Salt Spring Island, BC, residents who want a direct say in how local services are run can now put their names forward for the October 17, 2026, election. The Capital Regional District has opened nominations for the offices of Electoral Area Director and Local Community Commissioner from September 1 at 9 a.m. until September 11 at 4 p.m.
This is the first general election since the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission was formed in June 2023. The commission came out of an October 2022 referendum where 61 percent of voters backed replacing four appointed commissions with one elected five-member body. It now oversees 14 local CRD services, from parks and recreation to transit and liquid waste management.
The current commissioners elected in May 2023 — Gayle Baker, Brian Webster, Earl Rook, and Benjamin Corno — are completing their first terms alongside Electoral Area Director Gary Holman. The total CRD requisition for Salt Spring Island is roughly $9.35 million, a significant portion of which flows through LCC-administered services, so who sits at the table directly affects how those tax dollars shape everyday island services.
Advance voting is set for October 7 and October 14, with general election day on October 17. The last LCC race in 2023 drew 15 candidates and saw 32 percent voter turnout, with 3,262 of the 10,219 registered electors casting ballots.
