in a village centre. He does not agree, however, that our community will come together to fund housing projects. If this were a reality, why have we not fully funded our nearly shovel-ready Kings Lane project? Instead, he suggests that the Trust needs to work with developers to find viable solutions for our community.;

Gary supports clustering of housing already allowed by zoning but not in a way that would increase the number of new dwellings. He supports densification in villages, including affordable rental apartments in Ganges, to use land and other limited resources efficiently. He has been working on such projects, resulting in 140 units of affordable housing built during the past two terms. Gary supports additional Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Fulford and along transit routes, but notes that ADUs are already allowed on hundreds of properties with very little uptake. He believes financial incentives to property owners for ADUs should be enhanced, such as those already being provided by the CRD Rural Housing Program (which he helped create as CRD Director), and organizations such as the Salt Spring Island Foundation. 

Eric supports gentle densification near places of employment, services, and amenities. He also supports getting better information about the number of illegal ADUs on Salt Spring. He fears that we have no clue of the number of Salt Springers living in illegal, substandard housing units. Once we have a clear handle on the problem, he sees some hope in incentivizing landlords of these illegal dwellings to bring them up to standard, and having a clear target of housing needed for those already on Salt Spring. 

Question: Candidates were asked if they supported using Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) farmland for affordable housing projects.

Eric believes that the answer is “Yes, but” clarifying that productive farmland must be preserved at all costs, however there may be room to consider some unproductive farmland for workforce housing. 

Robin pointed out that these decisions are made by the Agricultural Land Commission, and that, in general ALR land is sacrosanct. If elected, she would be consider Community Services Brinkworthy ALR request to swap for productive farmland not currently ALR-designated. 

Ethan believes that exchanging ALR land in Ganges for other productive farmland would enable gentle densification where it makes sense.

Gary would only support a swap of existing non-productive ALR farm land with productive non-ALR land, with no net loss in agricultural productivity. He reminded us that the Official Community Plan (OCP) includes the terms conditions for such exchanges. 

Bryan admitted that he was conflicted by this, aware of a time not too long ago when these swaps were common, and resulted in inferior land being added into the ALR. These swaps were seen by some as “death by a thousand cuts.” He is reluctant to consider using ALR land for housing if it doesn’t result in a net positive exchange.

Question: Candidates were asked what they would do if they learned that Salt Spring tenants were living without the protection of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). 

Bryan reminded us that this issue is beyond the scope of the Islands Trust, confident that other organizations charged with renter/landlord advocacy are better prepared than the Islands Trust to address any issues that arise.

Gary reminded us that rental/landlord laws are not one size fits all. Some living arrangements or facilities, like supportive housing, fall under different legislation. Gary agrees that housing projects that are covered by the RTA should be subject to appropriate enforcement, but also suggested that ,as a Provincial issue, our MLA is in the best position to address any concerns. 

Ethan would be open to revisiting the Residential Tenancy Act, aware of too many instances in which local owners are unwilling to rent, fearful that they will not be supported if they encounter problems. While aware that this is not an IslandsTrust issue, he can see a role for the Islands Trust to collaborate to guide and support landlords and tenants who are struggling.

Robin reminded us that we live in an extraordinary community that provides so much care for people who live with challenges in their lives, like the shelter, senior assisted housing, and more. Moreover, she notices so many out-of-compliance rentals that she wonders how we can work together to change our bylaws rather than ignore them. 

Eric, has spent most of his life renting but is now a home owner and landlord and can see both sides of the landlord/tenant needs. Well-versed in the Residential Tenancy Act, he is comfortable with the protections provided to him as a landlord and strongly believes in supporting tenants’ rights to make their house a home. 

Question: Candidates were asked if they saw a role for the Islands Trust in creating a safe place for folks to donate to affordable housing projects. 

Bryan replied that he did not see holding donated funds as a role for the Trust with other local organizations far better able to provide this service. He did, however, indicate an openness to being an advocate for the establishment of such a fund if he is elected. 

