Sustainable Tourism and Island Self Government: The Saltspring Island Case Dr. Brian P. White Director School of Tourism and Hotel Management Royal Roads University Victoria, BC.
Setting the stage--The study of islands from an integrated nd holistic perspective is a relatively recent developme (see Baldacchino, 2007)
Some “Cold-water� island issues include: -sustainability of island ecosystems , economies, and societies, -population displacement, -tourism impacts, -gentrification -governance (Warrington & Mill 2007, Gossling & Wall 2007, Connell 2007, Clark et al 2007)
Island Tourism and Environmental Change: Key Issues •Competition for scarce water and other natural resources •Land conversion for residential and commercial development •Locals forced to emigrate by rising land costs and gentrificatio •Unoccupied investment properties and second homes impact community vitality. ( Gossling & Wall 2007)
The Situation: Saltspring Island is the largest of the southern Gulf Islands in Georgia Strait,-first pioneer farmsteads in the 1860s There are powerful residential development pressures due to close proximity to Vancouver and Victoria, Population on Saltspring Island has increased substantially in the past two decades due to amenity migration of retirees, who now comprise 52% of the population, The island’s economy is small business based, particularly focussed on agritourism and arts and crafts, The economic downturn impacts retirees, small businesses, and developers focussed on retirement properties.
erry Schedules and pricing critically impact Saltspring Island lif and the sustainability of the local economy
Saltspring Island and The Travel, Time and Space Continuum Number of Trips (interactions)
Time Extended working holidays
Years Migration
Commuting
Months
Shopping Educational travel
Weeks
Visits
Vacation Day tripping
Sojourning
Weekends
Days
Hours
Home
Long distance commuting
Space
Adapted from Hall in Theobald, pp. 466
• The resource economy is struggling, with the last pulp mill still operating on Vancouver Island a short ferry ride away for north Saltspring Island workers • Fishing and logging have been in decline for decades and are no longer major employers. • The service economy is a major employer, with most jobs front line. Many are low paid. • Many professionals telecommute, many second homes.
Arts and crafts based tourism has become a mainstay of the island’s economy, but many islanders work off island and on line
Saltspring Island has no local (municipal) governme Governance is under and the Capital Regional distr and the Islands Trust Act. The Islands Trust is a land use planning agency responsible for the land use planning of the Gulf Islands, but is not mandated as a local governance agency. With a population approaching 10,000, pressure has been mounting for Island Municipal Status for Saltspring Island However, the measure was rejected by 73% in a referendum five years ago.
Agritourism, wine tourism and community based arts and crafts are the primary supporters of the island economy, along with bed and break and small resorts. Agriculture is a major econom activity, particularly small scale sheep farming.
There is however strong resistance to tourism among the retirement community and also among some long term residents
Vineyards and Wineries have become tourist attractions and a mainstay of the island economy,
Specialty cheese makers attract culinary tourists,
And alternative lifestyles-and crafts- are alive and well.,
Channel Ridge
--A major housing development on the north end of the island that was approved without local public input Channel Ridge was designed for wealthy retirees. Public protests have slowed down development. Now with the economic downturn, financing and buyers are becoming scarce.
nges: A gentrified downtown
Chamber of Commerce is supporting Island Municipal status, s developing a Sustainable Tourism plan with ism British Columbia. y have support from small businesses across the Island. slands Trust is non-supportive of Island Municipal Status.
Four preliminary research questions: Would island municipal status have an effect on island tourism? What key changes are likely to occur? What would be the effect on the environmental sustainability of Saltspring Island?
Preliminary interview results (N=10) with small tourism-related business owners indicated: •Overall strong support for Island Municipal status •Desire for accountability among elected officials •Desire to elect own local government •Better planning of services on Saltspring •Locally rather than regionally mandated governance •Would provide direct negotiation with development proposals C t li d t i l i th h th
• •
Emerging Issues Land development equated with tourism by some
•
Islands Trust seen as a brake on development
•
Emergent sustainable tourism economy not supported as a fundamental economic reality by many residents.
•
No municipal funding and grants available to support environmental efforts
Preliminary Observations: •The population is seriously divided as to island governance •Local control and accountability seen as very important to effective ecosystem, sustainable tourism planning, and development approvals •Island economy and landscape appears to be very vulnerable due to off island land use policy control
Thank You!
References: Baldecchino, Godfrey, (ed.)A world of Islands (2007) Media Centre Publications, Malta Clark, Eric, K. Johnson, E. Lundholm, & G. Malmberg (2007) Island Gentrification and Space Wars (in) Baldecchino, (2007) Gossling, Steven, & G. Wall (2007) Island Tourism (in) Baldecchino, (2007) Thanks to: Islanders for Self Government Saltspring Island Chamber of Commerce