Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area Update

Southern Gulf Islands, BC–- The Capital Regional District serves as the local government for the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area and provides a variety of essential services to residents, ensuring the community’s needs are met. We are providing this update to share recent efforts the CRD has made to support local initiatives.

Housing

The Capital Regional District (CRD) has acquired the property at 280 Georgeson Bay Road on Galiano Island for the proposed Thuthiqut Hulelum’ Housing Project ("Forest Homes" in the Hul'q'umi'num' language). The property was formerly known as "Galiano Green". The $672,000 purchase is a move to advance a 20-unit rental housing complex aimed at enhancing the Islands affordable living options.

The property was previously owned by the Galiano Affordable Living Initiative Society (GALI), a non-profit charity which diligently prepared the site for the affordable rental housing project. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, GALI will be the project operator once the Occupancy Permit is issued.

In September 2023, the CRD Board approved the use of $2,750,000 Growing Communities Funds (GCF) to progress the Thuthiqut Hulelum’ Housing Project. Those funds are being used to purchase the property with the remaining GCF to be used as equity towards the construction of the project. The CRD is also continuing to pursue additional equity funding which is required before construction can begin.

Upon completion, Thuthiqut Hulelum’ will offer a diverse array of housing options catering to low and moderate-income residents, Indigenous Peoples, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and families.

The CRD is also developing a Rural Housing pilot program for the Southern Gulf Islands and Salt Spring Island Electoral Areas with the understanding that solutions to the housing crisis need to look different in rural communities.  Thuthiqut Hulelum’ is an example of the scale appropriate for multi-unit affordable housing suited to our island communities.

Grant Funding for the Electoral Areas

This year, the CRD awarded over $104,000 through Grants-in-Aid to 20 projects in the Southern Gulf Islands for initiatives benefitting local communities. You can see a complete list of past Grant In Aid recipients by visiting our page here.

Recreation:

Pender Island Parks and Recreation Commission is nearing completion on the Magic Lake Pump Track Playground which will provide

island children with a safe place to finesse their cycling skills and burn off energy. Construction of amenities and site beautification are upcoming. Over on Saturna, the Recreation Centre Society received a $4000 Grant in Aid for the purchase of toddler and children’s sports equipment. Like all the islands, Saturna’s population grew throughout the pandemic, and there are many new families looking for recreational opportunities. New foam climbing structures, games, basketball hoops, soccer balls, hula-hoops and a kid-sized pickleball racquets are amongs the new items available. This spring, the hardworking volunteers on Pender, Galiano and Saturna’s Parks and Recreation Commissions distributed approximately $120,000 in Recreation Grants to dozens of community organizations. Mayne Island Parks and Recreation Commission will also be assessing Recreation Grant applications and distributing funds later this year. Recreation Grants are an important tool for providing rural islanders with access to recreational and social opportunities. Historically, the Commissions have taken a broad interpretation of “recreation,” funding programs as varied as Scottish country dance, yoga, and senior aerobics, needlework and choir, swimming and skating, hiking and cycling, and kids camps of all types.

Rolling Along:

 Pender Island Parks and Recreation Commission is moving ahead on their Schooner Way-School Trail project after a successful community pledge drive, $500,000 grant from the Province of British Columbia’s Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program, and $65,000 from Island Coastal Economic Trust’s Capital and Innovation Program. The Schooner Way-School Trail will provide a protected active transportation route for residents and visitors to travel safely between community amenities, attractions and businesses, and will enable children to cycle from Magic Lake to school, safely.

Galiano and Mayne schools have received funding from the CRD’s Ready Step Roll Sustainable School Commute Planning initiative. This program enables school communities to use active and sustainable transportation to and from school more often by reducing barriers in accessibility, safety, convenience and comfort. Active and sustainable transportation includes riding bikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, wheelchairs or the bus, all or part-way to and from school.

Climate:

On the climate-action front, the SGI Electoral Area allocated its $30,000 portion of the BC Local Government Climate Action Fund to provide rainwater system rebates to SGI residents through a partnership with Transition Salt Spring. The goal is to achieve a goal of 228,336 litres of rainwater storage by 2025 to offset non-rainwater usage in areas of acute water availability stress.

Electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly common among residents and visitors to our islands. Public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ports will be installed across the Southern Gulf Islands and the broader CRD after a combined investment of more than $8.7 million from the federal and provincial governments, the CRD, and the City of Victoria. 

Recycle, Renew, Reuse: 

On Saturna, the Recycling Centre has re-opened the Share Shoppe, a community free store that allows islanders to share and upcycle good condition items. The re-opening of this community amenity is much welcomed, as it’s been 4 long years since the original building was destroyed in a 2020 fire and 4 long years that islanders have been accumulating donations in their garages.

Galiano Island Recycling Resources received a CRD Rethink Waste Community Grant for a Repair Series, which included: garden tool sharpening, small appliance repair, shoeshine, older device revival, lamps and heaters, axe and knife sharpening, bicycle repairs, clothing swap and repairs, and tool sharpening.

Historic Harbours:

Miners Bay Dock is now ready to welcome visitors, both new and old, to the heart of Mayne Island. The Southern Gulf Islands Harbour Commission (SGIHC) received $30,000 from Island Coastal Economic Trust’s Capital and Innovation Program for the Miners Bay Dock Revitalization Project. The project is a community-directed initiative which includes public benches, a small shelter, and safety improvements. The project also received generous donations of volunteer labour and materials, as well as support from the Mayne Island Lions Club for a small shelter and the Mayne Island Chamber for new signage. Mayne Island artist Don DeRousie recently installed indigenous carvings to the shelter as a final decorative touch. In 2024, the SGIHC also made significant investments at Horton Bay, re-building the entire floating dock sections and gangway to improve safety and user experience.

Please visit sustainableislands.ca for more information about these and other initiatives.

The CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and government partners to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.