Gary clarified that a SSI Funders Table, convened by the Salt Spring Island Foundation, in which he has been participating, already exists, This initiative brings nonprofits, foundations, and agencies together to share information and identify funding priorities. He notes that both the Salt Spring Island Foundation and Lady Minto Hospital Foundation already provide well-established, trusted space for housing donations by locals. 

Ethan, speaking as a philanthropist, said that, at least for now, the Trust is too broken to offer donors the confidence they would need to open their wallets. To be a credible receiver of donations, an organization needs a leader who would understand all the complexities of the budget as well as offering ,clarity, transparency, and accountability. In his opinion, the Trust’s first task, if he is elected, is to develop this clarity in the tasks within their mandate. 

Robin identified the $9 million funding gap left by BC Housing to construct shovel-ready Kings Lane affordable housing. She mentioned an investor-owned co-operative in Banff that could serve as a model locally. As a Trustee, she would support rezoning conversations and nonprofit partnerships for affordable housing. 

Eric would love to see a Salt Spring Housing Authority to secure the needed funds by working with governments, nonprofits, and our community to move projects to completion. He also suggested the concept of our larger employers partnering to build housing for their workers. Unlike housing only for employees of certain businesses, this partnership approach would not force renters to move if they shifted their employment from one large employer to another. 

Question: Candidates were asked what changes they would like to see in our Official Community Plan (OCP). 

Eric, as the Chair of the Islands Trust Project Advisory Planning Commission for the OCP/Land Use Bylaw (LUB) review, believes the number one priority would be to make it more approachable to regular Salt Springers by making it clearer and easier to read. One potential specific change he chose to highlight was the definition of affordable: The OCP currently defines affordable as 30% of median income on Salt Spring rather than 30% of an individual’s income. 

Robin reminded us that our community is required by the Local Government Act to review the OCP. She believes the current OCP still offers a relevant and inspiring vision of compact villages and strong environmental protection. The required review should update it for Indigenous collaboration, climate risk, drinking-water security, watershed/groundwater-recharge planning, and safer walking and cycling. Her background in GIS mapping and watershed monitoring could help the community see cumulative effects and evaluate choices transparently.

Ethan told us aboutsome tools that he has created to better analyzeour OCP and its supporting bylaws. These tools have revealed contradictions among Islands Trust documents. While the content of the OCP may be solid, the lack of clarity and proliferation of contradictions make it almost impossible to comply. If he is elected, he will use his technical expertise to create a document that does not include contradictory and unclear guidance. 

Gary supports the spirit and intent of our OCP and Trust Policy, providing needed guardrails to preserve and protect Salt Spring. He does see areas requiring updating, especially reconciliation with First Nations and climate action. He will support such amendments to these foundational documents, while also retaining key principles such as prohibition of additional development in drinking watersheds and protection of ALR lands. He insists that prioritizing increased density for affordable housing (or to achieve other objectives of the OCP such as land protection) be retained. Gary believes that without these provisions, all of our precious and limited natural resources, like water, could be allocated to market housing which does not offer a long term solution for our affordable housing crisis. 

Bryan has been immersed in the OCP for a year and a half as a member of the Transition Salt Spring team endeavoring to revise it as a way of getting to know our plan. He said it was a great education, and concluded that the two major missing elements are First Nations collaboration and climate change adaptation. If he is elected, a priority focus for him will be to build a Climate Hazard Development Permit Area to keep development out of at risk areas. He would also support clustering homes near road access rather than spreading them throughout a large property, which unnecessarily damages forests and other natural ecology. He is also committed further exploring downzoning in areas inappropriate for dense development, like Channel Ridge.

Question: Candidates were asked how they would stop wasting money on consultants that do not seem to result in any tangible progress.

Bryan acknowledged this a very good question,recalling the recent resignation of the OCP consultant and related departure of a Trust staff member. In his opinion, this expensive OCP review has been going on for too long with no apparent results. With all the skills here on Salt Spring, why does the Trust seem to often hire outsiders with the wrong skillsets or little local knowledge? If elected, he would like to further explore the concept of a Citizens’ Assembly relying more on experienced locals, over paid consultants.  

