A Year in the Life of Transition Salt Spring : AGM Report 2017

The​ ​work​ ​of​ ​Transition Salt Spring​ ​is​ ​carried​ ​out​ ​by​ ​its​ ​committees,​ ​with​ ​policy​ ​and​ ​financial oversight​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Board.​ ​Historically,​ ​committees​ ​have​ ​operated​ ​with​ ​a​ ​degree​ ​of​ ​independence,​ ​and financial​ ​oversight​ ​has​ ​included​ ​the​ ​services​ ​of​ ​bookkeeping​ ​and​ ​accounting.​ ​The​ ​following committees​ ​are​ ​standing​ ​committees​ ​that​ ​operate​ ​under​ ​the​ ​TSS​ ​umbrella:​ ​RRPAG,​ ​Climate​ ​Action Group,​ ​EV​ ​Group,​ ​Education​ ​Committee,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Community​ ​Energy​ ​Group.​ ​Board-led​ ​committees include​ ​the​ ​Volunteer/Membership​ ​committee​ ​led​ ​by​ ​Anne​ ​Parkinson.​ ​Committees​ ​also​ ​run​ ​events which​ ​happen​ ​periodically,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​EcoLiving​ ​and​ ​Homes​ ​Tour​ ​(ever​y ​other​ ​year,​ ​odd-numbered years)​ ​and​ ​Earth​ ​Day​ ​(every​ ​April).
Rainbow Road Pool Allotment Gardens: RRPAG
In​ ​2011​ ​Transition​ ​Salt​ ​Spring​ ​co-founded​ ​the​ ​first​ ​community​ ​gardens​ ​on​ ​Salt​ ​Spring.​ ​Known​ ​as​ ​the Rainbow​ ​Road​ ​Park​ ​Allotment​ ​Gardens​ ​they​ ​officially​ ​opened​ ​in​ ​April,​ ​2012,​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​swimming pool,​ ​on​ ​land​ ​leased​ ​from​ ​the​ ​CRD​ ​for​ ​$1.00​ ​a​ ​year.​ ​Now​ ​a​ ​larger-scale allotment​ ​garden​ ​now​ ​operates​ ​as​ ​well,​ ​in​ ​Burgoyne​ ​Valley,​ ​under​ ​the​ ​supervision​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Farmland Trust.
Five​ ​years​ ​later​ ​the​ ​38​ ​individual​ ​plots​ ​and​ ​2​ ​communal​ ​plots​ ​astonish​ ​us​ ​with​ ​the​ ​variety​ ​and​ ​amount of​ ​organic​ ​vegetables,​ ​berries,​ ​herbs​ ​and​ ​flowers​ ​they​ ​produce.​ ​Every​ ​year​ ​has​ ​been​ ​marked​ ​by​ ​its​ ​own project;​ ​deer​ ​and​ ​rabbit​ ​fencing,​ ​a​ ​notice​ ​board​ ​kiosk,​ ​the​ ​Windsor​ ​Inn​ ​shelter​ ​(thank​ ​you​ ​Windsor Plywood!).
Our​ ​latest​ ​addition​ ​is​ ​a​ ​five​ ​hundred​ ​gallon​ ​water​ ​tank​ ​to​ ​collect​ ​rainwater​ ​off​ ​the​ ​shelter’s​ ​metal​ ​roof. This,​ ​added​ ​to​ ​the​ ​large​ ​tank​ ​that​ ​collects​ ​rain​ ​water​ ​off​ ​the​ ​swimming​ ​pool​ ​roof,​ ​has​ ​enabled​ ​us​ ​to operate​ ​so​ ​far​ ​this​ ​year​ ​entirely​ ​on​ ​rainwater​ ​harvesting.
