Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce

Supporting Local Business.
Building Community.
Celebrating Island Success.

~ November 2025 ~

The Real Crisis: Why Salt Spring's Economy Is Struggling

Over the past two years as President of the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce, I've witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of anti-business sentiment and restrictive development policies on our island's economy. A recent letter about reviving the Fernwood Cafe location frames its closure as a problem of "profit-driven greed." But this reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what actually sustains vibrant island communities—and ironically, what would make affordable gathering places, restaurants, and services possible.

The reality is far more sobering: businesses across Salt Spring are struggling because the economics of operating here have become untenable. When operating costs—labor, utilities, supply chain, rent—outpace what our island population can sustain, businesses close. It's not greed; it's survival.

The Business Reality on Salt Spring:

Our island has experienced significant business attrition in recent years. Restaurants, retail, and service businesses are among the hardest hit. This isn't because owners suddenly became greedy—it's because the cost structure doesn't work when your customer base is limited and visitor-dependent, particularly in off-seasons. The businesses that remain operate on razor-thin margins and succeed only through relentless focus on efficiency and community value.

Those who call for "affordable" food and gathering spaces "for all" mean well—but who bears the cost of that affordability? Real people who work in these businesses. When a restaurant operates below cost to serve a community ideal, it fails. Then there's no gathering place at all.

Part of the problem is that many long-time "locals" spend their winters in the south, away from Salt Spring. While they have the means to maintain their island lifestyle seasonally, they're not supporting local businesses during the critical shoulder and off-seasons when restaurants and shops struggle most. This creates a hollowed-out economy that swings wildly between tourist season and prolonged quiet periods—making it nearly impossible for year-round businesses to survive.

The Affordable Housing Connection:

The availability of affordable gathering spaces, quality restaurants, and services depends entirely on whether we can attract and retain workers. You cannot operate a cafe without kitchen staff, servers, and cleaners. You cannot staff it if housing costs consume 70% of an employee's income.

Affordable housing isn't separate from local business prosperity—it's foundational to it. Without it, businesses cannot find workers. Without thriving businesses that employ people, we cannot attract the workforce we need. Without a diverse, economically healthy community, we lose the customer base that keeps any business afloat.

Anti-Business Sentiment Has Consequences:

There is a vocal sentiment on Salt Spring that views business owners with suspicion—as if profit is inherently exploitative and community service is somehow opposed to sustainable operations. This creates a corrosive dynamic where local entrepreneurs feel unappreciated and unsupported, precisely when they're investing in island infrastructure and employment.

What's Particularly Troubling: "Positively Forward" and the Defense of Restrictive Growth Limits

Much of this anti-business, anti-development sentiment on Salt Spring originates from an influential group that markets itself as "Positively Forward." Their stated mission centers on defending growth limits and opposing changes to the Official Community Plan—essentially freezing Salt Spring's development capacity. The irony of the name is striking: their actual agenda is backward-looking, focused on maintaining restrictive zoning and growth controls that prevent the very housing and economic development the island desperately needs.

This group has systematically worked to oppose OCP and zoning amendments, spread concerns about development proposals through social media, and mobilize against projects that would expand housing or commercial capacity. They've been particularly effective at influencing Islands Trust elections and policy, despite being a relatively small group. Several of our elected government officials are closely aligned with Positively Forward's agenda, amplifying their restrictive vision through official channels and policy decisions. Their messaging wraps exclusionary policies in environmental language, but the practical effect is clear: maintaining Salt Spring as a controlled, limited-growth community that protects existing property values while pricing out working families and preventing the economic vitality needed for small businesses to survive.

They want all the benefits of island living—the restaurants, services, cultural events, and infrastructure—but oppose the very economic development and workforce housing that make these things possible. The irony is stark: those who criticize "profit-driven greed" often simultaneously want services, employment, tax base, and gathering places to materialize without anyone being compensated fairly for providing them. Meanwhile, they actively obstruct the economic conditions necessary for these things to exist.

What We Actually Need:

If we genuinely want vibrant community spaces and services on Salt Spring, we need to:

Support local business through patronage, fair pricing for goods/services, and community appreciation
Advocate for affordable housing so we can attract and retain workers to provide the services needed for a sustainable economy
Recognize that business owners are community members too—not villains in a morality play

The question isn't whether we want profit-seeking business or community values. The question is: do we value the real human beings—workers, owners, families—enough to support an economy where they can actually thrive on our island?

Jason Roy-Allen

President

Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce

~ November 2025 ~

Housing Advocacy

~ November 2025 ~

Message from the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce
- Speech at Salty Awards

Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here tonight to celebrate the incredible businesses that make Salt Spring Island special.

First I would like to thank the chamber’s salty award committee members: Teile MacDonald, Solveig Brikenden, Robert Steinbach and Katie Brenen for taking this project on and making it all happen. Great job!!

When I first joined the Chamber of Commerce two years ago, I asked myself a simple question: what does the chamber actually do for my business? I'm guessing some of you have asked yourselves the same thing. Well, I'm here tonight to tell you that over the past two years, we've worked hard to answer that question with real action and real results.

Two years ago, we walked into our first board meeting and found ourselves staring at an organization that was, frankly, upside down. The finances were struggling. The board was fractured. There was no clear direction. But we didn't see a problem—we saw an opportunity. Today, I'm proud to tell you that the Chamber is not only financially stable, but we have a board that's united, focused, and genuinely committed to serving the business community of Salt Spring Island. That foundation has allowed us to dream bigger and do more.

