SALT SPRING ISLAND REAL ESTATE
with John Cade

The Special Benefits of Living on Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring is the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands under the protection of the Islands Trust whose mandate is "preserve and protect".

Strict zoning bylaws and the adopted Community Plan help to ensure that Salt Spring Island will maintain its rural atmosphere and avoid the over development that plagues so many of the world’s former paradises. There are seven lakes on the island, wildlife preserves, and lots of sheer scenic beauty.

What sets Salt Spring Island apart from the other Gulf Islands is its infrastructure. We have two chartered banks and a credit union, a hospital, several elementary and middle schools, and the high school houses students from the other southern Gulf Islands (via water taxi) as well as Salt Spring Island’s youth.

There are many great places to eat, or dine, whichever you prefer, from one of the local pubs to a member of the Gourmet Trail. You can buy your clothes here, do your business, have local doctors, lawyers, dentists – in fact there is really no need to leave the island in the normal day-to-day course of your life.

Recreation is provided in the form of two golf courses, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis, disk golf, or for the more sedentary of us, our arts community is unparalleled. There are soccer teams, baseball teams, football teams, bridge groups, poker groups, and a variety of other group sports for the active individual.

Salt Spring Island is serviced by three ferry terminals giving residents several options for their trips when they must leave the island. The Vesuvius ferry terminal makes access to Nanaimo approximately one and one-half hours away, while the Fulford ferry terminal makes Victoria a one hour trip. Long Harbour provides direct trips to Tsawassen, and the more scenic route via Main, Pender, and Galiano Islands.

Several companies also offer sea plane service out of Ganges Harbour for a quick one-half hour trip to the Vancouver airport, or downtown, and even Seattle.

The area offers, of course, much much more than can be detailed here. You may enjoy exploring the Tourism BC site.