RRPAG​ ​members​ ​annually​ ​elect​ ​a​ ​committee​ ​to​ ​manage​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​activities,​ ​assisted​ ​by​ ​a​ ​garden manager,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​7​ ​sub-committees​ ​and​ ​three​ ​yearly​ ​work​ ​parties.​ ​Cost​ ​of​ ​a​ ​plot​ ​is​ ​$20.00​ ​a​ ​year plus​ ​a​ ​water​ ​fee.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​four​ ​people​ ​on​ ​the​ ​waiting​ ​list​ ​for​ ​a​ ​garden​ ​plot.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​our​ ​long-term​ ​goals is​ ​to​ ​expand​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​area.
CEG​ ​(Community​ ​Energy​ ​Group)
The​ ​SS​ ​Community​ ​Energy​ ​Group​ ​operates​ ​at​ ​a​ ​high​ ​level​ ​of​ ​independence​ ​and​ ​capability.
Its​ ​most​ ​notable​ ​project​ ​was​ ​the​ ​Solar​ ​Scholarship​ ​Project,​ ​which​ ​created​ ​a​ ​lasting​ ​legacy​ ​for​ ​SSI​ ​and its​ ​youth.​ ​Created​ ​by​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​Citizens,​ ​Students,​ ​SD64,​ ​and​ ​funding​ ​partners,​ ​CEG​ ​came​ ​together​ ​to create​ ​the​ ​largest​ ​solar​ ​array​ ​at​ ​any​ ​school​ ​in​ ​BC.​ ​The​ ​installed​ ​solar​ ​panels​ ​generate​ ​an​ ​annual electricity​ ​savings,​ ​savings​ ​which​ ​are​ ​directed​ ​into​ ​a​ ​scholarship​ ​fund​ ​that​ ​has​ ​awarded​ ​scholarships each​ ​year​ ​for​ ​students​ ​of​ ​Gulf​ ​Island​ ​Secondary​ ​School.​ ​The​ ​Solar​ ​Scholarship​ ​in​ ​2015​ ​generated​ ​a total​ ​of​ ​$2,695​ ​“solar​ ​scholarships”​ ​whose​ ​funds​ ​were​ ​awarded​ ​—​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​—​ ​to​ ​GISS​ ​graduating students​ ​toward​ ​their​ ​further​ ​education:​ ​Alexandra​ ​MacDonald​ ​and​ ​Emma​ ​Bishop.​ ​The​ ​amount​ ​of energy​ ​saved​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​was​ ​measured​ ​at​ ​25,657​ ​kwh,​ ​which​ ​resulted​ ​in​ ​a​ ​2016​ ​calendar​ ​year​ ​savings​ ​of $2585,​ ​funds​ ​which​ ​will​ ​be​ ​used​ ​toward​ ​scholarships​ ​for​ ​this​ ​year’s​ ​GISS​ ​graduates.
The​ ​CEG’s​ ​major​ ​event​ ​the​ ​Community​ ​Energy​ ​Conference​ ​is​ ​held​ ​every​ ​other​ ​year.​ ​The​ ​previous​ ​one of​ ​these​ ​conferences​ ​was​ ​held​ ​on​ ​April​ ​23,​ ​2016;​ ​the​ ​first,​ ​titled​ ​the​ ​2014​ ​Renewable​ ​Energy Conference,​ ​was​ ​held​ ​on​ ​April​ ​5,​ ​2014.​ ​Each​ ​conference​ ​attracted​ ​over​ ​200​ ​guests​ ​and​ ​had​ ​an impressive​ ​roster​ ​of​ ​speakers​ ​and​ ​breakout​ ​sessions​ ​on​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​important​ ​topics.
