This newsletter will bring you up to date on what Friends has been doing over the past month. It has been busy! As usual, we continue working toward a more efficient and effective Islands Trust that prioritizes environmental protection.
Response from the Province
The Islands Trust Council has twice written to the province asking for a review of the Islands Trust mandate, governance and structure (July 2022 and March 2025). Twice they have been refused; most recently in an April 28 response from the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
This recent response is notable for its clear expectations that support the concerns that our society has been speaking to since our formation. We have written to trustees urging them to consider this letter carefully, a letter that is unambiguous in its emphasis on the “ecological mandate” of the Trust and the clear responsibility of the Trust to “manage expectations of growth, development and local economies without exceeding the carry capacity of local ecosystems and preserving unspoiled natural amenities.”
This letter was not received in time to be part of the recent May 6, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting where trustees were trying to explain and justify their very questionable September 2023 in camera decision “Interpretation of the Mandate”. It certainly pertains to that matter. It seems this letter will not be referenced in the summary of that meeting that will be posted on the Trust website. We believe the Minister’s letter provides clear direction to all trustees and to Trust Council as they consider the Trust Policy Statement review and draft.
Read the Letter from the Minister
Local Media
Friends of the Gulf Islands had a Viewpoint article published in the April 30 edition of the Gulf Islands Driftwood. It was a response to an April 16 article written by three Saturna Island past and present trustees (one now a Regional Director for the Southern Gulf Islands), who criticized MLA Rob Botterell’s April 2 column on the Islands Trust. We included the Botterell column in our April newsletter.
Islands Trust Council
The next quarterly meeting will be held June 17–19 on Salt Spring Island. At this meeting, the 26 elected trustees may give first reading to a new Trust Policy Statement. Friends is submitting a delegation request to present our petition calling for a strong Trust Policy Statement putting environmental protection first.
We have sent several letters to the committee requesting revised wording or emphasis in the draft and opposing any weakening of key policies. Anyone may speak briefly at the Town Hall session, either in person or via Zoom. The tentative time for this is Tuesday, June 17 at 4:30pm. If you’re interested in speaking, please contact us at info@friendsofthegulfislands.ca, and we’ll notify you as soon as the schedule is confirmed. MLA Rob Botterwell will be a speaker at this meeting – a tentative time is Wednesday, June 18 at 4:45pm.
Petition
If you haven’t done so yet, please sign our petition in support of a strong Trust Policy Statement. We hope to present it at the June Trust Council meeting on Salt Spring Island. We now have over 500 signatures.
Meeting with the CAO
On April 28, Friends Chair Jennifer Margison and Secretary Maxine Leichter met with the new Islands Trust Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Rueben Bronee, to discuss concerns regarding the Trust’s role in environmental protection.
We found Bronee to be a good listener who seemed genuinely interested in investigating our concerns. One issue we raised was that staff reports often fail to highlight environmental impacts—for example, staff reports on applications in areas with water shortages or other sensitivities sometimes omit this consideration entirely. We suggested staff training and stronger involvement from the Trust Conservancy. Bronee promised to discuss our concerns with senior staff – and has told us he has done so.
We also asked about addressing the high staff turnover, a major issue within the Trust. Bronee confirmed that some Trust staff are paid less than comparable roles in local government and explained that pay scales are tied to the provincial job classification system. However, he noted that many staff are drawn to the Trust because of the unique role the Trust plays and the chance to do valuable work that has a direct and positive impact on the Trust Area. Bronee expressed appreciation for our interest and ongoing participation in Trust decision-making and policy discussions.
New Facebook Page
Follow our new Facebook page — Friends of the Gulf Islands Society — where we post updates every few weeks. Please share them with your friends and family! We’re deeply grateful to social media expert Reena Gacad Kirkpatrick for her help. We are still looking for volunteers to support our social media efforts.
Positively Forward Housing Position Paper
Positively Forward, a Salt Spring Island group advocating for better governance within the Islands Trust model, has published a position paper titled “Pathways to Affordable Housing on Salt Spring.” The paper addresses the island’s lack of affordable housing and can be downloaded from the Affordable Housing page of the Positively Forward website.
We think our readers will find this document valuable. It aligns closely with our own housing policy, which can be found on our Key Issues page. Positively Forward is also circulating a petition urging the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee to maintain current growth limits in the Salt Spring Island Official Community Plan.
A Final Good News Word Post-Election
As one of our members commented, Elizabeth May’s convincing win—for the fifth time in a row—should help quell any speculation that island residents want the Trust Area developed like any other part of the province. We now have a Green MP, a Green MLA, a CRD Director for Salt Spring – and it appears, a Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs who are all supportive of the Trust’s mandate!