Gary agrees that the OCP review needs to get on track as soon as possible post-election so we can devote staff and other resources to key issues such as housing and drinking watershed protection. He stated a Citizens’ Assembly is a valid suggestion, but reminded us there are already three citizen groups established by the Islands Trust to provide advice on the OCP and other land use changes  including the permanent Advisory Planning and Agricultural Advisory Committees as well as an advisory committee specifically for the OCP review. He suggested their roles need to be fully understood and meaningfully engaged by newly elected Trustees before convening yet another group. 

Ethan told us that this question is right up his alley. In fact, one of the tools he has created is to review and analyze the details of all Islands Trust applications ((LTC Explorer: explore.saltspring.info). He agrees that money spent on consultants needs to be public knowledge. Accountability for timelines, meeting minutes, and decisions should be transparent and every dollar spent documented. 

Robin drew on her experience chairing the Ganges Village Plan process which required hundreds of volunteer hours but did not produce an adopted plan. She said volunteer knowledge is invaluable, but complex planning processes need clear terms of reference, appropriate professional support, realistic timelines, and public reporting on deliverables. Trustees and the public must hold projects accountable while treating staff, volunteers, and one another with respect.

Eric agrees that transparency is super important and that the Trustees and staff need to work together to make transparency happen. We also have to understand that staff can – and do – make mistakes; we all do. It is up to Trustees to educate our community about what is, or isn’t happening, what is being spent, produce updates on progress (or lack of it), take ownership of mistakes, and clearly define what went wrong and what they are doing to fix it. 

Question: As one of our next Islands Trustees, is AI your fiend or foe? 

Eric began by paraphrasing Canadian tech writer Cory Doctorow “AI is not smart enough to take your job but AI is smart enough for your boss to think it could take your job.” He is concerned about the mistakes AI can introduce into a workflow. Stating he is pro-labour Eric would not endorse replacing human workers with AI. In general he is skeptical about its use by the Islands Trust and would not endorse its use. 

In discussions with Islands Trustees on other islands, Robin has learned that some are opposed to any use of it while others pointed out that the planners are using it anyway. It is a useful tool for searching large document collections, identifying inconsistencies and improving public access to information. It must not replace professional judgment, public deliberation, or legal and ecological analysis. She questioned the ethical boundaries. 

Ethan sees AI as a tool to build infrastructure. In the past, a computer programmer would code for days or months to build the infrastructure. AI can help with the coding to make results more effective and better. AI should be about building the tools we need to effectively digest the documents. Used well, it can liberate workers to get a better insight and understanding of complex documents. It could allow planners to be more effective in their jobs. Used correctly, Ethan believes that AI will actually add jobs. 

Gary can see the value of AI for more cost-effective analysis of proposed land use changes. For example, it could be, and likely is being used, in a template for staff reports on OCP compliance (or not) of rezoning applications for new housing. Gary states he is not well informed about AI (suggesting that Google searches are a simplified version), so needs better understand how Trust staff are currently using AI, their concerns, and opportunities they see for cost efficiencies. 

Bryan has mixed feelings about AI, understanding the need for oversight of any new tool. He would like to better understand the guardrails concerning the Trust’s use of AI. How can we balance concerns with the promise of enhanced efficiencies?

Question – How would you elevate the awareness of climate change and how much focus would you put on this work? 

Bryan was very involved in the creation of our Climate Action Plan 2.0, believing this document to be a good foundation for what we need: a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, a document needed to inform revisions to the Islands Trust Land Use Bylaws (LUB) and OCP. He is very worried about fire, drought, and flooding. If elected, he will prioritize assessing and addressing our vulnerability to these climate risks. 

Gary initiated and funded our updated Climate Action Plan 2.0 as CRD Director. He will address climate action by prioritizing provisions in the OCP that support compact settlement patterns, thereby limiting automobile use and related GHG emissions. This will also avoid new housing in areas more vulnerable to extreme weather events such as fire, windstorms cutting power, and atmospheric rivers washing out public roads. Gary will also support strengthening of Development Permit Areas and enforcement (e.g., through ticketing) that protect our drinking water sources. He would also reconvene the SSI Water Protection Alliance.  

