It’s not every day you see a community begging to be taxed, but that’s the situation many residents of B.C.’s most populous Gulf Island have found themselves in.
Wood is among nearly two dozen Salt Spring business owners and community groups calling on B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson to include the island in the tax.Province expands speculation and vacancy tax to include more B.C. municipalities – Jul 20, 2022 According to the group, up to one in five homes on the island sit empty for more than half the year, affecting every part of the local economy.B.C. government expands speculation and vacancy tax programSalt Spring is home to the small Lady Minto hospital, which serves the island’s 12,000 residents, along with people on nearby islands and the bustling tourist trade.
The foundation has gone to extreme measures to try and fill the gaps, renting a house as a “landing pad” for new hires, and even purchasing an old motel and converting it into housing for healthcare workers.