The​ ​April​ ​23rd​ ​2016​ ​event​ ​was​ ​titled​ ​“Creating​ ​A​ ​Low-Carbon​ ​Future”​ ​and​ ​featured​ ​keynote​ ​speakers Alex​ ​Love​ ​(general​ ​manager​ ​of​ ​Nelson​ ​Hydro)​ ​ Alevtina​ ​Akbulatova​ ​(coordinator​ ​for​ ​BC​ ​Hydro’s​ ​Net Metering​ ​program)​ ​and​ ​a​ ​video​ ​presentation​ ​by​ ​John​ ​Farrell​ ​(director​ ​of​ ​Democratic​ ​Energy​ ​at​ ​the Institute​ ​for​ ​Local​ ​Self-Reliance).​ ​Over​ ​220​ ​people​ ​attended​ ​from​ ​Salt​ ​Spring,​ ​the​ ​Gulf​ ​Islands, Vancouver​ ​Island,​ ​the​ ​lower​ ​mainland,​ ​Sunshine​ ​coast​ ​and​ ​as​ ​far​ ​away​ ​as​ ​Haida​ ​Gwaii.​ ​The​ ​2016 conference​ ​coincided​ ​roughly​ ​with​ ​Earth​ ​Day,​ ​so​ ​on​ ​April​ ​22​ ​there​ ​was​ ​an​ ​Earth​ ​Day​ ​screening​ ​of​ ​short films​ ​and​ ​the​ ​main​ ​feature​ ​​The​ ​Future​ ​of​ ​Energy:​ ​Lateral​ ​Power​ ​to​ ​the​ ​People​ ​​at​ ​Mahon​ ​Hall.
Brigit​ ​Hayes​ ​and​ ​Kjell​ ​for​ ​CEG​ ​they​ ​were​ ​instrumental​ ​to​ ​bi​ ​annual​ ​CEG​ ​2016​ ​conference financial​ ​success.
CAG​ ​Climate​ ​Action​ ​Group (Expanded​ ​to​ ​be​ ​under​ ​TSS​ ​umbrella​ ​in​ ​2016.)
The​ ​Climate​ ​Action​ ​Council​ ​​was​ ​established​ ​in​ ​2009​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​attention​ ​on​ ​the​ ​need​ ​for​ ​a​ ​better understanding​ ​of​ ​the​ ​local​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​global​ ​warming​ ​on​ ​the​ ​island​ ​and​ ​the​ ​actions​ ​which​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be taken​ ​to​ ​reduce​ ​greenhouse​ ​gas​ ​emissions.​ ​In​ ​2010,​ ​we​ ​helped​ ​the​ ​SSI​ ​Local​ ​Trustees​ ​establish​ ​its​ ​GHG targets​ ​in​ ​the​ ​SSI​ ​Official​ ​Community​ ​Plan​ ​of​ ​a​ ​15%​ ​reduction​ ​from​ ​2007​ ​levels​ ​by​ ​2015,​ ​a​ ​40% reduction​ ​by​ ​2020​ ​and​ ​an​ ​85%​ ​reduction​ ​by​ ​2050.
Subsequently,​ ​the​ ​Climate​ ​Action​ ​Council​ ​released​ ​the​ ​SSI​ ​Climate​ ​Action​ ​Plan​ ​in​ ​April,​ ​2011​ ​and provided​ ​a​ ​detailed​ ​progress​ ​report​ ​in​ ​2012.​ ​Since​ ​that​ ​time,​ ​little​ ​progress​ ​has​ ​been​ ​made​ ​since​ ​the Province​ ​has​ ​not​ ​kept​ ​its​ ​promise​ ​of​ ​two-year​ ​updates​ ​on​ ​local​ ​emissions​ ​and,​ ​just​ ​recently,​ ​released​ ​a very​ ​limited​ ​set​ ​of​ ​data​ ​for​ ​SSI​ ​in​ ​2012,​ ​four​ ​years​ ​late.
CAG’s​ ​tentative​ ​plans​ ​for​ ​2017​ ​is​ ​to​ ​seek​ ​funding​ ​for​ ​a​ ​more​ ​complete​ ​assessment​ ​of​ ​SSI​ ​emissions​ ​to date​ ​and​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​work​ ​with​ ​TSS​ ​broader​ ​educational​ ​efforts​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​speakers​ ​on​ ​climate​ ​change issues.​ ​They​ ​will​ ​also​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​more​ ​effective​ ​measures​ ​to​ ​be​ ​taken​ ​by​ ​federal​ ​and provincial​ ​governments​ ​to​ ​lower​ ​our​ ​carbon​ ​footprint.
