Galiano Island
Mayne Island
Salt Spring Island
Economic Prosperity | Social Equity | Environmental Quality
Community Economic Sustainability Commission
Southern Gulf Islands
Pender Islands
Saturna Island
Rural Housing Program»
Affordable housing is a top priority for the Regional Director(s) of the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area (SGI EA) and the Southern Gulf Islands Community Economic Sustainability Commission (SGI CESC), which has identified the need for affordable housing as a key factor influencing the economic and social sustainability of the islands.
News​
CRD seeks expressions of interest for new
he CRD’s Rural Housing Program is a Pilot Project for the Southern Gulf Islands (SGI) and Salt Spring Island (SSI) Electoral Areas (EAs) 2025 - 2026. The program offers support for community solutions within the rural context of the islands and allows the CRD to test approaches for addressing the housing crisis in its smaller communities, outside of the urban containment boundary. Depending on outcomes, the program could be implemented across the region’s other rural communities in the future.
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Pilot Project Streams
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1. Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Incentive Program:
Provides eligible homeowners with 50% of the cost to build an ADU, up to a maximum of $40,000 - in exchange for commitments to non-market rents for five years. An ADU includes a secondary suite or cottage as defined in each island’s land use bylaw and as permitted by Islands Trust zoning.
2. Rural Housing Pre-Development Funding:
Provides for purpose built, multi-unit affordable housing to offset the costs of technical reports & on-site infrastructure.
3. Coordination:
Inter-agency coordination and support to non-profit housing providers - key component of the RHP pilot project is the establishment of a dedicated program coordinator within the CRD to support rural housing for the duration of the two-year pilot program. Once hired, the RHP coordinator will help administer pilot project funding and offer support for non-profit housing proponents.
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​The RHP pilot is a response to the requests from the SGI Community Economic Sustainability Commission (SGI CESC) and the SSI Local Community Commission (SSI LCC) for the CRD to assist with local housing. The coordination on SSI and SGI is funded by the SGI Tourism Partnership (SGITP), which is the official destination marketing organization for these areas and receives funding from the province through online accommodation providers on the islands. This financial support allows the CRD to have staff that can manage the program, seek out further partnerships, and provide strategic advice to help project proponents with the complex regulatory environment.
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Community Engagement
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In 2024, CRD conducted community engagement with property owners to test the potential uptake of the ADU Incentive Program, and with non-profit housing sector in both the SSI and SGI EAs to better understand this sector’s unique project-specific needs. A What We Heard Report is available here.
For questions or to inquire about applying to CRD Rural Housing Pilot Program please email: CRD Rural Housing: ruralhousing@crd.bc.ca
Reports
Housing Now»
The SGI Housing NOW Project is an initiative of the SGI Community Economic Sustainability Commission (CESC), the SGI Community Resource Centre and several Gulf Island housing movements. This initiative, funded by the SSI LCC, the SGI CESC, and the SGITP, explores innovative ways to meet the housing crisis in the short and long term, including matching renters with housing options available from residents of the islands.
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Background
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In February 2018, the CRD published the Southern Gulf Islands Housing Needs Assessment. This assessment noted the “serious shortages in secure, appropriate and affordable housing for low to moderate-income earners,” and that “renters are particularly impacted as their incomes are insufficient to enter the homeownership market, and the limited number of rental properties are increasingly vacant seasonally or placed in the vacation rental market.”
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SGI residents and business owners have described the housing situation as bordering on crisis, and as having serious impacts on their families, the community's well-being, and economic sustainability.​
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The summer months are of significant consequence as the lack of accommodations for both seasonal employees and residents negatively impacts the general economy and functionality of community-owned and operated businesses.
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About the Project
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Housing NOW gathers housing stories from residents to identify the most pressing issues facing islanders, and to articulate grassroot solutions that can be implemented NOW.
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The project also has a home/property sharing registry – created for and managed by Islanders to help support both short and long-term housing opportunities in the Southern Gulf Islands. The registry is an actionable housing initiative that supports our island businesses and community groups in the recruitment and retention of employees or volunteers.
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