Eric March to Run for Islands Trust

Originally published on the Salt Spring Exchange on April 8th 2026 and can be found here

Life can be hard when you work on Salt Spring Island, and that goes double if you work and rent. And don't take my word for it - according to the 2021 Census data, one third of Salt Spring residents, both home owners and renters, are living in some sort of housing need. According to the Salt Spring Foundation's 2022 Vital Signs Report nearly 30% of respondents considered moving off island and a whopping 60% of respondents had someone they cared about leave the island due to lack of available housing. The living wage on Salt Spring Island, always high, has now risen to over $28.00 an hour, something few employers are willing or even able to pay.

I know the struggle of being a working Salt Springer well. I've lived in housing I struggled to afford and housing that wasn't adequate. I've considered, many times, leaving the community I love, and I've had friends leave. Much of my time on Salt Spring, I've earned less than a living wage. But, like so many hard working locals, I've found a way to make it work, and I've made a point of showing up for the community.

You may have met me as the Volunteer Co-coordinator or the Wine, Beer, and Cider - now Homebrews, coordinator at the Fall Fair. You may have heard me speak at a town hall, Local Trust Committee or Trust Council meeting. You may have read my opinions in the Driftwood or on the Exchange. Because even when it's been hard to see a future here, I love our community and I want to put the work into making the community work for us all.

Now it's time to show up in a new way. I am going to be running to be one of the Island Trustees for Salt Spring Island in this October's election.

For the last few years I have been quietly working towards this goal. I've been attending and speaking at Trust meetings when I can take time off work, and listening to the recordings when I can't. I've been chairing the Project Advisory Planning Commission for our OCP Review. I’ve spoken to Trustees and other elected officials, and I’ve been seeking out involved members of the community to discuss the issues. I've been learning all I can about how the Trust works, what its challenges are, and how it can be more successful, and believe I’m now ready to serve our community in a more formal role.

I actually really like the idea behind the The Islands Trust, a government at the local level duty bound to balance environmental protection with the needs of the community. But let's be honest, it is not working. The Trust is inaccessible to workers, unresponsive to the needs of the community, and follows an outdated governance model that prioritizes the wants of the wealthy over the needs of the environment and the workers, both current and retired, that make Salt Spring into a functional community. It’s time for a change and if I am elected I am ready to make those changes.

I will work to make the Trust accessible and transparent. We need meetings and public engagement at times other than in the middle of the workday. We need agendas, minutes, and other information announced on a bigger platform than a mailing list with 400 people on it. We need rules and processes that are clear, consistent, and written in plain language.

One of our biggest challenges is our outdated model of governance. The Islands Trust is great at solving the problems of the 1970s and 80s but has stumbled trying to address the problems facing us in the last 20 years. We’re not solving today’s problems and we certainly aren’t prepared to handle those coming tomorrow. Our governance is fragmented, siloed, messy and confusing. I will make building relationships with and coordinating with other levels of government a priority. The success of the Trust, when it comes to issues other than land use planning, rests on working well with the LCC, CRD, improvement districts, and the provincial, federal, and First Nations governments.

Make no mistake, our current regulations do not protect the environment. We still have big luxury homes being built on clear cut properties, and acres of land being purchased, de-forested for timber sales, and then put back on the market as subdividable developable land. Wild spaces and wildlife corridors must be preserved, and our community needs to be prepared for the increasingly severe effects of climate change.

I will work to promote housing for Salt Springers. We need to ensure that the people who are living, working, and contributing to our communities have places to live, and ensure that we do not have an island covered in vacation homes, short term vacation rentals, and unaffordable mansions. We need to tax luxury homes and vacation properties and we need a housing authority to break down silos and help our variety of local governments create housing opportunities for the people that are already here.

Agriculture is part of Salt Spring Island’s heritage, a big part of who we are, and what brought me to the island. The land that feeds us is a critical part of our community infrastructure and resiliency, and farms and farmers must be protected. If elected I will coordinate the work of the Trust, the Agricultural Land Reserve, the Province and many community organizations to ensure we grow our local food production system.

Life can be hard when you work on Salt Spring, but it's worth it. I’ve been lucky enough to discover a career I love, a community that brings me joy, a wonderful partner, and I’ve even managed to become a homeowner. I’m excited to have an opportunity to serve the community that has given me so much.

But I can’t do it without your support. I don’t have the connections provided by a career in politics, I don't have a foundation named after me, and I am not backed by any advocacy groups (yet?). I am a grass roots working class candidate operating on hard work, grit, and the desire to better my community. If something I have written speaks to you and you would like to ask me any questions or help me with my campaign please reach out to EricGMarch4Trustee@pm.me

And, on October 17, please help me preserve the environment and protect local workers.
Vote Eric G March for Salt Spring Island Trustee!