New​ ​members​ ​are welcome​ ​to​ ​CAG​ ​group​ ​as are suggestions​ ​of​ ​projects​ ​to​ ​undertake.
Electric​ ​Vehicle​ ​Group
● 105​ ​Electric​ ​Vehicles​ ​as​ ​of​ May​ ​27th​ ​2017
● Initiated,​ ​sponsored​ ​and​ ​coordinated​ ​new​ ​free​ ​public​ ​chargers​ ​at:​ ​The​ ​Rental​ ​Stop,​ ​Fernwood Cafe,​ ​and​ ​Fulford​ ​Hall.​ ​(Existing​ ​chargers​ ​are​ ​at​ ​ArtSpring,​ ​Island​ ​Savings,​ ​Country​ ​Grocer, and​ ​Moby’s​ ​Pub).
● Donation​ ​of​ ​chargers​ ​has​ ​a​ ​new​ ​category​ ​of​ ​donor,​ ​namely,​ ​private​ ​citizen​ ​donors
● The​ ​EV​ ​Charger​ ​Group,​ ​which​ ​meets​ ​every​ ​other​ ​week,​ ​has​ ​expanded​ ​from​ ​3​ ​to​ ​9​ ​regular participants​ ​who​ ​each​ ​contribute​ ​important​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​the​ ​work​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​add​ ​and​ ​sustain​ ​Salt Spring’s​ ​EV​ ​infrastructure.
● Number​ ​of​ ​EVs​ ​on​ ​the​ ​island​ ​grew​ ​from​ ​approx.​ ​60​ ​to​ ​—​ ​just​ ​achieved​ ​—​ ​our​ ​100th​ ​EV. Country​ ​Grocer​ ​has​ ​sponsored​ ​a​ ​prize​ ​for​ ​#100​ ​and​ ​Sun​ ​Country​ ​has​ ​awarded​ ​a​ ​prize​ ​to​ ​all​ ​100 EV​ ​owners​ ​as​ ​determined​ ​by​ ​the​ ​EV​ ​Group​ ​to​ ​be​ ​owners.​ ​We​ ​passed​ ​#100​ ​on​ ​May​ ​11,​ ​2017. Lou​ ​Bishop​ ​(EV​ ​#99Fiat​ ​500e)​ ​won​ ​a​ ​​One​ ​Day​ ​Battery-powered​ ​WEED​ ​TRIMMER​ ​rental (value​ ​$50)​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Rental​ ​Stop,​ ​Victoria​ ​Woodman​ ​(EV​ ​#98,​ ​Nissan​ ​Leaf)​ ​wins​ ​a​ ​$50​ ​Gift Certificate​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Fernwood​ ​Cafe.​ ​​Cathie​ ​Newman​ ​(#100,​ ​Nissan​ ​Leaf)​ ​wins​ ​a​ ​$100​ ​gift Certificate​ ​from​ ​Country​ ​Grocer.​ ​​All​ ​100​ ​EV​ ​owners​ ​win​ ​a​ ​coffee​ ​from​ ​Country​ ​Grocer​ ​and a​ ​20​ ​lb​ ​of​ ​Sun​ ​Country​ ​bird​ ​seed​ ​and​ ​a​ ​20​ ​lb​ ​bag​ ​of​ ​Sun​ ​Country​ ​organic​ ​fertilizer​ ​from​ ​Kent Rathwell​ ​from​ ​Saskatoon,​ ​Saskatchewan​ ​(Value​ ​$5,000).​ ​
● Significant​ ​media​ ​attention​ ​has​ ​been​ ​generated​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Driftwood,​ ​Islands​ ​Tides​ ​and​ ​SS Exchange
● Initiated​ ​an​ ​EV​ ​Statistics​ ​project​ ​to​ ​verify​ ​island​ ​fleet​ ​EV​ ​usage​ ​(John​ ​Newton).