Ethan believes in evidence-based decision-making. As a result, he is hosting a Salt Spring event this October to further explore poly-crisis models and their local application. He hopes to explore the use of a scientific modelling perspective to make better policy decisions. If successful, Salt Spring will be the first example of the use of the poly-crisis model at local level. 

Robin said climate adaptation must be incorporated into decisions on where and how the island builds. She would prioritize watershed health, groundwater recharge, protection for biodiversity, and compact settlement. Across the Trust Area’s more than 1,500 kilometres of shoreline, landowners also need clear, ecologically sound guidance for sea-level rise and stronger winter storms.

Eric appreciated the knowledge and ideas of the other candidates, however he reminded us that climate change does not affect everyone equally. While climate crises will affect us all, our community members with inadequate housing are especially vulnerable to these disasters. Eric firmly believes that housing is a key part of climate change mitigation. 

Question: If elected, how will you include tourism planning in your planning to proactively manage the impacts and benefits of tourism? 

Eric has experience living in several tourism-focused communities and has seen how it affects them. He stated that tourism is a difficult balance between overloading our systems and sustainably supporting our economy, and therefore it is important to bake tourism management into Islands Trust policies to protect our community. 

Robin supports a regenerative approach to tourism in which visitors help sustain, rather than simply consume, the places they visit. She described aregenerative tourism video shown on flights to Hawaii which highlights the unique culture and ecology there. It tells viewers how to donate, shares a QR code for volunteer events, and rewards offered at tourist centres. Salt Spring could create such a video with BC Ferries, and the Islands Trust as an important partner.

Ethan agrees that that tourism is of critical importance to the vitality of the community. He remained us that other jurisdictions have fees to fund preservation/management/stewardship. He would like the Island Trust to explore this extra funding model to offset the strain of tourism on our infrastructure.

Gary supports the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership mandate of encouraging tourism in the off-peak periods. He advocates an increase of the existing Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT or accommodations tax) as well as modest surcharge on non-resident vehicle ferry fares to help fund affordable housing and local infrastructure, such as transit and bike lanes. In cooperation with the Province, he would clarify and enforce Salt Spring’s Short Term Vacation Rental bylaws and advocate for inclusion in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax.

Bryan agrees that tourism and economic planning is a key element of any community plan. He believes the Trust should use land use planning to encourage off-season visits. Any changes here have to be done as a part of the broader community engagement on the OCP, with input from organizations, including the CRD/LCC and Chamber of Commerce. Salt Spring could become a centre of excellence for skill building for a more sustainable future given the concentration of highly talented people here.

Question – Do you support spending Islands Trust resources to measure erosion and other climate impacts?

Bryan was distressed to learn that the funding for the GIS mapping professional and ecologist was cut from the Trust budget this year. He is convinced that mapping is essential: we cannot protect what we do not measure.

Gary supports improved mapping (e.g., by using Geographic Information Systems which he has some experience with as a consulting economist) to identify the location and protection of key environmental values and hazards such as drinking water sources, sensitive ecosystems, hazardous steep slopes, and coastal areas subject to sea level rise. However, mapping is merely academic without regulatory and enforcement measures to actually protect against these hazards and degradation of environmental values. 

While Ethan fully supports measuring and mapping to protect our future, he also supports taking immediate action to protect those areas that are already experiencing erosion.

Robin would like to see mapping and data used as the basis for collaborative planning. We need a better understanding of our shoreline as well as the complex inter-connectedness of our 450-island archipelago.

Eric is convinced that fact-based decision-making is essential to the Trust. If elected, he will make generation and analysis of this information a priority as well as ensuring staff know how to use this valuable information. 

Already nearly 1:30, we said farewell to our courageous candidates, applauding their wisdom, deep care of our islands, enthusiasm, and willingness to do what it takes to make a difference. (Thank-you, Bryan, Ethan, Eric, Robin, and Gary!)  

Just in case you are interested. . . .This report has been written by Gayle Baker, founder of ASK Salt Spring, currently also a Salt Spring Local Community Commissioner. It has been reviewed by all candidates.