Salt Spring Island is the largest of the southern Gulf Islands and is protected by British Columbia's Islands Trust. A unique administrative model, the Trust is charged with preserving and protecting the natural environment of the islands using "conservation-based planning" for the benefit of all British Columbians.

This far sighted policy has saved the islands from over development for half a century. But now, the Salt Spring Island Trustees have taken a wrong turn. Driven by a pressing need in an election year to show they are doing 'something" to address the crippling impacts of Salt Spring's affordable housing crisis, they are preparing to betray the Trust's preserve and protect mandate, as well as violating Salt Spring's Official Community Plan. Their misguided introduction of Bylaw 530 is only one step away from final approval, which could happen in a matter of weeks.

This is why we are asking for your support. Please sign our petition against a Bylaw which puts the island's sensitive watersheds and woodlands at risk in the long term, and which will NOT provide affordable housing.

Here's why:  Bylaw 530 allows a property owner to develop a secondary dwelling, such as a cottage or suite. Yet, there are no safeguards to ensure that these auxiliary dwellings are rented out to locals. The bylaw, in its current form, will not alleviate the critical shortage of long-term, affordable rental housing for the residents of Salt Spring. In fact, allowing development of a secondary dwelling may worsen the problem in the long term.

Given skyrocketing building costs ,many of these new dwellings will either become lucrative short term vacation rentals, or landlords will charge rents beyond the means of many working people. Tellingly, the word "affordability" does not appear in Bylaw 530. Short terms rentals are already both plentiful and unlawful. Enforcement is weak at best, and, mostly missing in action. Why would this change?

Salt Spring Island has a fragile ecosystem which this ill conceived bylaw threatens. The population could increase way beyond what is sustainable . The Trust's preserve and protect mandate is being abandoned in favour of greater housing development. This is not a solution to our affordable housing crisis and may ,in the long-term, work directly against the objectives of housing advocates working to deliver small, affordable, resource-efficient housing clustered in our villages with water resources and services.

Please give your support to those who want Bylaw 530 withdrawn.