● Made​ ​a​ ​presentation​ ​to​ ​Southern​ ​Gulf​ ​Islands​ ​Economic​ ​Development​ ​Committee
● Attended​ ​Earth​ ​Day​ ​(first​ ​EV​ ​Flash​ ​Mob​ ​event),​ ​Canada​ ​Day​ ​car​ ​show​ ​(10​ ​EV​ ​entries,​ ​with​ ​red and​ ​white​ ​cars​ ​portraying​ ​the​ ​Canadian​ ​Flag),​ ​Fall​ ​Fair,​ ​Green​ ​Drinks,​ ​SS​ ​Film​ ​Festival
● Sponsored​ ​Canadian​ ​EV​ ​Hero​ ​Kent​ ​Rathwell​ ​at​ ​the​ ​SS​ ​Forum
● Continued​ ​to​ ​harvest​ ​auto​ ​sales​ ​referral​ ​fees. ​ ​Four​ ​auto​ ​dealers​ ​have​ ​made​ ​contributions. Ongoing​ ​contributors​ ​(know​ ​this​ ​if​ ​you’re​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​buying!!)​ ​are​ ​Motorize,​ ​Your​ ​EV​ ​Store (in​ ​Sidney)​ ​and​ ​Campus​ ​Nissan​ ​in​ ​Victoria​.
● EV​ ​Film​ ​(Gary​ ​McNutt​ ​&​ ​Ky​ ​Fox)​ ​appeared​ ​at​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​SS​ ​Film​ ​Festival​ ​to​ ​a​ ​full​ ​house​ ​in​ ​the dance​ ​theatre
● Electric​ ​bikes​ ​officially​ ​added​ ​to​ ​the​ ​mission​ ​of​ ​the​ ​EV​ ​Group
● Working​ ​with​ ​individuals​ ​on​ ​the​ ​other​ ​Southern​ ​Gulf​ ​Islands​ ​to​ ​expand​ ​charging​ ​infrastructure
● Other​ ​projects​ ​initiated​ ​include​ ​power​ ​extraction​ ​for​ ​emergencies​ ​(Wil​ ​Mayhew),​ ​charger signage​ ​(Barbara​ ​Dempster),​ ​electronic​ ​donation​ ​and​ ​donation​ ​boxes.
● Subsidized​ ​ArtSpring​ ​charger​ ​electric​ ​bill
● Revenue​ ​/​ ​expense​ ​model​ ​remains​ ​viable
● Additional​ ​public​ ​and​ ​B&B​ ​charger​ ​locations​ ​are​ ​“in​ ​the​ ​works”
Education​ ​Committee
● Partnered​ ​with​ ​the​ ​library​ ​has​ ​enabled​ ​the​ ​EC​ ​to​ ​hold​ ​a​ ​talk​ ​almost​ ​every​ ​month.