Let me tell you what we've accomplished together.

We brought back the Salty Awards—right here, right now—because we believed your achievements deserved to be celebrated. But that's just the beginning. We secured funding for Visitors information center to be open longer and serve more people. We've created something entirely new for this island: Hands Across the Water, a three-day international festival with three musical performances, and experiences designed to draw international visitors and celebrate what makes Salt Spring and the Salish sea islands special. We've made the Christmas Light Up an annual tradition, bringing the community together last year and again this year. And coming December 7th, there is a brand-new truck parade that's going to turn heads and fill your hearts. Beyond the big events, we've also established regular member mixers—opportunities for you to connect with fellow business owners, build relationships, and strengthen the network that holds this community together.

These aren't just parties. They're economic engines. They're marketing. They're proof that a thriving community attracts thriving business.

But events alone don't build a sustainable future. We've been in the trenches advocating for you on issues that matter to your bottom line. We're working with the CRD, Islands Trust, the Accommodations group, and SGITP to rewrite local bylaws and better address short-term vacation rentals—a vital part of our tourism economy—ensuring that this important revenue stream remains protected and properly regulated for businesses that depend on it. We've pushed hard on workforce housing initiatives because we know that when our workers can afford to live here, your businesses thrive. Our island families thrive.

To truly maximize what we can do, we needed sustainable funding. The real game-changer will be the funding we're securing through a tourist levy with BC Ferries. We've established our Business Improvement Association, which gives us access to grants and lets us address gaps in local infrastructure that have held us back. It gives us a tool to beautify our island, enhance tourist experiences, and market Salt Spring.

So I had an idea. In recent discussions with the CEO of BC Ferries, I shared a proposal aimed at strengthening our island: what if we collected a small tourist levy from ferry traffic? Not from locals. From visitors. They loved it. In fact, they didn't just love it for Salt Spring—they want to see it for every coastal community serviced by ferries. Our MLA is onside. The Minister of Housing is onside. Right now, we're working with additional ministers to make this part of the next BC Ferries contract.

Think about what that means. Funding for infrastructure. Funding for tourism marketing. Funding for beautification and business support. All without raising taxes on the hard working people who live here. All helping not just Salt Spring, but every small coastal community that ferries serve.

When I look back at where we started and where we are now, I see a Chamber that's answering the question I asked two years ago. We're here for your business. We're fighting for your interests. We're creating the conditions where you can succeed.

This island is special because of the people in this room. You're the ones who show up every day, who take risks, who serve this community. Our job at the Chamber is to make sure you have what you need to do that work. Over the past two years, I think we've started to deliver on that promise.

But we're just getting started. There's more work ahead, more partnerships to build, more ways to support you. So as we celebrate tonight, I hope you see the value the Chamber has brought to your business and to Salt Spring Island. And I hope you'll keep working with us, because this island's future depends on all of us—all of us pulling in the same direction.

When we move together with the tide, we prove what this island has always known: that unity is our strongest current.”

Thank you.

~ July 2025 ~

BC Ferries Decision Reflects Decades of Housing Policy Failures

I recently attended an Ask Salt Spring meeting where Nicholas Jitkoff, CEO of BC Ferries, was the guest speaker. During the meeting, he discussed BC Ferries' recent business decision to home port the Crofton/Vesuvius ferry to the Crofton side—a decision that sparked heated debate among local government officials and BC Ferries employees in attendance.

The Local Trust Committee and Islands Trust officials demanded that BC Ferries consult with local government before making decisions that impact Salt Spring residents. While I don't wish to undermine the legitimate concerns raised by BC Ferries employees, I believe we need to examine the root causes behind this decision.

Mr. Jitkoff clearly stated that one of the primary factors was the cost of living on Salt Spring and the lack of affordable housing for BC Ferries employees. He cited that the average home price on Salt Spring was $1.2 million, while homes in the Crofton catchment area cost roughly half that amount—providing a significantly better quality of life for employees.

BC Ferries is not responsible for Salt Spring's affordable housing shortage. That responsibility lies with 50 years of restrictive governance by the Islands Trust that have, to a degree, protected the environment we all love, but endangered the future of our community in the process. BC Ferries' decision to home port in Crofton is merely a consequence of the Islands Trust's limitations on affordable housing development. When LTC officials claim that no affordable housing projects have come before them for approval, it's because Islands Trust staff often prevent these proposals from reaching the decision-making stage, or making it so difficult and costly for developers that they give up and build somewhere else. Between the high price of land and the risks associated with getting approvals from Islands Trust and CRD, it makes it nearly impossible for developers to build here. So as we have seen, the only affordable housing being built is from BC Housing that doesn't require Islands Trust approval (i.e., the Drake Road project).

This BC Ferries decision represents a consequence of poor governance, it won't be the last time we see employers move their workforce off-island due to housing constraints. This decision by BC Ferries will have great impact on those families affected and the community as a whole, including a significant economic impact to an already fragile Salt Spring economy.

The BC Ferries decision is a wake-up call. If we continue down this path of over-restrictive development policies, we'll see more essential services and employers leave Salt Spring Island, ultimately undermining the very community character we all want to protect.

Jason Roy-Allen, President Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce

~ May 2025 - Nov 2025 ~