● Topics​ ​are​ ​various​ ​and​ ​exciting:
◦ a​ ​book​ ​launch​ ​for​ ​Chris​ ​Pollon’s​ ​Paddling​ ​the​ ​Peace
◦ September:​ ​a​ ​video​ ​from​ ​Tony​ ​Seba,​ ​author​ ​of​ ​Clean​ ​Disruption​ ​of​ ​Energy​ ​and Transportation,​ ​in​ ​a​ ​talk​ ​“Earth​ ​at​ ​100%​ ​Clean​ ​Energy”
◦ a​ ​joint​ ​meeting​ ​with​ ​TSSEC​ ​where​ ​we​ ​watched​ ​a​ ​Ted​ ​Talk​ ​on​ ​Green​ ​Business​ ​and​ ​then heard​ ​from​ ​two​ ​SS​ ​companies​ ​that​ ​have​ ​received​ ​local​ ​loans,​ ​and​ ​they​ ​served​ ​samples​ ​of their​ ​products​ ​(Greening​ ​Our​ ​Travel​ ​-​ ​March​ ​2017)​ ​a​ ​well-researched​ ​talk​ ​from​ ​David Denning
◦ “Solar​ ​101”​ ​—​ ​this​ ​was​ ​a​ ​presentation​ ​by​ ​Simon​ ​Wheeler​ ​of​ ​the​ ​CEG,​ ​and​ ​was​ ​jointly organized​ ​and​ ​publicized​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Library,​ ​the​ ​CEG,​ ​and​ ​TSS.​ ​All​ ​that​ ​collaboration​ ​resulted in​ ​a​ ​packed​ ​house​ ​with​ ​so​ ​many​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​be​ ​seated​ ​that​ ​we​ ​were​ ​promised​ ​a​ ​follow-up “Solar​ ​101”​ ​some​ ​time​ ​in​ ​the​ ​coming​ ​months.​ ​Word​ ​is​ ​out​ ​about​ ​these​ ​great​ ​Tuesday​ ​night talks​ ​and​ ​we​ ​are​ ​getting​ ​larger​ ​audiences​ ​now.
Transition Salt Spring Enterprise Co-op
Six​ ​new​ ​TSSEC​ ​supported​ ​groups​ ​were​ ​supported​ ​this​ ​year​ ​up​ ​to​ ​$100,000​ ​in​ ​loans​ ​since​ ​2011​ ​and 73​ ​members​ ​and​ ​growing.
Salt​ ​Spring​ ​Island​ ​Agricultural​ ​Alliance
● Director​ ​has​ ​been​ ​Mary​ ​Richardson
● Agricultural​ ​Alliance​ ​owns​ ​abattoir
● Putting​ ​on​ ​Farm​ ​Dinners​ ​June​ ​10th​ ​and​ ​June​ ​28th, 2018
● Farmland​ ​Trust​ ​own​ ​New​ ​Farm​ ​Centre​ ​on​ ​Beddis​ ​Road
​Administrators​ ​Report
George​ ​Sipos​ ​joined​ ​us​ ​in​ ​July​ ​of​ ​2016​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Treasurer​ ​which​ ​allowed​ ​Aly​ ​to​ ​step​ ​back​ ​from bookkeeping​ ​duties​ ​and​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​building​ ​functional​ ​systems​ ​to​ ​organize​ ​our​ ​membership​ ​renewals​ ​and social​ ​media​ ​management.​ ​Other​ ​than​ ​overviewing​ ​the​ ​day​ ​to​ ​day​ ​administrative​ ​duties​ ​and​ ​sending​ ​out a​ ​monthly​ ​newsletter,​ ​Aly​ ​had​ ​regular​ ​meetings​ ​regarding​ ​communications,​ ​and​ ​membership coordination.​ ​I​t’s​ ​been​ ​a​ ​really​ ​lovely​ ​experience​ ​working​ ​as​ ​a​ ​group​ ​and​ ​individually​ ​with​ ​the​ ​board over​ ​her​ ​time​ ​as​ ​admin,​ ​but​ ​unfortunately​ ​Aly​ ​has​ ​to​ ​step​ ​down​ ​as​ ​the​ ​administrator​ ​and​ ​gives​ ​her formal​ ​resignation​ ​as​ ​of​ ​June​ ​1st​ ​2017.​ ​
Dennis​ ​welcomes​ ​Erinanne​ ​Harper​ ​to​ ​the​ ​new​ ​Role​ ​of​ ​Administrator, Erinanne​ ​is​ ​big​ ​in​ ​community​ ​organizing​ ​and​ ​self​ ​sufficiency,​ ​affordable​ ​housing,​ ​natural​ ​building.​ ​The board​ ​looks​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​her​ ​being​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​group.